The poetic symmetry of history

Conservative predictions could not be more worthless.
I would add two things to Rod's insight here:

1. The radicals, freaks and social bombthrowers are now on the right.

2. And the rightwing would never be in this position if it weren't for the corruption of American churches by the corporate-political complex. I still cease to be horrified and saddened by the perversion of American religion supporting things like military aggression, torture and the cold, unloving Social Darwinism of free market ideology.

Dmore gives an insightful response to Mike's comparison of Obama and Nixon.

Obviously the guy Isnt in office yet, so it's speculative.

I agree on the premise that ideological politics is finally moving out of the limelight. Hence the diminishing appeal of Palin though this whole process. When times are good, Americans are more inclined to focus on the "minor" issues of a candidacy - arguably the manner in which 43 was elected twice. Now that things are getting difficult, we are as a nation attempting to reign everything in and take a stratospheric approach to government involvement in social issues. In this sense, hopefully the next decade will be marked by unprecedented cooperation, appropriate legislation reform, and a return to focusing on core political values while leaving the determination of social morality and virtue to the constituency - where it belongs. In all of this, I think we are seeing the beginning of a trend away from divisive politicking towards inclusive deliberation - again exacerbated by the rejection of the Bush/Rove style of campaigning hosted in Sarah Palin this time around.

Will it disappear forever? History is cyclical. Bottom line is, right now - 8 years of destroying America in every way has used up all of the sympathy the American people have for (republican) scare tactics. They cried wolf too many times.

"Obama is to liberals as
Nixon was to conservatives"

Think about that idea without the Watergate legacy. What if Nixon had been a reasonably ethical, not politically divisive, non-scandalous individual who rose to the presidency? In that circumstance, I suspect his legacy would have have him seen as a competent, effective, pragmatic president who got a lot done.

What's not to like there?

Truth. Especially if he had won in '60.

I think this election showed a weakening of the appeal of ideological candidates on both sides. Obama was certainly less ideological than Hillary. McCain was much less ideological than Huckabee or the positions that Romney claimed.

I disagree. McCain was totally in the tank for neocon-artistry. Sure, Huck was all over the social issues, but he just couldn't muster up the enthusiasm for carpet-bombing the mooslims that McCain did. That's ideology to me.