"In a Foul Mood"

The Christian Science Monitor reports today on a new Democracy Corps poll which bears out other data suggesting Americans are quite unhappy with the direction the country's taking - and they're not turning to the Democrats as an alternative to Republican leadership. In a breakfast meeting with CSM, Democratic strategist James Carville and pollster Stan Greenberg discussed the new data, and its implications for the Democratic Party ... which aren't positive.

Greenberg, citing a result in the poll, noted that Republicans are favored by 43% of those surveyed, while Democrats get support from 38%. Not a large margin, but Greenberg concluded "Republicans weakened in this poll ... but it shows Democrats weakening more." He attributes the lack of support for Democrats to the perception that the party has "no core set of convictions or point of view." Carville added "The country is just in a foul mood."

At the meeting, both Greenberg and Carville say they're worried that a Supreme Court vacancy and confirmation fight might further damage the approval ratings of political figures in Washington, on both sides of the aisle. Carville: "This Supreme Court thing could really set the country off against Washington, because this is something that we care about in Washington a whole lot more than [voters] care about out there." Greenberg added that a Court fight "reinforces a sense that Washington is out of touch ... You've got a lot of economic discontent out there that neither party is championing."

As I asked back in the early part of June, "Who will seize the day?" The Republicans have lost their way in a briar patch of distractions, and the Democratic leadership hasn't yet begun heeding the words of Carville, Greenberg and their ilk. The CSM article notes that both Carville and Greenberg "believe economic conditions could trigger a third party bid in 2008. Greenberg said it could be helped by a 'rural revolt against Washington' rooted in concerns about healthcare costs."

Health care costs, and so much more. Will a party begin to lead? Or must we all look elsewhere?