The Republicans are laughing

I love when people make fun of the 10 Democratic presidential candidates. Such criticism brings a smile to my face.\nRush Limbaugh has called them the 10 dwarfs. A quick trip around CNN, MSNBC and Fox News will no doubt yield some conservative talking-head joking about the democrats' chances of beating President Bush. Or, for you faithful IDS readers, the occasional perusal of this editorial page will manifest the thoughts of those who turn President Bush's opponents into a joke. Yep, the Republicans are laughing.\nIt seems, though, that many of those making fun of their political adversaries might not be doing so just for comic relief, but, rather, because they wish not to look at the guy running on their side.\nThe economy is down, unemployment is up, and our foreign policy is … well … no one's really sure what our foreign policy is, except that it isn't good! Perhaps those who love to laugh at the democratic field should take a look at their own horse. \nThe proof is in the polls. The president still has decent approval ratings (58 percent according to the Washington Post on Sept.13, slightly lower in several others) because, let's face it, he's a likeable guy. On the other hand, a Sept. 21 CNN/Gallup poll showed several Democrats defeating Bush and others closely beating him. And, the Republicans are laughing.\nThey shouldn't be. \nWhile the Republicans are laughing about the Democrats, I'd like to take a look at some of the strong candidates that my party is presenting.\nThere are 10 candidates in total and some of them, to be sure, have no hope of ever residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But, let's talk about three of the candidates -- Gov. Howard Dean, Sen. John Edwards, and Gen. Wesley Clark -- to get a sense of how legitimate this field is.\nOf all the Democrats, Republicans love to laugh the most about Dean. As the New York Times' David Brooks put it, many Republicans are "gleeful" about the prospect of Dean being the nominee. His critics point out that he comes from the "liberal" state of Vermont, where, for example, homosexual civil unions are legal. \nBut then you hear about Vermont's balanced budget and universal health insurance while he was governor. His critics also might fail to mention his massive fundraising prowess and his ability to bring millions of new voters into the fold in 2004. \nWhat about Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina? A vibrant senator from a southern state, Edwards has working class roots and an incredible handle on policy issues. The senator, who as a lawyer volunteered much of his time, would be quite the opponent for George Bush in a debate. \nBut a moderate, affable Democrat from a southern state could never become president … that's laughable!\nThere's also the newest addition to the Democratic field, four-star General Wesley Clark. Clark, a former Rhodes Scholar and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, is a moderate from Arkansas (seeing any trends?). Compare Wesley Clark's years of service in the military to George W. Bush's questionable service in the Air National Guard, and one adjective comes to mind for the general: electable.\nTo some Republican commentators, though, this field is a joke. Instead of communicating a clear message to the American people, many Republicans are just laughing about their potential opponents.\nI, for one, hope they keep laughing. The more they laugh, the greater the chance that a Democrat will be laughing all the way to the White House next November.