the bush "hatred" story line is rubbish...

and, of course, is being used for political gain. "those leftist are only hate-filled blabbermouths." there's your talking point, GOP. I've got a check mark next to most every pundit on the right for their use of the 'hatred' line. its a great way to dismiss the left's arguments, ain't it- and to present the fiction that the presidential contenders have offered only hate, and no policy.
B.S.
Robert Samuelson's peice in the post addresses this whole linguistic slieght of hand. point is, most folks don't love or hate bush. while i tend to think bush has done more dividing than uniting in american politics, it is no great suprise that most americans remain ambivilent on the president- ( i would wager most are indeed apathetic, eh?)

btw, note this lil stat: "One poll in December found that 3 percent did. The hating may have been slightly higher in the Clinton presidency, because the same poll asked respondents whether they now hate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and 5 percent said they did."

lots of blogs are going on about this showing the right "hates" twice as much as the left. the bigger point, in my mind, is that the overwhelming majority (in this poll) don't consider themselves haters at all.