Grayson Matters

The second word in the title of this post can be read as either a noun or a verb.

Alan Grayson's influence of the Democratic party as a member of Florida's U.S. House delegation is palpable. It was Grayson who distinguished himself as a Democrat who refused to apologize to Republicans after attacking them heartless bastards in the health care debate when he said the Republican plan was to tell people not to get sick and to die quickly if they do. Now Grayson seems to be emboldening the embattled Senate Democratic leader. Harry Reid, normally a milquetoasty kind of guy, said on the campaign trail in his home state of Nevada, declared that he can't understand how Hispanics can be Republicans. The GOP demanded an apology; Reid wouldn't give one. Grayson must be proud.

Grayson himself was in the news again this week, as he blasted White House spokesman Robert Gibbs for complaining about how unappreciative and ungrateful the "professional left" ("Professional left?" What, he thinks all progressives are making money from voicing their opinions?) are for what the Obama administration has achieved so far, even grousing about the Democratic liberal base for complaining about what they didn't get, like a government-administered health insurance option. Grayson has been angry at Gibbs's fight picking with the base, saying that liberals should have their concerns taken more seriously - especially when a majority of Americans wanted the public option only to see it traded away in backroom dealing. Grayson - who wants to see the White House pick more fights with Republicans - has demanded that Gibbs resign, but Gibbs, like Reid, is in no mood to budge. The White House must have taken some of Grayson's concerns to heart, as they are finally beginning to go after House Republican leader John Boehner - though, perhaps they should go after him harder.

Update on Georgia: Nathan Deal is the Republican nominee for governor, having bested Palin-endorsed candidate Karen Handel. The good news is that a Palinista lost. The bad news is that Deal's probably going to win the governorship in November.