Will the Democratic Party be hurt by the NSA scandal?

[Jackpine Radical]

2. It won't blow over, if only because

at least one segment of the Right smells blood in the water. They've got a "righteous hit" on Obama here (never mind that much of it happened on their watch, and the problem is as much the making of their own heroes as it is of the Democrats).

They've kept Benghazi going for months based on virtually no evidence. It will be much easier to keep this one going because of the substantial basis in reality, combined with the months-long trickling out of ever more-damning information.

The Right is divided on this issue, with the Neocon Cheney types siding with the Surveillance State, but the left is equally divided, with our Establishment types joined to those of the right.

It's gonna be a helluva mess. I don't know who will be hurt worse--the Dems because a lot of progressives will stay away from the polls, or the Repubs because of a potential third-party threat. If I had to bet, I would guess that the Dems will be hurt the worst because the R's (ever since their Perot debacle) are much better at enforcing party discipline and holding the Paulbots in line.