Last updated October 31, 2010 9:43 p.m. PT
"Politics ain't beanbag," the Mr. Dooley character, of Finley Peter Dunne's novels, declared in a famous nugget of Irish-American wisdom.
In the 2010 campaign, however, politics is dog poop and dog fleas.
The dung is delivered in a spot by Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak, who is featured "cleaning up" messes caused by opponent Pat Toomey and fellow Republicans.
The fleas are front-and-center of an anti-Dino Rossi ad in this state, featuring an array of scratching canines, as the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee rounds out a clumsy eight month campaign linking the GOP Senate candidate to shady lobbyists.
The negativism even produced a Halloween weekend case of Zombie-like behavior by 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
State Dept. spokesman P.J. Crowley sent a sarcastic birthday message to Iran's President Ahmadinejad, as part of the year-long effort to free imprisoned American hikers Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer.
"Happy birthday, President Ahmadinejad," Crowley wrote in a Twitter message. "Celebrate by sending Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer home. What a gift that would be."
In a following post from Crowley told Ahmadinejad: "Your 54th year was full of lost opportunities. Hope in your 55th year you will open Iran to a different relationship with the world."
The irony sailed over Palin's head. Mama Grizzly fired out a Twitter response, charging appeasement: "Happy B'day Ahmadinejad wish sent by U.S. Govt. Mind boggling foreign policy: Kowtow & coddle enemies; snub allies. Obama Doctrine is nonsense."
Stupidity is "in" this year, witness Palin's popularity and dingbat candidates like Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell. Physical intimidation is rearing its head, too, from the handcuffing of an Alaska Dispatch editor who sought to question Senate nominee Joe Miller, to the head-stomping in Kentucky.
What has made this political season so demeaning and downright ugly? The view from here focuses on three factors:
--Outsiders: The Supreme Court's obtuse Citizens United ruling -- reversing a century of precedent -- unleased a flood of corporate money onto the political landscape, which has flooded the airwaves with sewage. "Non-profit" outfits, like Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS, don't need to and won't disclose donors.
CrossoradsGPS has poured $3.597 million into anti-Patty Murray advertising, boosting its investment by over $1 million in the last week alone. The "American Action Agenda," based out of the same Washington, D.C., office, has put in $1.3 million.
The shadowy committees have spent heavily in the 2nd and 3rd District congressional races. An outfit underwritten by the billionaire Koch brothers is even trying to oust State Sen. Eric Oemig on the East Side.
--Mad Hatters: Such partisan media folk as Rush Limbaugh and Fox News specialize in stirring up bitterness. The resentment is is most acute among those who see their position slipping as America becomes more inclusive and diverse.
They are putty in the hands of hucksters and manipulators, such as consultants behind the Tea Party Express.
Ugliness surfaced as lawmakers were shouted down at town meetings in the summer of 2009. In March, racist and homophobic taunts were hurled at House members headed for votes on health care reform.
Incidents have made national news this month with the Kentucky stomper (who demanded an apology from the young woman he stomped) and militia types providing "security" for Joe Miller.
In this state, Dino Rossi is civil and articulate, the antithesis of a demagogue. But a 72-year-old supporter has been charged with assaulting a student who showed up for a Republican event in Walla Walla wearing a bag over her head. A bitter guy from Selah is off to prison for leaving vicious, obscene, threatening phone messages at Murray's Senate offices.
--Lowdown Liberals: A toxic bug seems to have spread among Progressive activists, namely that to beat tactics ginned up by "Bush's brain" Karl Rove, you have to adopt Karl Rove tactics. Deceptive mailings, rumors and racy innuendo become fair play.
Hence, local liberal blogger David Goldstein spread the junk medical analysis that Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., suffered brain injuries in an accident at his Washington, D.C. home. The goal: Inject this poison into the mainstream media.
The dirtiest trick was perpetrated by Moxie Media. It solicited money from unions, invented conservative fronts and sent out mailings in an effort to strip votes from moderate 38th District Democratic State Sen., Jean Berkey.
The spending was not disclosed. It worked: Berkey finished out-of-the-money in the August primary. Unless a new election is ordered, she will likely be replaced by a more liberal Democrat.
So what? Why worry? George Washington answered these questions in a wise, enduring Farewell Address:
"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism."
Heck, if the "Father of our Country" were running today, negative TV spots would feature Washington's bad teeth.
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