DISGRACEFUL - AT 4:39 P.M. ET:  I happen to believe that there is room for a reasonable variety of views in each of our two major parties.  Indeed, the genius of American politics is its practicality.  Unlike European parties, ours are not so ideologically based that a change of government produces convulsions. 

But there are limits.  We saw one limit reached today.  In New York's 23rd Congressional District, the focus of national attention, the official Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, faced a challenge from Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.  Hoffman, with the backing of prominent  national Republican leaders, overtook Scozzafava in the polls.  Scozzafava, ostensibly a Republican, actually is to the left of 46% of the Democratic members of the state assembly, where she sits.

Scozzafava dropped out yesterday.  It was expected that this would give Hoffman an easy win.  But today, Ms. Scozzafava endorsed the Democratic candidate, Bill Owens, in an act of disloyalty that should get her thrown out of any respectable party.  She could have remained silent.

Now the race is in turmoil.  If the Dem wins, with Scozzafava's endorsement, it will be a setback for conservative Republicans, who couldn't stomach Scozzafava's phoniness.  Scozzafava will then undoubtedly reap some rewards from the Democratic Party, maybe a job in the administration in Washington. 

Dems are gloating, pointing to the 23rd as evidence that the Republican Party is narrow, intolerant, and is purging moderates.  (Scozzavafa, of course, isn't a moderate, but a liberal, like former Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, who's now become a Democrat.)  Of course, Dems probably won't want to discuss what they did to Joe Lieberman in Connecticut, who dared to stray from the liberal party line on national defense.  And, of course, they won't want to discuss the trashing of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 campaign - even calling her a racist - to advance the 1960s dream of Barack Obama.

We'll watch the 23rd on Tuesday night.  There will be fallout either way.

As for now, we must be tolerant, but within limits.  A party must stand for something. Ms. Scozzafava should be shown the door.

November 1, 2009