Low blows

Perhaps Barb Lawton had to attack Van Hollen to increase her own self-esteem. To be a joke of a Lt. Gov. (and not likely to win election if Doyle takes a place in the possible Obama administration), and turn to make jokes about the other party's top elected official makes her one of the crowd, not a notch above.

But the best punchline of the state Democratic convention in Stevens Point was Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

The mere mention of the state's highest-ranking Republican, whose office has been mired in controversy and who recently attracted embarrassing headlines about a proposal by members of his staff to provide Van Hollen with a state security detail at this summer's Republican National Convention in St. Paul, drew howls of laughter.

Yeah, I can see that. Hilarious...(NOT).

I hate it when leaders of their state party make a mockery of others at similar levels of office.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton upped the ante when she took the stage at the Democratic convention with the theme music from the mock-spy film "The Pink Panther" booming.

The state's No. 2 official was surrounded by a "security detail" that warily eyed the crowd of Democratic delegates, who got the joke instantly and laughed uproariously.

Noting that Van Hollen's aides thought he would need taxpayer-funded protection to visit a neighboring state that has not traditionally been considered dangerous by Wisconsinites -- Lawton allowed as how she might need security when she visits "Lake Wobegon, Minnesota."

Lawton also got in the convention's best dig at McCain, who has suggested he will maintain the Bush administration's economic policies.

"We can't have four more years with a president that thinks the economy is a faith-based initiative," said the former Hillary Clinton co-chair who is now an enthusiastic backer of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

These are LOW BLOWS that have nothing to do with policy initiatives, nothing to do with their candidate Barack Obama, nothing to do with moving forward, nothing to do with accomplishing this "hope and change" they all bullshit about.

If we had a Democratic-led-Congress that could hold the line on spending, and a Democratic-led-Congress that did less Bush-bashing and more working for their constituents, you wouldn't be saying that. But it's your party, Barb.

Finally, it is these quotes I cannot believe:

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, referred to the current administration as the "most destructive, debilitating and demoralizing in memory, and perhaps even history."

Yeah Tammy, because you've been around for so much of history and you write the analysis. Shut your trap.

And:

They don't belong in Washington, they don't belong in our statehouses, they don't belong in our local governments for centuries to come for what they've done to our country," said Congressman Steve Kagen, D-Appleton.

This cad wants to be re-elected? You've basically just dismissed half the voting population in your district for even existing. Nice move, jackass.

I am angry. The press should not celebrate these quotes as intellectual or even humorous cookies of jest for us all to benefit from. They should reprimand the immaturity of a party so angry and desperate for power that they will say anything to get a crowd going, forgetting their own decency.