It's A Show About Nothing

Gerard Vanderleun has the logical metaphor for the Democrats’ 2008 campaign. Which makes perfect sense: having boiled all of their policies down to a Nancy Reagan-esque “Just Say No“: No to traditional religion, no to patriotism, no to energy, no to new construction, no to SUVs, no to war (except Darfur!), no to reforming the Middle East, no to cutting taxes, (Update: no fireplaces, either!), all that’s left is primitive fighting over ethnic and gender issues. (Gerard’s metaphor is also a reminder of Thomas Hibbs’ fascinating book about the nihilism lurking just under the hilarious surface of Seinfeld.)

I don’t know if he will benefit from it in the ratings polls, but the contrast of John McCain’s statesman-like tour of Europe and the Middle East sounds like absolutely perfect timing.

(Via Jules Crittenden.)

Update: Related thoughts from Charles Krauthammer and Betsy Newmark, who writes, “When there are no policy differences, vote identity politics.”