THANKS FOR THE SENATE, FOOL!

You tell me, out of the following list, which state does not belong:

Missouri, Minnessota, Maryland, Massachusetts, California.

Ah, I know you're guessing California, right? It's the only one that doesn't start with an "M", right?

BRRAAAWWWWKKKK! Wrong answer.

The correct response is, of course, Missouri. Why? Because of course, in the realm of politics, Missouri is the only one of the states listed above that is not a blue state, but is generally considered dependably and solidly red. It is the only state listed above that did not vote for Al Gore in 2000 nor did it vote for John Kerry in 2004, again unlike the others listed.

It is even one of the states that came out in the 2004 election solidly against gay marriage and in favor of a constitutional amendment to describe marriage as being between a man and a woman. In doing so, it increased the margin of Republican victory in that years Presidential election by bringing to the polls voters who might to some extent have stayed home otherwise.

Missouri is about as red as it gets. Certainly not the most red. It might well be in the top ten, though.

Still, Democrat Claire McCaskill managed to not only beat incumbent Republican Senator Jim Talent for the Senate seat, therefore helping to guarantee what looks to be now a Democratic Senate majority, but she actually did it quite handily, by getting something like 53% of the vote.

Here is another statistic that should really chill the Republicans soul-McCaskill isn't really a conservative, she's a-gasp-left of center moderate. A left of center moderate Democrat is, of course, according to most Republicans, a wild eyed liberal. And I'm really giving her the benefit of the doubt here, as I really don't know that much about her, except that she pretty much tows the Democratic Party line on immigration issues.

She certainly isn't as conservative as Virginia's Jim Webb, or Mr. Buzz Cutt from Montana, maybe not even as conservtive as Harold Ford Jr. I would put her more along the lines of Sherwood Brown of Ohio.

So how did she win? Well, she won because people are tired of Republicans in general and Bush in partiular. Still, she shouldn't have won by this big a majority. Not in Missouri. For that, you can thank Mr. Blowhard pictured above courtesy of Brad Trent.

America has spoken loud and clearly about one issue in particular. Americans want EMBRYONIC stem cell research, and they want government funding of said research. I put that in all caps for the simple reason that many Republicans tried to adopt the disingenous stance that they were actually in favor of stem cell research, that any Democratic claims to the contrary was a lie.

They should have known better than to try that line of shit in Missouri, but they did, and it resulted in their asses being handed to them. Rush Limbaugh, meanwhile, increased the margin of victory by at least one or two percentage points by suddenly becomming the face of the national Republican Party. The face of a fat, drug addled, self-righteous blowhard, and worse-a bully, something that most Americans do not like, and especially despise when the bullying is directed at someone who is perceived as being gravely ill, as in the case of Michael J. Fox, who campaigned for McCaskill.

For one thing, Fox has the right to campaign for anybody he damned well pleases, and should be able to do so without being belittled, mocked, or otherwise denigrated. It's one thing to speak in opposition to someone. But Rush Limbagh could not be content with delivering a thoughtful response in opposition. He had to engage in childish, sophomoric behavior meant to make Fox look both foolish, and like a liar.

And because he thought it would work, and because he thought it would get some laughs, get this-HE FILMED HIS FUCKING RADIO SHOW WHERE HE DID THIS VILE SHIT! Now, you tell me, why do you film a radio show? A radio show should be heard, and not seen. But Limbaugh just had to make sure he got as many laughs as possible at the expense of a man who is suffering from one of the most debilitating diseases known to man by imitating his spastic uncontrollable movements which is a result of the Parkinsons Disease Fox was diagnosed with in the early 1990's.

You can hear him calling Fox a liar, by suggesting that he either exaggerated his movements in campaign ads, or purposely meglected to take his medication. But you can't hear him mocking him. That takes a visual aid.

What it all boils down to is, and I never thought I would ever say this, but the Democratic Party owes Rush Limbaugh a debt of gratitude. Because of his bullying and arrogance, the Democratic Party now holds the najority in the Senate for the first time in twelve years.

What is even more remarkable, according to Rufus over at Grad Student Madness, Limbaugh may have actually done this intentionally, albeit on some deep sub-conscous level. It seems that Limbaugh is supposedly relieved the Republicans lost, he is tired of carrying their water for them despite the betrayal of conservative ideals.

I tend to think, however,that he knew exaclty what he was doing, and meant to do it, and thought it would work. Unfortunately for him, most Americans are just not as shallow and mean spirited as Rush Limbaugh is, and assummed they were. Not in Missouri. Not this year.

I wonder what a person looks like when they willingly neglect to take their Oxycontin?