The Times sounded pretty scared of the wrong-headed "enthusiasms" of Republicans, bracing for big Republican gains in the November elections, in Thursday's editorial review of the recent primary results,"The Wrong Kind of Enthusiasm [1]." The editorial was ill-humored even by the paper's snotty standards, using martial language like "insurgents" to describe citizens participating in the American political process.
Republican insurgents from the far right did well in Tuesday's primaries. What their campaigns lack in logic, compassion and sensible policy seems to be counterbalanced by a fiercely committed voter base that is nowhere to be seen on the Democratic side.
The editorial board lamented the "personal fortune and hard-right rhetoric" of Rick Scott, a former health care executive, who won the Republican primary in the Florida governor's race, and whined that Sen. John McCain fended off a primary challenge only "by throwing his principles overboard" like campaign finance reform and amnesty for illegals.
Much of the G.O.P's fervid populist energy has been churned up by playing on some people's fears of Hispanics and Muslims, by painting the president as a dangerous radical, by distorting the truth about the causes of the recession. Far too many Republican leaders have eagerly fed that destructive anger." Meanwhile the Democrats "were fleeing solid accomplishments on health care, financial reform and the economy. President Obama and his party have little time left to gin up enthusiasm and a lot more committed voters."
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