Sound Bite Politics

Given my hastily prepared riposte of the situation in South Brunswick yesterday, you'd think I'd learn not to base entire posts on mere sound bites.

You'd be wrong.

The entire 2004 election, for me, has boiled down to one phrase, uttered at some stump speech, and broadcast last night on "Nightline." I found this via Drudge (so what's new?):

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC) (clip of a speech): "I'd say if you live in the United States of America and you vote for George Bush, you've lost your mind."

John, John, John. So, Mr. Trial Lawyer, which part exactly makes me lose my mind? Living in the United States, or voting for President Bush?

Both, you say?

If he really means what he says (and who am I to doubt his personal integrity?), then John-Boy is half-way to crazy along with that half of the electorate he's duped into voting for his ticket, as opposed to Bush/Cheney.

Had Edwards merely said that to vote for Mr. Bush meant I'd lost my mind, I'd never have paid notice. Such remarks are commonplace during any election, and Edwards is no rhetorical genius. Just the same spittle-laced political profanities I'd expect when trying to denigrate one's opponent.

But.

Edwards implies that at least part of my problem is that I live in the United States. This brings up two questions for the VP-wannabe:

1. Are we taking you out of context again (I know, I know... we do that a lot)? If so, please set us straight!

2. Are you saying that any citizens living abroad who vote for Bush haven't lost their minds? We have to live in, say, France to be considered sane enough to vote for Bush? (Note dripping irony with franco reference)

As a relatively right-winged conservative, not to mention being Mormon, I really don't mind being thought of as a loon by the left side of the column. Truly I don't. If I constantly worried about people who thought I was a space cadet, I'd never get on stage again. My personal ham bone just runs too deep to care.

Still, call me crazy for living in this country that was designed specifically so that people could live together despite their incredibly polarized opinions, and I'm likely to get a tad testy.

Bottom line: If, Mr. Edwards, you want to convince me that it's somehow wrong for me to vote for Mr. Bush, you'd better come up with more compelling arguments than implying that my citizenship in this country makes me crazy.

Although I do feel much better since the lobotomy.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin chimes in.

UPDATE: Thank you to American Digest for linking to this one. And a thanks to my Bro for telling me about it! Blood thicker than water, and all that...

'NOTHER UPDATE: Another thank you to Van der Leun of American Digest. He somehow mistakenly thought he could "balance" me and my bro. Nice thought... ;-)