Charlie Sykes, liar or idiot?

So the Brawler was listening to the radio during Chuck's handoff to Jeff "Failed State Attorney General Candidate" Wagner, when Chuck started talking about how some polls show McCain closing on Obama and how this race is tightening and, gee, why isn't he winning by more.

Chuck's line of discussion is, not surprisingly, pure GOP spin, given that theelectoral maps at this point spell disaster for McCain and it's not really surprising that, in this day and age, to see a tight election. That said, at this point in time, signs point to Obama winning in a (relative) walk. (Of course the election is not right now and a lot can change between August and November. But  time's a wastin' and McCain's increasingly desperate ads -- Paris Hilton? Seriously? --show that he realizes that.)

But the cherry on the Sunday was Chuck's observation that Obama's narrow lead must be especially disturbing for him given that Democrats usually do better in the summer. To make his point, he referred to Michael Dukakis, who famously led Bush in the summer of 1988 before the Atwater attack machine became fully operational and the Dukakis campaign revealed the depth of its incompetence.

What Chuck didn't mention is that in 2000 and 2004, the Republican was leading in the polls at this point (h/t commenter  Dragon-king wangchuk at Sadly, No!). One might think that this is a more relevant point of comparison.

One wonders whether Chuck was even aware of this. If not, he's talking about stuff he doesn't understand. If he did, he's a liar (one who distorts or invents facts). In any event, this brief, nonfactual comment delivered with smug, nasal  authority, is a perfect synedoche for Sykesland: It's an apparently imposing, logically and solidly built  stronghold of conservatism until, upon closer inspection, you see that the walls are made of bricks made of nothing  but truthiness that fall at the blast of a kazoo.

Comments

[capper]

Sir Brawler,

I need to adress two things with you, my dear friend.

A)Sykes is playing the part of a "concern troll", as that he has nothing else to work with.

B) Needst I remind the good Brawler of his priveleges to sit in the high court of Whallah!?

[EddyPo]

Charlie Sykes, liar or idiot?

Both. Definitely.

[Credit Repair Wisconsin]

I'd say both probably if I was forced to choose. Seems like people are discounting the popular vote too much because of all these "polls". Don't be surprised if McCain wins, although I'm expecting Obama.