For the first time in American politics one major party has suddenly vanished without an apparent trace.

It was illuminating to view Chris Matthews on "Hardball" earlier this week seeking to discover what happened to the suddenly vanished breed previously referred to as the American Republican Party.  In the manner of a resolute anthropologist Matthews sought out the digs of political America in search of the suddenly vanished breed.

Eric Cantor is not only a Republican congressman from Virginia, but even serves as the party's First Deputy Whip.  He was reportedly on John McCain's short list for vice president.  

That is the stated record, but the awkward, frequently dumbfounded Cantor who appeared as a guest with Matthews at the same time as Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida.

When Ann Coulter appeared on Chris Matthews's "Hardball" and unleashed more of her diseased venom against John Edwards, statements so scurrilous, dishonest and thoroughly pathetic that they need not be repeated here, it was easy to see a familiar pattern.

Matthews is on MSNBC, the same network that brought Phil Donahue's show to a quick halt for allegedly "bad ratings" that were better than Matthews's.  The difference was that while Matthews fawns over figures such as Coulter, Dick Cheney and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Donahue had the true audacity to present speakers with differing viewpoints to the Cheney-Bush full speed ahead Iraq invasion.

One of the most candidly memorable interviews in an ever nose-diving mainstream media occurred when Donahue interviewed former Desert Storm commander General Norman Schwarzkopf, who explained that a decision was made not to invade Baghdad during the 1991 Gulf War for reasons that have been confirmed in tragic detail.

Schwarzkopf asserted that with the major religious and ideological split dividing Iraq consisting of Shiites and Sunnis that if America invaded turmoil would result in a nation that would be soon enveloped in bloody civil war.  Has anyone seen any recent repeats of this interview?

There are more and more efforts out there to lobby the companies that advertise on right-wing talk shows to get them to pull their ads. This is an approach that I have advocated for some time based on the fact that this is how groups like the NRA and moral majority have been so successful in dictating the national dialogue. Their constant lobbying not just of politicians but of businesses and advertisers mean that they get listened to and we don't. I am urging you to join me and dozens of others in the blogsphere to fight back and use your consumer and investor muscle to pressure companies to avoid right wing talk shows when they are considering where to spend their advertising dollars. This particular push is about a week old and already we are seeing some signs that we are being noticed. But we need more numbers!

Even before Bush took office, Chris Matthews had taken on the role of beady-eyed lickspittle.  It was Matthews who said that Bush sometimes "glimmers" with sunny nobility.  Matthews has shown so much love for Bush, it's a wonder George hasn't shoved Laura away to make more room in the bed.

Throughout the debacle that is the Bush administration, Matthews has been quick to defend Bush against all critics, and even quicker to sneer and smear Democrats who have spoken out against the insanity.  Howard Dean?  Please.  The name can't get past Matthew's lipless beak without a roll of the eyes and a twitter of laughter.  Even those who have dared questioned the president's authority to break the law at will have faced the scorn of the man who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Mr. Hyde version of Tweety Bird.

Then this weekend, on the subject of Iraq...

So, Osama made another speech and stated the obvious: He's still alive and still a threat because Bush got us all involved with this distraction in Iraq which has done more for Al Qaeda than it's done for us. And the GOP reaction, of course, is to show how serious they are about terrorism by attacking Michael Moore, Ted Kennedy, Howard Dean and other Democrats or liberals.

Yesterday, on Hardball with Chris Matthews, Matthews breathlessly reported on a "disgusting" and "racist" document that was being circulated by Democrats:

Matthews: "In Other Words, They Nail Him On Not Putting Some Italian Mobsters In Jail From The [Lucchese] Family. Why Would They Bring Up This Ethnically Charged Issue As The First Item They Raise Against Judge Alito?" (MSNBC's "MSNBC Live," 10/31/05)

Matthews: "This Is Either A Very Bad Coincidence Or Very Bad Politics. Either Way Its Gonna Hurt Them. This Document: Not Abortion Rights, Not Civil Rights But That He Failed To Nail Some Mobsters In 1988. This Is The Top Of Their List Of What They've Got Against This Guy. Amazingly Bad Politics." (MSNBC's "MSNBC Live," 10/31/05)  (RNC link)

Maybe Tweety was blinded by the "glittering nobility" of Bush, but the document itself does no such racial baiting.  The right-wing has its talking point down: paint the Democrats as anti-Italian.  No surprise there, is there? If it has been a women, we would be wife-beaters. If it was a Hispanic, we would be anti-hispanic.  What the Democrats need to do is emulate Fitzgerald on this:  "that talking point won't fly.'

And here's is why the "so, Alito let off some mobsters 20 years ago" talking point sinks like a ton of lead.  

The reason why the case was first on that document is because, contrary to Matthews assertion, the fact that the criminals walked free here is a very big deal.

ALITO REPEATEDLY SCREWED UP ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOB CASE IN HISTORY

The case was United States v. Accetturo.  And, to be blunt, Alito let it slip away: