Democrat Bill Clinton had his big share of professional Clinton haters (both prominent and not so prominent would say things such as “He’s not MY President…”) and Democrats decried it and some Republicans defended it. Then came Republican George Bush who got his share of haters, then Republicans decried it (the most typical defense was to try and go on the offense and lump those who’d strongly criticize the President on policy with the professional Bush haters as suffering from “Bush derangement syndrome” — a tidy way to try to discredit all critics suggesting they were all unreasonable and not having legitimate grounds for strong criticism) and some Democrats who decried the lack of respect for Clinton defended it.

But here in December 2008 we ‘re seeing a special kind of political hatred — way early in the game.

President Elect Barack Obama has not put his fanny in the Oval Office chair for one second yet, and there is an intensity now among some Republican conservatives to push frantically push hot buttons — a probable haringer of what is likely to come. Amid reports that the economy is not just bad but is on the brink of tanking, their emphasis is not on policy but overt or slightly disguised overt political demonization. Using whatever they feel can stick to rally their audience and/or readership.

The good news: the bulk of Americans aren’t buying the idea that at a time when stores are pulling out all stops trying to attract frightened buyers but signs now point to it being the worst in decades, it’s time for not just politics as usual but an expansion of political hatreds based on party or personal background.

[T]he GOP and the bulk of Americans need to reject those who try to spread a talk radio political culture that tries to whip up resentments and hatreds at a time of crisis when unity and serious criticisms of policy proposals and policies as they’re put in place is what’s needed. If the new administration’s policies are inadequate or incompenent, they’ll need to be so in specifics.