Just cold rain now, but at least a bit of snow is on the way, if the photo of Florence I saw about a half-hour ago is indicative. I sit in the Technical Writing Express, its engine idling for the heat. In choosing this path rather than the central heat inside a nearby establishment, I think only of my comfort and convenience, giving not the slightest consideration to my carbon footprint.

In fact, I wish I had an old tire to light on fire.

Anyway, I read this morning that the GOP is planning to play nicey-nice when campaigning against Barack Obama. Apparently there is a perception that he’s this really swell guy who’s not getting things done because everyone is just so mean. He remains personally likable, and people feel sorry for him. The Republican candidate attacks him only at great peril.

Say what?

Now as easy as it is to demonstrate the absurdity of such an assertion (and as difficult as it is to support it), I’ve been mulling where such a belief might come from. Certainly part of it must be the media insularity infecting our society. It’s never been easier to get multiple points of view, but there have also never been so many trying to prevent said diversity of opinion. Barack Obama is a nice man because we are telling you he is a nice man, Mr. Listener/Reader/Viewer.

I was also reminded of the possible nature of the current antipathy toward Tim Tebow. If we as a society can’t stand Tebow’s goodness because it is apparently genuine, then maybe some people “like” Obama because he enables them to excuse the ignorance, hypocrisy, and arrogance in their own lives. Maybe Obama is using the bully pulpit to normalize wanton jackassery.

Or maybe some people are still so damned terrified of being called a racist by PC hit squads that they dare not criticize our esteemed president, remaining obsessed with the color of his skin.

Now, of the independents who put him in office in ’08, I’m confident Obama has hemmorhaged enough of them to prevent similar behavior this time around. I’m also confident that any folks who genuinely think Barack Obama is a personally likable guy in December 2011 are unreachable, and should not be significantly considered in a GOP campaign strategy.

Scorched earth for the sake of it is a loser. But the eventual GOP nominee should not be shy about trapping Obama with his own words, whether on matters of policy or just on simple manners. That’s accuracy, not negative campaigning.

It’s snowing now.