Time to Get Religion

Clinton’s genius was his willingness to preside over the execution of a retarded Negro in order to get himself elected.

Kristof’s point, to call it that, would appear to be pretty much bogus in any case:

MRC media analysts looked at network newscasts from Monday, January 20 through Sunday, January 26. Rector only drew two full stories, and only one before his execution, the CBS Evening News on the 24th. ABC?s World News Tonight aired a story on the 25th. (CNN’s Gene Randall gave the news 18 seconds during World News on the 25th.)

Roger Ailes has more here.

From Kristof’s earlier column last week:

Finally, grizzlies – a metaphor for the way environmentalism is often perceived in the West as high-handed. When I visited Idaho, people were still enraged over a Clinton proposal to introduce 25 grizzly bears into the wild. It wasn’t worth antagonizing most of Idaho over 25 bears.

In 2004, Bush won Idaho by 38%. In 2000, by 41%. In 1996, Dole won by 19%. In 1992, the other Bush won by 14% (Perot got 27%.) In 1988, by 26%. In 1984, Reagan won by 46%.

Assuming that Kristof’s example serves any purpose other than filling space, what does he propose? Making the non-introduction of grizzly bears in Ohio part of the Democratic party’s platform?

Not surprisingly perhaps, Kristof had more shit from Idaho to throw around:

Then we have guns, which are such an emotive issue that Idaho’s Democratic candidate for the Senate two years ago, Alan Blinken, felt obliged to declare that he owned 24 guns “and I use them all.” He still lost.

Yes, he lost against a twice-elected incumbent, Larry Craig. (Craig won his three races with majorities of 65, 57 and 61%.)

PS: Shorter concept inspired by busy, busy, busy, who offers his own shorter. Atrios, Pandagon, and the inimitable James Wolcott have more.