Wrong versus evil

So I'm sitting here enjoying an adult beverage and watching the talking heads analyze tonight's RNC speeches on Fox News, and some liberal talking head says that it's ironic that Lieberman, whom Republicans were so adamantly opposed to as a VP choice, got such a warm reception. And my reaction is, "No, it's not ironic! It's exactly in character!"

See, I'm one of those people that many of those RNC delegates would have serious policy differences with. But I know from experience that they'd describe me as wrong, but not evil.

And that's how the Republicans I know — and I suspect, the ones at the convention — are different from their Democratic counterparts. They might view someone as wrong on policy issues, but not judge them as evil.

They don't want Lieberman as the veep (too many policy differences), but they're ready and willing to embrace him as a McCain supporter. Because they don't condemn him as evil. Just wrong on some issues. He's more than welcome to be part of their campaign. Because he's not evil.

The Democrats I know think that anyone who opposes them on, say, environmental issues must want to poison the air and water. Anyone who opposes them on Iraq or treatment of detainees must want to torture and kill people. They're convinced that anyone who disagrees with them is evil. Bushitler! Halliburton! Cheney! Fascism! Theocracy!

The reason that I, as a libertarian, am much more comfortable among Republicans than Democrats is because they're much more tolerant and less judgmental. Really. 

tags: evil  lieberman  politics  tolerance