Published: May 13, 2008 06:37 pm         

Column: The far right has a fit

LEBANON, Ind. — Sen. John McCain has accepted the overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is real.

With the announcement, McCain distances himself from President Bush — and, after all, who wouldn’t? — while inching closer to the right-of-center position that both major political parties occupy.

Yes, right-of-center. There’s really not a lot of difference between the parties, although they want you to think the gap is as vast as the Grand Canyon is deep.

Nah: Both sides are dancing for their bases — but the same band is playing.

McCain’s maneuvering for votes, of course. Me, cynical?

The Associated Press reported McCain said, “I will not shirk the mantle of leadership that the United States bears. I will not permit eight long years to pass without serious action on serious challenges. I will not accept the same dead-end of failed diplomacy that claimed Kyoto. The United States will lead and will lead with a different approach — an approach that speaks to the interests and obligation of every nation.”

That, friends, is the political equivalent of McCain smacking George W. Bush in the face with a cream pie.

I can hardly wait for the debates between McCain and whoever (I kid: I kid because I can) wins the Democratic nomination for president.

What was scary was the reaction amongst our far-right media brethren to McCain’s acceptance of reality.

Some — a few, thankfully — “conservative” talk show hosts went mad with disbelief.

That is “mad” as in “irate,” “enraged,” “apoplectic.”

I know this to be true because I saw it on MSNBC Tuesday afternoon.

Usually I ignore the ultra-right conservative media because A) I have a real job and B) I’m normally in a good mood and don’t need a laughter fix.

But this is too good to overlook.

On “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, Heidi Harris, who was identified as a talk show host, said, “as a conservative I am furious” with McCain’s announcement.

Harris — of whom I have never before heard — said climate change is “absolutely” an ideological issue.

“There are a lot of U.S. corporations who are hardly lefty who believe being green is smart,” Matthews told her.

Harris responded but I was laughing too hard to understand what she said.

MSNBC also played tapes of someone named Mark Stein who was, literally, screaming with rage that McCain had said global warming is real.

Hey, Heidi? Mark?

Take a pill.

I would suggest at least 10 mg of diazepam. Stein may need more; his voice was approaching opera-range pitch. Either he’s genuinely hanging on the edge of sanity, or he’s very, very good at selling rage.

I mean, wow.

Who ARE these people, and why do so many apparently normal human beings listen to them?

Wait, wait, I forgot. They have the same audience as Rush Limbaugh and Anne Coulter.

You known — neo-neanderthal political luddities who have the reasoning capacity of a stunted ground squirrel. People who are incapable of coherent thought, who have to be spoon-fed their political opinions because they are either so insecure or unschooled they don’t want to think, or don’t know how to think.

The environment is an ideological issue?

Are you serious?

And some people accused Hillary Clinton of political pandering when she proposed suspending the gasoline tax over the summer.

Wooo. And we haven’t had the conventions, yet.

Hang on, folks. It’s gonna be a bumpy summer.



— Rod Rose writes for The Lebanon (Ind.) Reporter.