>> I think the vitriol during the Clinton and Bush (43) administrations has been unprecedented.

I'm all for opposing demonizing - mostly because I find it intellectually lazy.

But as to unprecedented - for a little perspective

in 1804 the vice president of the United States killed the former Secretary of the Treasury in a duel

Jefferson and Adams loathed each other. ( though their friendship was somewhat repaired by correspondence in their later years, when Adams died on July 4, 1826 - yeah, exactly 50 years after the big day - his last words were 'Thomas Jefferson still lives!' - he didn't know TJ had died a few hours before. )

in 1824 Jackson's followers' favorite campaign song was "John Quincy Adams went a pimping for the czar! "

in 1856 SC rep Preston Brookes beat Senator Charles Sumner with his cane of the floor of the Senate.

Lincoln - well, you know about that.

FDR - the 'traitor to his class'

JFK - Dallas wasn't the only place or the only time he was in danger.

LBJ was openly accused of the murder of JFK ( remember McBird ? ) "Hey hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today ?"

Remember the Democratic Convention of 1968?

Nixon - well that wasn't a real warm and fuzzy time.

For 50 years the FBI was run by an egomaniacal madman who used blackmail and extortion to manipulate public figures while Mayer Lansky did the same to him.

I think the public dialog has coursened a bit as people feel like instant experts on politics since they are exposed to increasing sophisticated and polarizing media, and I think the mouth-frothing Bush and Clinton haters have been a little more vocal that was common previously, but I think the republic will survive.

A McCain / Obama race could do a lot to raise the level of dialog - if neither caves to the loonies on their left and right.

At least nobody would be able to blame whatever happened on a Bush or a Clinton.




>That's not pointing fingers because it has gone both ways. Even Reagan, a polarizing figure politically, could work with the opposition without demonizing them. He would sit and have a drink with Tip O'Neill in the Oval Office after hours. Those days are gone. Only temporarily, I hope. This era of political venom doesn't have to be permanent.