(politics) a loving chuckle toward what would have formerly made me ralph

Old Me would find much righteous agitation in this haymaker article on Nader in the otherwise-alas-too-often-sucky New Republic Online. Its two theses: (1) that Nader's behavior the past two elections are less of an aberration and more of an extension of the traits and behaviors shown throughout his career and (2) that Nader's behavior in the final days of the last election is less consistent with the idea of a third-party candidate being indifferent to the outcome of the election and more consistent with an actual goal of being spoiler. The Old Me would have angrily underscored the point that Nader (a) knows very well that he tipped the last election to Bush, (b) is not unpleased with that fact, (c) would do it again if he could, and (d) is being disingenuous whenever he makes arguments to the contrary. The Old Me would have double underscored the implication that more pure-of-heart vote-your-conscience Nader supporters this time around are being played for fools. Then the Old Me would be so agitated from all this underscoring that he would have googled up a picture of Nader just so he could spit on his monitor.

New Me, as readers know, has vowed instead to fight his negative feelings toward Nader with unconditional love. The New Me does not dispute any of the points in the article. However, whereas the Old Me would read the article through the hateful lens of someone who thinks Nader irresponsibly and knowingly misled others to participate in a course of action that deeply undermined causes that they supposedly believed in, the New Me reads it through the loveful lens of someone who thinks Nader irresponsibly and knowingly misled others to participate in a course of action that deeply undermined causes that they supposedly believed in. New Me's reaction to the article: "That Ralph! What a little devil! Isn't he the dickens? Cute-a-rrific!"

I feel great! Hooray, New Me!