Alternate Reality

A lot has been said about the right-wing spin machine and its ability to create an alternate reality. This week has brought that point home one more time. The entire episode with the Attorney General has been astounding to witness. Only now, many of the Republicans who have kept one foot firmly planted in regular reality have started to turn on the ones who are fully immersed in the alternate reality.

Which is how you get this:

Several other Republicans made plain their unhappiness.

Specter told Gonzales his description of events was "significantly if not totally at variance with the facts."

"Why is your story changing?" Charles Grassley (news, bio, voting record) of Iowa asked at one point, citing differences between an earlier explanation and the hearing testimony.

Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record) of South Carolina, after hearing the attorney general's account of the case, said, "Most of this is a stretch," and added it seemed to him that some of those dismissed "just had personality conflicts with people in your office or the White House and (officials) just made up reasons to fire them."

Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record) of Alabama expressed concern with Gonzales' memory at the hearing. In an interview later, he went further. "I think it's going to be difficult for him to be an effective leader," he said.

"At this point, I think (Gonzales) should be given a chance to think it through and talk to the president about what his future should be."

And at the same time this:

At the White House on Friday, Perino lavished praise on Gonzales. "He has done a fantastic job at the Department of Justice. He is our No. 1 crime fighter. He has done so much to help keep this country safe from terrorists."

The real question is how many people it requires to maintain an alternate reality. If it gets down to like 5 people telling each other that it is defintely the other 300 million people in the nation who are wrong, then I would think it might be tough to hang in there. If, on the other hand, you could still turn on the radio and hear that you are 100% right, then you might just have the courage to soldier on.

Fortunately for the president, there are still hacks like the morning talk radio host here in KC who are willing to stick it out. Despite Republican Senator after Republican Senator reaming the Attorney General and despite apparently being familiar enough with English to comprehend the questions and answers during testimony, the 710 stooge argued that it was patently ridiculous that the AG was being put in this situation. He actually claimed that it looked increasingly like the AG had done nothing wrong. It also... no wait... go back and read the last sentence again.

If you don't understand why I don't even need to continue, please teach me a little about your universe.