ANY DEMOCRAT-- EVEN HILLARY CLINTON-- WILL KICK ANY REPUBLICAN'S ASS

I don't really know if any Democrat will beat any Republican in 2008. How could I? But it sure feels that way. Of course, it also feels like there is no one who will win the Republican nomination for president anyway. I mean maybe that ex-fat governor from Arkansas who lost all the weight. At least people will be able to relate to the humanity of him struggling overcome his obesity. That's easier of relate to than most politics, especially the devious Inside-the-Beltway kind. The thing is, Republicans seem absolutely determined to behave like lemmings. Regardless of the poll numbers, the hardcore primary voters will not accept anyone as the Party's nominee who opposes the disastrous was that is anethema to the vast-- and growing-- majority of Americans. To be able to run as a Republican you must prove beyond doubt that you cannot win the general election. Fine with me.

The latest polling from Iowa, a Republican poll by Strategic Vision, shows 48% of Republicans favor a withdrawal from Iraq within 6 months (37% favor stay the course). Only 9% of Democrats in Iowa support stay the course; 63% want withdrawal.

On top of that, I'm sure you remember that just over a month ago Charlie Cook declared the Republican brand to be toxic, right? He was getting that from Republican campaign consultants who are far more savvy than their Democratic counterparts (who are all demonstrably retarded and so obsessed with personal greed and avarice that they... seem like Republicans; except for how stupid they are.) Anyway, the GOP consultants are telling everyone that being a Republican right now really sucks. The whole DeLay Republican Culture of Corruption has caught up with them and voters see them as the Insider party and totally untrustworthy. That's bad. That's why they did so terribly in November and that's why in 22 months they will probably look back to last November as the good ole days.

Since the election, nearly 6% more Americans consider themselves Democrats than before the election. That's pretty big. And about the same number of voters say they no longer consider themselves Republicans. But the really big news isn't in either of these numbers. It's among the low-information voters who call themselves "independents." Limbaugh says these people are morons. They might not be morons but they aren't following the news as closely as DWT readers are. It takes them a lot longer to change their minds. And they just did. Over half the independent voters favor Democrats and only 40% favor Republicans, the switch that will elect a (generic) Democratic president and expand Democratic majorities in the House, Senate, the governors' chairs and the state legislatures.