Pat Robertson: Homicidal Geriatric or Cindy Sheehan in a Tie?

OK, sure, everybody left of say, Bill O'Reilly would concede that Pat Robertson has got to be a little crazy…not Michael Jackson crazy, not Tom Cruise crazy, more like, "Dr." Laura Schelssinger crazy. Even so, public personalities (with or without their marbles) generally don't call for the murder of other public personalities and mean it - well, at least not in a (cough) democracy. Of course he's since rescinded his comment…public death threats generally aren't received well, even if they are coming from a Christian Evangelist.

Whether or not crazy ol' Patty meant exactly what he said about Hugo Chavez is really rather inconsequential - he said it, he took it back, there was a media frenzy, Leno and Letterman made some wisecracks - Pat Robertson goes on quoting scripture and serving as the voice of American Christian fundamentalism. Celebrities do stupid things all the time, and the American public loves to roast them for it. If they've been around a while and earned their place amongst the 21st century mediagentsia, they're inevitably forgiven and go back to doing whatever it is they do (i.e. hosting home shows in Connecticut, entertaining children at Neverland, making movies with Steven Spielberg, etc.).

This Pat Robertson blunder is different for an important reason. Pat's not just any entertainment personality; he's representative of a major American demographic (I mean, seriously, he founded the Christian Coalition - that's a lot of voters, way more than the crazy movie star voting block). His words both resonate with a conservative audience, and speak for it. Herein lies the importance of this oh so public, faux-pas.

Once over the initial absurdity of what Pat Robertson actually said, the implications of his remarks become crystal clear.

PR: "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Translation: "Damn it, George. I've had enough of this war bull-shit. You got us into this Iraq fiasco last time. I say not again. I like my Suburban and I like my grandson. I don't want to have to give either one up because your pansy ass can't deal. I got your ass into office, I'll get it out."

If we're lucky, Pat Robertson's comments signal a shift in middle-American Conservative ideology regarding the war in Iraq. This war's been dragging and even those who once supported him are feeling the strain. 2,000 recorded American casualties is a jagged little pill, especially considering we've seemingly only gotten increased gas prices and international suicide bombers in return.

It's doubtful that Pat Robertson will take Cindy Sheehan's place on that dirt road in Crawford, but slips like this surely indicate apprehensions in the once seemingly steadfast fundamentalist support of this American 'war president.'