The Democratic Party, as evidenced by Barack Obama's plaintiff post recently to the effect of "can't we all just get along?", consisently demonstrates an institutional shame. Democrats are ashamed of themselves. They appear "powerphobic" in the sense that, confronted with open hostility by the extremists in the Republican camp and the indifference of the moderates in the Republican camp whose favor they court, they resist asserting their own authority. Instead, they seek to couch it in terms used by their punishers.
In short the national Dems, who have been bullied for 11 years in the House, 5 years in the White House and 3 years in the Senate, appear to have colectively vowed not to bully back. The image of self-righteousness this posture permits is an empty one. At root, this self-righteousness is used to avoid dealing with their own sense of shame at having allowed themselves to be bullied. In the crunch, they've elected to go the collegial route of those like Kerry, who suffered from an acute case of Senator-itis (being used to other's deference and respectful attitude toward him or his place) and now Obama, and have refused to defend themselves with unmitigated and righteous ferocity. It is righteous because they have every right to defend themselves against the unwarranted, outlandish and unreasonable attacks from the Republicans. It should be ferocious because much is at stake. SHAME not on the Republicans for their abuse of power, for that is what they do. SHAME instead on the Democrats for not summoning their own, native authority and expressing it when it is most needed by the nation.