Who are these people?

I tossed deadlines to the wind last night and went to play blues in a smoky bar, and it was great. When I came home I caught a bit of TV, enough to put Jerry Seinfeld's voice in my head all night asking, "Who are these people?"

In Florida's exit polls, 20% of Florida Republicans said they were enthusiastic about George Bush and the really swell job he's done. Enthusiastic?

Who are these people?

I can see resigned. I can see loyally standing by your man. I can even see defending your vote by saying Bush was the better of two bad choices. But enthusiastic? Dear God, where have these people been for 7 years?

In a Wall Street Journal poll, 14% said they were "very positive" about W's tenure. Again, I have to ask, who are these people?

I admit that I'm a partisan. I am. But I try to be fair. I can point to things George Bush has done that I approve of. Well, two things, actually. One was getting the inspectors back into Iraq. I thought that was a good thing. What happened after that, not so much.

And his initiative on AIDS in Africa I think is a good thing. I'm skeptical of the whole abstinence push, and believe it's a lot of wishful thinking by people who trust Jesus to hold their knees together, but still, his heart is in the right place.

But everything else, from the economy, to Homeland Security, to foreign policy, this guy couldn't have done worse if he'd tried. And don't get me started on how he and his buddy Rove totally fucked up the government with a cadre of political hacks that turned every office, department and agency into an RNC version of Stalin's politburo.

So I have to ask about those enthusiastic Floridians. Who are these people?

My guess is, they're loyal Fox viewers. Here's some fair and balanced reflections from Bret Baier, the guy who put together the hard-hitting special, George W. Bush: Fighting to the Finish.

He tells us that Condi Rice credits the Iraq war with forcing Iran to abandon its weapons program. Then Baier writes, "...Rice’s statement runs contrary to the National Intelligence Estimate which, President Bush told me, specifically credited only diplomatic pressure for Iran’s action. If Rice is right, it would arguably be a significant win of the President’s strategy for Iraq, and the Global War on Terror."

That's right. If Condi, Bush's work wife is right, and if the NIE, the nation's combined intelligence community is wrong, then that would vindicate what most of us think of as a world-class screw-up. But if we all wish real hard, we can believe, too.

Baier breathlessly adds, "In a series of revealing and personal interviews, President Bush told me that as he enters his final year in office, the past President he thinks about most is Abraham Lincoln." Uh, I am at a loss for words here.

Baier mentions the president's notorious malaprops but grudgingly admits, being fair and balanced, that Bush is also capable of giving the most eloquent and inspiring speeches. To prove what a competent word wrangler Bush is, Baier interviews speech writer Bill McGurn, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal and National Review, who told Baeir "that President Bush is the most exacting editor he’s every had."

“I've been edited by Bob Bartley and Bill Buckley," McGurn said with a big man-crush sigh, "and the president is by far the most thorough and sharp editor.”

McGurn sure sounds enthusiastic. Baier is enthusiastic. And that 20% in Florida are certainly enthusistic. The only thing I'm enthusiastic about is 1/20/09.

Really, who are these people? Who are these people?