Makes Sense to Us!

A new poll by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life shows that churchgoers are more likely to favor torture.

Mitt, Unloved

By Zamboni

WaPo's Chris Cillizza recently posted a cliche-laden, poorly edited list of the "winners and losers" of President Obama's first 100 days.

We cats mention this not just to chide Mr. Cillizza for using tired old puns like "the son also rises" (referring to Andrew Cuomo), but to note that he listed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as a "winner." Romney, he says, "has done everything right in terms of positioning himself as the leading GOP contender against Obama in 2012."

Hmmm. We think that "The Fix" has not been spending a lot of time looking at right-wing websites. In fact, if he visits Free Republic today, he'll find a raging anti-Mittster conflagration, just blazing away.

The fire was started by none other than Free Republic's creator, Jim Robinson, who for some reason launched on Romney this afternoon. "I don't care who this socialist, abortionist, homosexualist, constitution trampling bastard picks for running mate," he screams. "If Romney's in I'm out! GOP, R.I.P!"

Around 250 comments follow: "Amen, Mr. Robinson, amen!" "Right on, Jim!" "[Romney] is the slimiest politician since Richard Daley, Sr." "Mitt Romney would spell the end of the GOP as a national party. He has no conservative values at all." "I agree... I’d like to see a Palin and Bachmann or Bachmann and Palin ticket."

Um, we think Governor Romney has a little work to do with his party's primary voters. And in the meantime, Mr. Cillizza, we suggest you wallow in the muck of the Republican base before you pronounce your GOP "winners."

(And you might want to do something about all those typos you make, too.)

UPDATE: It's Sunday and Jim Robinson is still launching against Romney. We cats can't figure out what's set him off this time, unless it's because the Mittster appeared on a talking-head show this morning. Anyway, he's pulling the circular firing squad a little tighter, in a way that we can't envision will win many elections for the Republicans.

"If there is anyone here who doesn't understand why we cannot support a slick socialist politician like Mitt Romney, God help you, but you're on the wrong website... FR is not for everyone!"

Whew, Jim — take a Xanax or something.

Michele Bachmann is Older than We Are...

...So officially, she has no excuse for not remembering this.

Republicans: Does anybody in your party have a brain, or are you all pathetic idiots? Just wondering.

It's About Frickin' Time

We cats just want it on the record that the Republicans obstructed this HHS appointment despite 50 million Americans' lack of health insurance, not to mention the fact that we may be well into a potential flu epidemic.

If you wonder why the GOP is shrinking to a marginalized, regional, irrelevant party.... well, look no further than this.

Michael Steele's First 100 Days

By Baxter

So, Michael Steele is coming up on the 100-day anniversary as Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Let's see how he's done so far — aside from his disastrous media gaffes, that is.

He's lost a special Congressional election in an upstate New York district that boasts 70,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.

He hasn't been able to orchestrate any kind of groundswell of support for former Senator Norm Coleman's endless legal appeals. In fact, 64 percent of Minnesotans want Coleman to quit and Senator-elect Al Franken to be seated.

He's presided over one of the most high-profile Senate party switchings in recent political history.

Oh, and that alleged Craigslist murderer guy? He's a Republican, too.

Michael Steele, you're a FAILURE. And Michael Steele, we cats love you!

Specter Joins Party of Satan — Freepers Hope He Comes Down with Swine Flu

By Sniffles

Wow! We cats were all ready to settle down for our early-afternoon nap when the word came across the wires that Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is switching parties.

So we guess that 10 years after his "not proven" vote against Bill Clinton's impeachment, Senator Specter's responsible support of the economic stimulus has so infuriated the nuts on the Republican right that they've driven him clean out of the GOP.

Our only comment — besides the fact that it's not nice to wish swine flu on anyone — is that we hope this gives Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe some food for thought.

Meanwhile, add Senator-elect Al Franken and we have a filbuster-proof majority! We cats PURR.

UPDATE: Somebody who calls himself "Right of Right Wing" over at Free Republic needs to check his Senate roster. "I say we clean house," he harumphs over the Specter news. "Take McCain, Snowe, S. Collins, G. Smith (Ore.) [sic], Lugar."

The Devil Made Him Do It

By Zamboni

Since our team is now out of the Stanley Cup playoffs, we cats understand being on the losing side of things. But still, we were curious to see how the far-right base of the Republican Party was reacting to the GOP loss in the 20th Congressional District of New York.

It seemed especially interesting because "the base" are folks who — unlike the majority of the country — are in no mood to get on the Obama recovery and renewal train, or even to cheerfully wave it on. No, they're bruised, battered, resentful and mad. And before the special election was held to fill now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's former House seat, they were rooting and hoping and praying for GOP candidate Jim Tedisco, whom they seemed to like.

Well, everything's different now. Here's why Mr. Tedisco lost, courtesy of the angry, frustrated posters over at Free Republic.

• Scott Murphy stole the election. ACORN helped him cheat.
• The election wasn't free and fair. What happened to Democrats saying "Count every vote"?
• This result was preordained, the same way Coleman vs. Franken was. (Hello? Would someone please send a note to Norm Coleman and Tim Pawlenty?)
• Redistricting has put this particular C.D. out of reach for GOP. (Never mind that registered Republicans there still outnumber registered Democrats by 70,000.)
• The "party elites" who ran the campaign didn't know what they were doing.
• Michael Steele should resign.
• Tedisco was a terrible candidate.
• Tedisco is a RINO.
• New York State is a hopeless cause for the Republicans. The party should just give up on the place.
• The Democratic Party is the party of Satan.

We cats love these people! Who would entertain us if it weren't for the fearless Freeps?

Norm — Take the Hint!

By Baxter

Republican Jim Tedisco has conceded to Democrat Scott Murphy in the special election to fill Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's former House seat (NY-20).

What a refreshing change — a Republican who recognizes reality.

Meanwhile, we're waiting with great anticipation to see how the party of "no" spins this. And of course, to see what Norm Coleman does. (Gee, let us guess....)

UPDATE: For further proof that the right-wing Republican base is marginalizing the party out of existence, the nutbags over at Free Republic barely got to comment #4 on the Murphy-Tedisco story before somebody said, "Curious that the Republican quit before every vote was counted in this race. He probably was a RINO like McCain."

In other words, at the same time that it's blazing away in a circular firing squad, the GOP base is shooting itself in the foot. We cats are in awe. What a feat of multitasking!

(Photo: "Let's Face the Music and Dance," from Follow the Fleet)

35 & 44

"The concept of a second coming of Camelot has already become a cliché, but it is true that Washington has not experienced such a collective change of attitude since that young PT-boat skipper named John F. Kennedy replaced the supreme allied commander of World War II, not quite seven months before Barack Obama was born."

—Todd S. Purdum, Politico, April 24, 2009

(Photo: Callie Shell/Aurora for TIME)

GOP: Zero Leadership

By Sniffles

Did you know that one of the nicknames that the right-wingers at Free Republic use for President Obama is "Zero"?

No, it's not a tribute to the late Broadway star, Mr. Mostel. Quite different. See, what they do is, they type the President's last name using the lowest numeral instead of an "O." Which then they shorten to just "Zero." Ha, ha, clever, yes?

Actually, we cats YAWN. But rather than post our favorite picture to illustrate our boredom, we've chosen instead to share the latest T.V. spot from the Democratic National Committee.

Because in just 60 seconds it vividly demonstrates who the real zeroes are.