The Toto of 2012

From “Do You Get It?,” Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo:

“The intensity of the desire to banish Akin from the 2012 cycle is exactly in proportion to Republicans’ perceived vulnerability on what the Democrats term the ‘War on Women.’  And that means they feel pretty damned vulnerable. Akin is particularly ignorant and offensive. But his basic points are actually pretty similar to what a large swath of the Congressional GOP believes. Holding that up to bright light scrutiny just as the bulk of the public is tuning into the national political debate is perilous in the extreme.”

The truth is that they want Akin out not because he’s some outlier with bizarre views, but because he showed a little too much leg about what the pro-life movement and the GOP really believe.  He pulled back a curtain they wanted to keep drawn.  He’s the Toto of 2012.

White suburban women, the soccer moms of 2000 and security moms of 2004 who went for Bush, but then went for Obama in 2008, will decide this election.  Akin makes them flee from Romney and his Akin-clone Ryan.

Will Sandra Fluke Be Toto?

When I was a senior adviser to a GOP presidential candidate in 2008, I witnessed first hand how all the candidates lived in fear of offending Rush Limbaugh.  If one of them did, he then had to beg to go on Rush’s show so he could kiss both his ring and his big tush.

I believed then that one day some Toto would come along and pull back the curtain on this pernicious demagogue.

I am hoping that Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student whom Rush outrageously insulted by calling her a slut and telling her to post sex videos online so that he can watch them, will be that Toto, and that Rush’s time as the GOP’s biggest bully is running out.

GOP politicians, do yourselves and your party and this country a favor —  when Rush demands your lunch money, just say no.