McCaughey, Bachmann, Palin, LaRouche -- This Is Your GOP, Redux

It's now official, Michele Bachmann, Betsy McCaughey, Sarah Palin, and Lyndon LaRouche are the GOP opposition to healthcare reform. The NY Times has said it's so, and so it must be. James Fallows:

And now we have the New York Times, in a big take-out story, saying that Dr. Emanuel, in his role as Obama health-care advisor, is in an "uncomfortable place" because he is being criticized by*:

   1) Betsy McCaughey !

   2) Rep. Michele Bachman (look her up) !!

   3) Sarah Palin !!!

   4) Lyndon LaRouche !!!!

McCaughey, Bachmann, Palin, LaRouche -- shaping American debate and media coverage about health policy? Was Zsa Zsa Gabor not available?

To be "fair," the story puts the criticisms in "context," thus:

"Largely quoting his past writings out of context this summer, Betsy McCaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York, labeled Dr. Emanuel a "deadly doctor" who believes health care should be "reserved for the nondisabled" -- a false assertion that Representative Michele Bachmann, Republican of Minnesota, repeated on the House floor."

"Out of context" and "false" are useful caveats. But why is the story about Ezekiel Emanuel being on the hot seat in the first place -- and not about the campaign of flat lies by McCaughey, Bachman, Palin, and LaRouche? Why are real newspapers quoting what they say any more?...

Maybe because they are the voice of the Republican party. There's nobody else stepping up with any kind of policy statement, with any kind of solution. Into that void steps the new faces of the Republican party.