Politics / Election 2010 Politics Has Lost Its Bleeping Mind It's not just the certifiable crazies—it's everyone By Polly Davis Doig, Newser Staff Posted Oct 18, 2010 7:09 PM CDT Copied Carl Paladino gestures after a reporter's question about prior controversial remarks in New York, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) In case you hadn't noticed, American politics has flown off the handle, spun its head around crazily a la Exorcist, and sailed clear off the deep end. So to speak. Sure, we sort of took the battier candidates of both sides in stride (we're looking at you, Alan Grayson, Christine O'Donnell, et al), but now it's all manner of politicians "abandoning self-control and embracing a campaign-trail equivalent of road rage," write John Harris and Alexander Burns over at Politico. Observe: In Massachusetts, Barney Frank's boyfriend accosted longshot challenger Sean Bielat with a camcorder outside a debate and heckled him in front of the press. "You just tried two jokes and they weren't even funny," he taunted when Bielat incredulously confronted him. In Colorado, Republican challenger Ryan Frazier actually had to utter the words, "Don't hit me, man, come on," to Rep. Ed Perlmutter, who had swatted his hand. The press isn't faring well in the scuffle, either, with Joe Miller's private security arresting a reporter over the weekend and Carl Paladino threatening a NY Post reporter with: "I'll take you out." For more highlights, click here. (More Election 2010 stories.) Report an error