What Awaits A Democratic President?

Digby has this pessimistic view of what awaits a Democratic president in 2009-

"A Democratic president, no matter who it is, is going to pay for the Republicans' sins. But it won't be just because the Republicans and Blue Dogs in congress suddenly 'realize' they have co-equal power. I predict that the right wing noise machine will shout far and wide that the election was stolen (probably with the help of 'illegal aliens.') The new president will not be allowed to weed out even one right wing plant anywhere in the executive branch without being accused of politicizing it. There will be no executive privilege as the courts rediscover their 'responsibilities.' Scientists and experts will all be accused of being shills for the liberal special interests. The president will be accused of violating Americans' civil liberties and destroying the constitution. There will be widespread accusations of fraud and corruption and non-stop investigations.

In other words the Republicans are going to accuse the Democratic president of everything we know the Bush administration did. And because it was never fully investigated or even fully discussed, people will lay the sins at the feet of the Democratic president and feel a sense of relief that the balance of power is being restored and Washington is finally being cleaned up.

The media, who know the real story (they helped cover it up, after all) will lead the charge."

Normally I'd say that she is being over the top in terms of worry (let's worry about 2008 but we start panicking about 2009), but I won't deny I have similar concerns, which is why I am posting this. After all, the Republicans reacted to the loss of Congress by laughingly bragging about how they are destroying all Democratic legislation just to show them who's boss. And that's Congress, a branch that conservatives hold in low regard generally.

I imagine that, logically speaking, losing the White House will be met with an even stronger meltdown. They spent years trying to destroy Bill Clinton (Whitewater, Filegate, Travelgate, AirportHairCutGate, Monica, etc... and those were the BS scandals!); I don't imagine they will welcome our next President with open arms. Especially if it's you-know-who.

(I posted this after the '04 election; I can't imagine Hannity or Limbaugh doing so next year)

Still, as Atrios laments, it's better than the alternative (4-8 more years of Republican executive excesses). But hey, maybe they'll prove us all wrong, and help to clean house and we'll all take America in a better direction together. That'd sure be swell.