Nice thoughtful post Proff.
Your point about Ted needing to tone it down is well taken. I got into an argument about Ted Christmas eve with my sister, who is as much anti-liberal and pro rock'n roll as I am, and with whom I virtually never disagree with. She had heard Ted rant about bringing a white buffalo to his ranch in Michigan so he could kill it, and was totally disgusted. While I defended Ted, it was tough to argue this particular point. He does alienate a lot of fence sitters when he could be helping to convert them, or at least he should think first about how his comments will be construed by that all important "undecided" voting block.