Somewhat disturbing...

Congresswoman Pelosi is on Rachel Maddow.
Rachel asked her to comment on Santorum's candidacy.
She declined, stating [LOTS of paraphrasing here!]:

I'd like to leave the Republicans' selection of their Presidential nominee up to them.
[emphasis added]

It's the "them" that strikes me.

Why "them"?

Okay, I practice fairly crude political polemics from time to time, but I really DON'T like the idea that I think of the loyal opposition as "them".
We're all in this together, no matter who wins.

"Them" are the "others" - the folks who used to be able to scare us really easily on The Twilight Zone.
There's a song in Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific: "You've Got to be Taught" -

You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You've got to be taught
From year to year,
It's got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.

... Well - no you don't. The song's wrong - sounds really good, but it's wrong.
What we seem to have going for us is the ability to recognize and brand "The Other"... as "The Other".
We're really good at it. It's what we do.
"Your skin is dark!"
"Your eyes look funny!"
"You killed Christ... and you dress funny!"
Taught? NO! - It's what we DO!... all the time.

I'd like to believe that 'civilization' has been taking us away from this base instinct, teaching us that "The Other" is just the same as us! (Sorta weird: it's impossible to discuss this topic without using words like 'them' and 'us'!)

... Anyway: I'll continue to write political polemic, but in my heart of hearts I do NOT believe that the GOP are in any meaningful sense "The Other"!