If You're Stupid and You Know It Stomp Your Feet

The latest little Con tantrum seems to be a bridge too far for some in the media, who have realized it's okay to call out stupid for what it is:

On MSNBC yesterday, John Harwood was asked about conservatives who don't want children to hear President Obama encourage kids to do well in school. "I've been watching politics for a long time, and this one is really over-the-top," Harwood said.

He explained, "[L]et's face it, in a country of 300 million people, there are a lot of stupid people too. Because if you believe that it's somehow unhealthy for kids, for the president to say 'work hard and stay in school,' you're stupid. In fact, I'm worried for some of those kids of those parents who are upset. I'm not sure they are smart enough to raise those kids."

Also yesterday, Harwood, in a separate appearance, went on to call this an "idiotic controversy," pushed by "clowns." He added, "It is the stupidest thing that I've ever seen in 25 years of covering Washington."

I dunno 'bout that. I would've thought Teabaggers were pretty stiff competition for that title, but hey, they're all stupid here.

Hypocrites, too. I know, I know. Try to contain your shock:

Perhaps no one did more this week to push the mind-numbing "controversy" about President Obama encouraging young people to do well in school more than Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

It was Greer who, in a striking tantrum, issued a statement condemning the president for, among other things, trying to "indoctrinate America's children to his socialist agenda." He added that Obama "has turned to American's children to spread his liberal lies." Greer's hysterical press release said the very idea of a political figure taking a political message to school children is "infuriating" and "an invasive abuse of power."

Obviously, for sane people, the claim itself is ridiculous. What we didn't know at the time was that it was also remarkably hypocritical. The Orlando Sentinel's Scott Maxwell had an important column today.

There once was a political operative who loved to tell crowds he had a simple way of explaining to children the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

"Republicans get up and go to work," he would tell his son. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks."

This man not only talked to his son about Republican values, he went into public-school classrooms and talked about them as well.

That man is Jim Greer -- the same Jim Greer who, as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, just threw a nationwide hissy fit, claiming that the classroom is no place for politics and Barack Obama's "indoctrination."

Greer's brilliant defense of his hypocrisy? "That was different." Go on, Greer, pull the other one - it's got bells on.

The Orlando Sentinel's Maxwell followed up on this with a sensible next step.

...I ran Greer's extremist statement by four high-profile Republicans: Gov. Charlie Crist, U.S. Rep. John Mica, State House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon and Orange County GOP leader Lew Oliver.

I chose conservative leaders whose positions I respect. And Crist, too.

I just wanted to see whether a single one had the guts to call Greer out and take a stand for mainstream values and rational debate.

Not a one of them did. And that is even scarier.

I don't doubt that grown-ups will one day help run the Republican Party. I just wish that day would hurry up.

Hear, hear. Except for the not doubting grown-ups will take back the Con party. I have major doubts on that front.

Update: Governor Tim Pawlenty joins the parade o' hypocrites...