So, Republicans are extreme for preferring a candidate who opposes abortion and believes in fiscal responsibility.  And these positions are mainstream in American conservatism, which is a mainstream political viewpoint shared by, according to the latest Gallup poll, 40% of Americans.

That makes sense.

So Republicans are outside of the mainstream.  Unlike former White House Green Jobs Czar, Van Jones, self-avowed former communist and 9/11 truther whom Valerie Jarrett “was so delighted to be able to recruit to the White House.” Or FCC Diversity Czar Mark Lloyd who claims that the conservative dominance of talk radio stems not from the free market, but from deliberate control by media moguls, or, in other words, the vast right-wing conspiracy.* Or Science Czar John Holdren, who advocated placing sterilizing agents in drinking water to prevent overpopulation.

Because those, Mrs. Jarrett, are all mainstream views.

*This links to an audio file of a forum on Media Reform and Social Change.  Listen from 8:48 to 10:24.

Another claim put forth by trusted Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett in her interview with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday was that Republicans are “becoming… more and more marginalized.”

Well, of course, you’re right, Mrs. Jarrett.  And yesterday’s elections prove this beyond a doubt.  Like in typically deep blue New Jersey, where Republican Chris Christie just ousted incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine by four points —which Pres. Obama carried by nearly 15 points —we see a 19 point shift in favor of the “marginalized” GOP.

And in Virginia, the crown jewel of Pres. Obama’s 2008 election victory ― which he carried by 6 points ― we see that Republican Bob McDonnell won the governorship by nearly 20 points, carrying his home county of Fairfax in supposedly blue Northern Virginia.  Furthermore, Republicans swept the statewide elections, and padded their majority in the Virginia House of Delegates.  That, Mrs. Jarrett, is a 26 point shift in favor of the “marginalized” Republicans.

And key to both Obama’s 2008 victories and McDonnell and Christie’s 2009 victories was the independent vote.  In New Jersey Christie won independents 60% to 30%, after Obama won them 51% to 47%.  In Virginia the independent vote went 66% to 33% for McDonnell, after going for Obama 49% to 48%.  Those are 13 and 18 point shifts for the GOP, respectively.

Clearly, Mrs. Jarrett, the facts bear it out: the Republican Party is becoming more and more “marginalized” every day.  Hang on… “marginalized” means “relevant”, right?

STEPHANOPOULOS: And our polling shows that this partisan divide persists on issue after issue after issue. Why has that core promise of the president’s campaign, healing the divide, gone unfulfilled?

JARRETT: Well, you should ask that question to the Republican Party.

She went on to say that Pres. Obama has constantly “reached across the aisle.”

That’s true.  We all remember his answer to Republican concerns over his stimulus package in January: “I won. So I think on that one, I trump you.”

And the way he has answered critics of Democrats’ healthcare reform, not by debunking their claims, but simply calling them liars, and accusing them of bickering.

So he has been reaching an open hand across the aisle, but only to give open-handed slaps.

We agree, Ms. Jarrett, it’s all the Republicans’ fault.