While responding to another diary, I finally remembered this same feeling. Yep! Nader2000. That is it, the progressive community sure showed Al Gore who was boss. He was just to damned impure for a good progressive. Instead of channeling all of this energy in defeating real, card carrying republicans, now we get to defend a heretofore safe seat.
Were I George Bush, I would feel much safer from any potential senate investigations or other behavior that might demonstrate adult supervision.