Dems: Developmentally DeLayed

I think that would be the politically correct, wishy-washy phrase the Democrats would have us use where one forceful word would serve better: Retarded.

Yes. That's how I would describe the Democrats' current strategy to unseat DeLay. Rather than focusing on DeLay's policies and ideas as I once suggested they do, they have opted to go with the ethics scandal instead. Shifting demographics might help them win anyway, but the ethics issue is a loser, according to a poll discussed in today's Houston Chronicle.

Fewer than one in 10 Americans are closely following the debate over DeLay's overseas travel, fund raising and connections to lobbyists, according to a poll by the Pew Center for People and the Press.

This is likely higher in DeLay's district, but given the remarkable apathy of the crucial "swing voter" right up until election time, the low number might still be relevant among nonpartisans in DeLay's district. Contrast this to the large numbers of people who followed the Terri Schiavo case and who opposed Tom DeLay's actions. Furthermore:

Half the poll's respondents said they didn't know whether DeLay is guilty of violating the ethical standards of the House. Of those following the story at least fairly closely, 61 percent said they think DeLay is guilty of ethics violations, compared to 24 percent who think he is not.

Given that most politicians are regarded as at least somewhat corrupt, these results might be best summarized as, "Half of those polled didn't know whether DeLay was corrupt and the other half didn't care."

Sure. The article mentions a few other "issues" the voters care more about, but it barely mentions the most important one: the controversy over the judiciary. I wish the Dems would at least try to run on that one. The Schiavo fiasco not only would matter more to swing voters, it would also be the issue most likely to pry nonreligious conservatives away from DeLay. But if the Dems were that capable of thinking in terms of principles, they'd have figured it out on their own long ago.

But one can still hold out hope that they're just a little slow!

-- CAV