Grasping for Straws

See Bill Safire desperately look for something for Republicans to cling to coming out of the 2nd debates.

Are Polish-Americans even a recognizable constituency anymore? This isn't 1920 or even 1950. Do Polish-Americans really follow Polish politics? I question this. Maybe they do but I'm not so sure about this.

And of course the reelection of John Howard in Australia means for Safire a confirmation of Iraq when in the real world it meant that Australians were happy with their economy.

I think male Republicans, including Safire and Pat Buchanan (who's still a Republican regardless of what he says) really gets off on that masculine Bush rhetoric--"You can run, but you can't hide." That turned them on in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and now in the debates. Well I guess like Theodore Roosevelt, Bush has to use cheap masculinity to make up for real weakness (physical for TR, lack of a soul or ever actually being brave for W).