DeLay

My earlier predictions that Obama is going to be fending off his historical involvement in radical left politics is lining up. I just saw this headline: Unless Obama Proves Me Wrong, He's a Marxist. Who said it? Tom DeLay. Okay, so that is hardly news since DeLay's got room to talk. But, as a potential barometer, it makes one wonder if Republicans are going to be doing some kind of full court press on his radical politics.

Thing is, do moderate voters even know what Marxism is? And do they care if they do? And will they believe it? Besides, what a stupid statement. Why does Obama have to prove anything to Tom DeLay, and so what if he refuses to? Obama's team of economic advisers, for instance - David Cutler, whatshisface at Chicago whose name I cannot pronounce, etc. These aren't Marxists. But, I think the point isn't stupid either. There's smoking guns around him; heck, even Trinity Church is a smoking gun for the radical politics charge, since Black libertarian theology is itself a variant of Marxist ideology.

Still, it seems like Republicans may be pushing this angle to see if it works. They've got to somehow convince non-Republicans that this matters, though. It mattered in 1978, but I think it matters much less in 2008. All of my students, for instance, were born after the Wall fell. Does anyone fight these fights anymore?