“Never before in my memory -- which goes back faintly to 1956 -- has either party in its loss reacted with such venomous contempt for the American people.” -- Tony Blankley, “Secession,” TownHall.com, Nov. 10, 2004

It was an incredible, unbelievable outcome. The Democrat Party and the liberal media had harnessed billions of dollars, armies of marchers and protestors, a whole sub-culture of Hollywood Bush-bashers and trash-mouthed rock stars, countless volumes of published invective, rivers of insults, lies and smears, years of left-wing political militancy sustained by blind hatred—and even the withering disdain of the European press—to destroy George W. Bush. And in spite of it all (some say because of it), they lost what they described as “the most important election of our lifetime.”

A short statement sums it up: “All the king's billions and all the king's goons couldn't make the American people accept John Kerry.” (NewsMax.com, Nov. 8, 2004)

Bumper Crop of Bitterness

But it isn't over. Syndicated columnist Tony Blankley wrote recently, “There is no doubt that the election has not only yielded a victory for the Republicans, but also a bumper crop of self-destructive vitriol and bitterness from the Democrats.”

Some want to pack up and leave. John McCaslin of The Washington Times reports that disgruntled Americans who are contemplating moving to Canada or beyond can contact a new 501(c) 3 organization— HelpThemLeave.com—that offers relocation assistance for “disenfranchised” citizens at absolutely no cost.

“In return for your irrevocable renunciation of your United States citizenship, and a sworn statement that you will never return, we will provide free one-way transportation to one of our politically matched, recommended countries on one of the jets we have chartered to provide this service,” the organization states. (John McCaslin, “Uncommon Actor,” Nov. 11, 2004)

Others want the “blue” regions to secede from the Union. Lawrence O'Donnell, political analyst, serious Democratic Party player, and a staffer to the late Sen. Moynihan, asserted recently on the “McLaughlin Group” that this election will give rise to a serious consideration of secession from the Union by the blue states.

It is unlikely that any senior elected Democratic Party officials would act on such a deranged notion, but coming from a man of O'Donnell's “enviable pedigree and qualities of mind and experience” (to use Blankley's words), it is a measure of the Democratic Party elite's contempt for and estrangement from the American public.

Still others, inconsolable over the election results, are seeking therapy. Psychotherapists in Boca Raton have offered counseling for disillusioned and emotionally distraught Kerry supporters who cannot deal with the reality of four more years under George W. Bush.

Much of this stuff we can laugh about. Some of it isn't so funny.

Editorial pages of liberal newspapers across the country have allowed bitterly disappointed Kerry supporters to vent their rage and frustration. Conservatives (especially, Christians) who voted for Bush are being compared to Islamic terrorists and hate-filled bigots. The “red” states are being characterized as vast wastelands inhabited by fools and idiots, void of intellect or talent, incapable of making reasoned choices or exercising any degree of intelligent discernment.

These individuals are deeply, bitterly offended with some 60 million of us. That's a lot of hatred. Surely, a nation that divided cannot survive.

But Cal Thomas disputes the idea that we are a divided nation. Since the election, several publications have printed a map that breaks down the vote county-by-county instead of state-by-state.

“It shows an enormous sea of red (Bush counties) with only tiny patches of blue (Kerry counties) in the usual places where elites and other condescending liberals reside,” Thomas says. “If you study this map, you have to conclude that America is not becoming more divided; it is slowly, but perceptively, becoming more conservative and Republican. . . .

“The Sixties are over. A majority of the public is tired of being forced to accept every ideology, sexual depravity and secular idea the left wishes to shove down their throats. The election showed they have pushed back.” (Cal Thomas, “Liberal Lamentations,” Nov. 8, 2004)

Reckless . . . and Stupid

P. Diddy—or Sean Combs or Puff Daddy—whatever his name is—apparently has discovered that knuckle-headed media stunts don't necessarily translate to political power. Part of his so-called “non-partisan” Vote or Die campaign consisted of shrieking for people to get President Bush's “ass out of office.”

“I was a little reckless with my comments,” he says. “Instead of attacking Bush, it would be better to light a flame under young Americans and let them make the decisions.”

Unfortunately for Puff Daddy, he failed to “light the flame,” even under his own collaborators. Some of his Vote or Die shills, including 50 Cent, Ludacris and Internet porn starlet Paris Hilton, did not bother to vote—and weren't even registered, according to the New York Daily News. (NewsMax.com, Nov. 5, 2004)

Feed the Rancor—or Heal the Party?

David Frum's Diary (National Review, Nov. 16, 2004) reads, “Sen. Harry Reid [taking the place of defeated Tom Daschle as Senate Minority Leader] now finds himself the most powerful Democrat in Washington. How will he use this power? Will he try to make deals with the majority to achieve practical Democratic ends . . . Or will he seek to score symbolic points by obstructing the president, in the manner of Tom Daschle?”

Reasonable Democrat leaders now have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the future of their party. Clifford May, a former New York Times correspondent who is currently president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, writes:

“In the wake of Kerry's loss, muscular Democrats have a chance to re-position their party –but George Soros, Ted Kennedy, Howard Dean, Jimmy Carter, Michael Moore, Barbra Streisand and their ilk are not going to make it easy.” (Clifford D. May, “Let the Battles Begin,” TownHall.com, November 12, 2004)

The Left is insisting that President Bush should now “reach out” to opponents and “heal the rift.”

 Huh? Does the left reach out to the right when liberals win elections? No, they exercise the power they've been given. Republicans should do the same.

Will we see a gradual cessation of the rancor? Don't count on it. It will probably escalate, as the Democrat leadership and sympathetic left-leaning media begin to lay the groundwork for the next presidential election. They will do everything in their power to destroy Bush's chances of a productive second term. Having lost the election, and terrified of possible Bush achievements that would undermine their chances to regain power in 2008, the Democrats, with complicity of the liberal media, will likely work more furiously than ever to discredit President Bush.

The nastiness has already begun. One example is the rash of bigoted cartoons and editorials targeting Condoleezza Rice that appeared immediately upon her selection by President Bush to succeed Colin Powell as Secretary of State. Jeff Danziger and Pat Oliphant's cartoons published this week are a sickening display of racist hatred, directed at one of the brightest and most accomplished women in America today. It is my hope that such cruel attacks will galvanize the outrage of decent Democrats who will demand an end to it for the sake of their party and their country.

Girding for Another Battle

Chuck Colson is concerned that evangelical Christians will begin to believe the liberals’ caricature of them as just another special interest group beholden to a political agenda. He cautions believers to “Remember, our allegiance is to the kingdom of God. . . .We should take advantage of this [post-election] time . . . as a window of opportunity to stand for and promote moral truth and selflessly serve society, living out the Gospel in every area of life.”

I hope I am wrong about the onslaught I fear is coming against this second term of the Bush administration. If the Democratic leadership finally “gets it”—that the American people are sick of outrageous personal attacks against the President and our leadership—especially in wartime when such attacks weaken us in the eyes of our enemies—we may see some change in their tactics.

If not, the godly must lift our nation and our leaders faithfully in prayer, as they did in the days leading up to the election. Our work is far from done, and the battle is far from over.