Too far away to understand

Can someone explain why Saxby Chambliss appeals to Georgians? Is his blowhard conservatism enough to overcome the fact that he's clearly a son of a bitch? Y'know, he may be an SOB, but he's our SOB.

What he did to Max Cleland with the eventual approval of Georgia voters in 2002 continues to keep me in a slow burn. Keeping oneself safe from the draft is apparently only unforgivable in a Democrat.

But even in a guy named Saxby? Republicans would cast doubt on the manhood and even sexual orientation of any Democrat so unfortunate as to have parents effete enough to name him Saxby.

I have real doubts about our ability to win this run-off election, which leaves us at 59 in the Senate. (Yes, I think we're going to win both Alaska and Minnesota.)

Unshared prosperity

The Washington elite, press and politicians, don't usually get just how divided the country is by Republicrat economic policies that beggar the poor and the middle class to keep the financial markets in gravy. That way, they can fling off a few inconsequential (to them) campaign contributions to keep the cycle rolling.

This report hooks readers with race:

Mr. Mattingly added that, in a county where the large businesses are run by white men and “ancient parochial attitudes” persist, voter enthusiasm for Mr. Obama had a logic that went beyond simple loyalty.

But class is the underlying fact made visible by skin color. This is why Democrats must be class-conscious, why I support John Edwards, and why I prefer Obama to Hillary, even if a Clinton supporter gave this perfect quote:

“She’s about better pay and education for the kids,” Ms. Willis said.

Update (4/16/2011): Minor edit to clarify.

If politics got better coverage

Can the Times please move Shaila Dewan into political coverage and let some bored political horse-race hack delve into religion? Her story:

• Uses lots of revealing quotes from the principals and the commenting sources
• Names everyone
• Gives a fresh look at a world I previously knew very little about
  

The story also reveals in high relief that televangelism is entertainment, but it's well enough written that it never has to come right out and say that.