This morning, the President of the United States of America was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Regardless of political affiliation or differences, this is an honor for which every American citizen should take pride.
But instead of taking a moment to share the pride and joy of being an American, instead of sharing in the dignity and honor of such an occasion, the Republican Party and its leaders took another great American moment and trashed it.
Why? Because the Republican Party has become the party of sore losers. It seems the mothers of the current crop of Grand Old Party leaders never taught them how to lose gracefully -- or if they did, they've forgotten the lesson.
Rather than sharing in a great moment for America, the Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele immediately issued a statement saying that Obama had not yet accomplished enough for a Nobel Prize, despite the fact that the Nobel Prize was awarded because Obama has "captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future." Rush Limbaugh said the award exposes Obama as an "illusion." RedState.com writer Erick Erickson made a quip about the Nobel Prize Committee having an affirmative action quota. Joe Scarborough said the award "befuddled" him. And the list of outlandish GOPer reactions goes on and on.
The Urban Dictionary defines sore loser as "someone who loses in a fair competition but whines about it on a constant basis, blaming everyone around them for their loss, except themselves." That just about sums up the last 11 months of the Republican Party.
Republican leaders have spent the last year engaged in what amounts to tantrum behavior. They stormed off after losing in November, and instead of trying to work cooperatively with Democratic leaders to solve the difficult problems of our nation, they're basically giving America the finger, taking their toys, and going home.
Even politics as usual have ended. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) famously said, "If Barack Obama has a BLT sandwich tomorrow for lunch, they would try and ban bacon."
Since losing last November, Republicans have offered little in the way of solutions or ideas. They've been too focused on attacking the winner of the election just for winning. They've regressed until their primary activities have become name-calling and obstructing. Today's Republican leadership doesn't want to play the other team anymore, they just want to upend the checkers table.
Ask yourself as you watch the rhetoric today and over the weekend, the reaction to a great moment in American history, the President of the United States winning a prestigious international award, if a child acted this way after losing a game or a contest or a school election, wouldn't they be getting a time out?
GOP, you deserve the time out America gave you last November. Please use this time to think about what you've done.