The Democratic Santorum

Rick Santorum is a Republican whom Democrats love to hate.  So next November should bring them joy as it seems likely that Santorum will lose his Senate seat (more on that in a moment).  The Democratic version of Santorum is either Chuck Schumer or Dick Durbin.   And like Santorum, it looks like Durbin, the Senate Minority Whip, might have a tougher go in his next re-election campaign than expected.  I don't expect Durbin to lose, but it might be that Durbin has stuck his foot in his mouth one too many times.  It should prove interesting.

I do find it intriguing, and a bit satisfying, that the Democrats have for second time used a pro-life Democrat to try to beat Santorum.  In 2000 it was former representative Ron Klink, who was a pro-gun, pro-life Democrat.  Now it is Robert Casey, Jr., the son of the former pro-life governor who gave his name to the infamous Planned Parenthood v. Casey and was denied the podium at the 1992 Democratic Convention because of his pro-life views.  So now not only do the Democrats in PA need a pro-lifer, but they also need a famous name to beat Santorum, which, as I say, I think they will do.  Santorum himself is a victim of his own imprudent mouth. 

Just yesterday Howard Dean was making overtures towards pro-lifers, but as this article points out, the party will have to drastically change its rhetoric on abortion to make this successful.  Maybe they could start by not trashing every Supreme Court nominee who threatens the "sacred right" of abortion.  Or they could give these people more of a voice.  Or maybe avoid this:

Back in 1994 while in Virginia campaigning against Oliver North in his U.S. Senate bid, then-Vice President Al Gore attacked North supporters as "the extreme right-wing, the extra chromosome right wing." Down's Syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome.

Or this from Sen. Johnson:

When Stephanie Herseth fills this seat, we are going to have a rising star in the House of Representatives. And how sweet it's going to be on June 2 when the Taliban wing of the Republican Party finds out what's happened in South Dakota.