A Poll of Emotional Reactions to Katrina

James Taranto had some interesting poll results in Best of the Web Today:

ABC also has an emotional breakdown by party: Democrats were far more likely than Republicans to describe themselves as "shocked" (68% to 42%), "angry" (63% to 27%) and "ashamed" (63% to 28%) at the response to Katrina, while Republicans were far more "hopeful" (80% to 50%) and "proud" (43% to 17%). Is there any doubt that those gaps would have been similar if the poll had been conducted after any other major event--or indeed at any other time--since President Bush was elected, other than immediately after 9/11?

I don't know about you, but I don't find those numbers surprising at all. The Dems have always been the party of "feelings", which is why they melt when someone like Bill Clinton tells them he "feels their pain". What's the first question that every liberal reporter asks interviewees after a traumatic event: "How do this make you feel?" This is why the Dems are known as the Mommy party, and why lefty blogs are so hysterically emotional about every issue.

Republicans have a different outlook, and if we appear unfeeling or unemotional about certain events, it's because our world is not colored by our feelings. You can argue the pluses and minuses of both approaches, but if the stuff is hitting the fan, I want someone in charge who's not going to allow his/her emotions to rule the day.