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Damn it, it's a center-right nation, and don't you forget it!

I swear to you that is the editorial slant taken by pretty much all the bobbleheads, but none so nakedly as This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Note the make up of the panel is basically four Republicans to one Democrat (with all their concern trolling, I generously figure that Brazile and Stephanopoulos together equal just one Democrat). What's with that ratio? The American public has soundly and decisively voted against the GOP policies and the Bush doctrine, so what are frightened little Villagers to do but put on some former Bushies, Matthew Dowd and Torie Clarke, along with conservative stalwart George Will.

George Will, the sagest one of all, metaphorically pats Donna Brazile on the head and suggests that perhaps all the doom and gloom on the economy is unnecessary, as if Donna Brazile is the one to blame for the bearish outlook. He suggests that the foreclosure rate isn't as bad as everyone seems to think, that the unemployment rolls aren't that bad (WTF? 94% of the people who want to work are working? WANT to work?) and that this is strictly a financial sector problem, ignoring the fact that if the financial sector cannot lend money, it becomes a disaster to the consumer and small business owner as well. Typical Republican missing the forest for the trees.

Meanwhile, former Pentagon spokesperson Torie Clarke rings the warning bell that all these bailouts (not questioned when AIG and BearStearns came a-calling, mind you) are going to cause us to "out-France France"! Quel horreur! And Matthew Dowd insists that if Obama really wants to represent change from how things are done in Washington, he's going to have to reject a Democratic party-led program.

Um, huh? The logic of this escapes me. The American public has rejected GOP policies and rule and so therefore, Obama must reject a Democratic program? I have an idea for you, Matt (along with all of the ABC news bookers): how about we give a Democratic program (and a Democratic panel) a try for once? THAT would be a change.

(Is this book title supposed to draw in the Neal Horsley's of the world)
Chris Matthews toasted Torie Clarke on Hardball today. It takes a couple of minutes until they finally get into the debate on Iraq.

Download | play -WMP Download | play -QT

She completely abandoned the WMD claim and based it on a "pre-emptive war" strategy. He shot down all the arguments the administration used to get us into Iraq and called it a great "sales job." Has the "Open Letter" been having an effect?

It's one thing to read the quotes in his book. Watching him say it while trying to look like he's some sort of a scholar is something else. Santorum's book promotion tour I think will not be all that popular. Even the wingnut "Torie Clarke" on CNN can't defend his position on working women and stay at home moms.

Download | play -WMP

Download | play -QT is a little better quality

BASH: Let me actually read one of these. Because I want to ask Tori about it. He says to your point, "many women have told me, and surveys have shown, that they find it easier, more professionally gratifying and more certainly more socially affirming to work outside the home than to give up their careers and take care of their children. "Think about that for a moment. Here we can thank the influence of radical feminism, one of the core philosophies of the village elders -- the village elders not so subtle swipe, perhaps, at Hillary Clinton." You're a working mom.

CLARKE: I disagree. I know women of all sizes and shapes and ages who have chosen many, many different paths. And they all put a lot of thought into it and lucky they can make the sorts of choices. You know, I think what's going to happen with this book is, some of those more inflammatory quotes are going to get a lot of mileage and the Santorum people will spend a lot of time saying, well that was taken out of context and you have to look at this aspect of it. And it will become a big, political battle. And there will be lots of ads and lots of counter ads. Transcripts