It's true, you have a lot of factors working against you. The Democratic Party is having a crisis of leadership and failed to muscle though the GOP PR machine, the mainstream media, with a coherent message. Just weeks before the election, while the White House withheld knowledge of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, there was that so-called debate which, with some exceptions, provided little more than a constant megaphone for Republicans to engage in the worst kinds of hyperbole, threatening us with the specter of mushroom clouds and clobbering us with that powerful sound bite, September 11th, despite its total lack of relevance to the question of Iraq. The 200,000 people who demonstrated against the pResident, his policy of preemption and his disregard for international law were ignored by most of the media, and grossly underestimated by all but a very few news sources. Even NPR under-reported turnout by about 190,000. You turn on the television, and you don't see 200,000 dissenters. You turn on the television, and you don't see a panel of pundits outraged that corporations are allowed to write public policy and that Dick Cheney is allowed to withhold from the public documents that belong to us. You don't see people concerned that Republicans have turned September 11th into a logo for the GOP. There's no one telling you what's really going on. There's no one feeding you information that is comprehensive and in context. So how would you know?
Well, let me ask you this. Just how stupid are you? I mean just how astute do you have to be to be able to discern that television is full of propaganda? Just how alert, how awake do you have to be to suspect that an administration composed of x-energy company executives, delivered to the White House by energy companies might be more eager to represent the interests of energy companies than they are to serve the people and protect the Constitution?
And how hard is it to read a couple of different papers, check out some foreign press, turn on C-Span every once in a while? I know that it's pretty scary to go to the public library these days, but there is a branch in your neighborhood and you can get on the internet for free, they have all kinds of newpapers and books in there too. There's just no excuse for your ignorance.
I heard so many voter sound bytes over the past few days, you mindless choads on the street saying, "Well, I don't really know what any of the candidates stand for." So, in general Democrats failed to go over to your house, open your hole, and tube feed you their agenda and all the reasons it will make a difference in your lives. Yes, I can see how you were failed utterly. I mean, why would you make an effort to learn something for yourself? Civic duty? The future of Democracy?
It is true, there is a lack of Democratic leadership. It's true, Democrats did fail to promote a clear vision. But it's also true that you should know better anyway, you lazy, simple-minded chumps. I will work hard to help the Democratic Party absorb the lessons of this election, and I will not let Democrats off the hook. But right now, I'm angry at you and I blame you.
-René Bouchard