The Flavor of the Month

I took a short vacation last week and had some time to think some different thoughts as my wife and I spent time just relaxing. There were also some quiet hours in the car as we drove the entire breadth of the state on our trip. I'm a bit of a political nut so as the miles passed by I got to thinking about all the political theatre taking place in the Republican party right now. To be fair, the Democrats would be doing much the same if they didn't have a sitting President. But there will be no Democratic primary so the media can focus all its love and attention on the Republicans.

I concluded at this stage in the game this is far more "Entertainment", than news. Given that we have several 24-hour news networks in addition to the usual news sources, it stands to reason that they just have to have something to say all day-everyday. But what we're getting isn't real substance. Therefore, I've decided the only way to interpret this junk is as "Entertainment". I view it that way because it's just not real. It's like a situation comedy-or sometimes an engaging drama, or a made-for-TV mini-series, even a day-time soap opera. Sometimes it makes us laugh. Sometimes it makes us cry. It can titillate or annoy. But in the end we just have to appreciate the entertainment value, then turn it off and wait till the next episode. With that in mind, let's look at a few past episodes.

In 2010 the Republican contenders started lining up. You'll remember the early acts. Tim Pawlenty actually started running in 2008 when his name was bandied about as the VP for John McCain. McCain went with Sarah Palin because he thought all those women who voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries couldn't tell one woman from another. Man, he was wrong. But Pawlenty got this name out there. Then there was Haley Barbour, the Boss Hogg look-a-like Governor of Mississippi. Here was a guy with serious Republican credentials and national connections who could pull the party together after the disastrous defeat in 2008.

Next, the word was Mike Huckabee was going to be the guy. Huckabee made a strong run in 2008 winning the much ballyhooed Iowa caucus. He was strong with Tea Party types and has particular appeal with right-wing Christians. In November 2010 Republicans won 80 crucial seats in the House of Representatives. This gave control of the House to the Republicans. So as 2011 came, the Republicans believed the rest of the Government was theirs for the taking in 2012. Here comes the avalanche.

Mitt Romney announced, as expected, and suddenly he was christened the front runner. He was only the front runner because the press and a few obscure Republican pollsters said so. But old Mitt happily accepted the title. Here's where it gets interesting! Both Mike Huckabee and Haley Barbour pull out, each claiming they were instructed to directly by God. (please make note of this for later). Of course in Huckabee's case if he had decided to (actually) run he wouldn't have been able to keep his job with Fox (news?) And he really needs a job. I hesitate to call Fox News news. It's more like a big conservative, anti-Obama, anti-science, anti-everything, big corporation infomercial. But suit yourself.

Front runner Romney had the Tea Party-ers wetting themselves because he's not conservative enough. Speculation now grows that Michele Bachman will throw in. But, just for fun, Donald Trump announces his intentions. He got a lot of press resurrecting the racist "birther" nonsense and promised his people were uncovering very big things on Obama's past. Stay tuned and all will be revealed.  Establishment Republicans were actually saying that Trump could be a serious contender. He and his hair (two separate entities) were on the news shows for two solid weeks claiming to know the President was a Manchurian Candidate, who probably cheated in college. That all ended over one weekend when the (Harvard Law Review) President  stooped to show his birth certificate- crucified The Donald at a Press Club Dinner, and the next day announced the death of Bin Laden. Trump never formally withdrew- we just changed the channel. Poof, The Donald is gone. We never saw those "big things" either.

Things really heated up when Jon Huntsman entered the race. (not!). This guy was the one Obama was really afraid of, so they said. A moderate Republican with good looks, money and brains. The press made him out to be the next coming of Christ. Poor Mr. Huntsman totally botched his announcement speech, handed out campaign material that misspelled his own first name, and mistakenly loaded his press corp on a plane headed out of the country- all in one day. Jon is mired in a 1% approval bog. Next came Michele Bachmann- the real Tea Party candidate. She shot into prominence during a Fox (?) sponsored debate with plain talk and folksy charm. She managed to keep "the crazy" under wraps. She couldn't undo Romney because she didn't have any ideas, but she looked like the one to watch. She got that goofy picture on the cover of Newsweek and then took the Ames Iowa Straw Poll. All the while, the party regulars kept hoping somebody else would run. Long suffering Pawlenty gives it up after the Iowa butter festival. Ever present Libertarian Ron Paul is also in  the mix. But he's a Libertarian, so who cares?

Finally Rick Perry holds a stadium prayer meeting and later announces that he will be the next President. This is big. The Messiah has arrived. Here's a guy who wants to preside over no Federal Government, and if elected will probably succeed from himself. Romney is no longer the front runner and Bachmann drops like a rock in the Republican polls. Remember that God also spoke directly to Bachmann and Perry telling them both to be President. Whereas, he told Huckabee and Barbour to hit the showers. There are three possibilities here: 1) God is a Democrat and a prankster; 2) God is a confused Republican; or 3) that voice they heard was in their own heads.

That should catch you up on our show so far. Each one of these folks has risen in the public's eye, then faded just as fast. They were just the flavor of the month, propped up by the press one month and ignored the next. But stay tuned-there could be more. Chris Christie and Sarah Palin might still be the next big things. Chris is just a big guy, and Palin has an ego as big as the state she quit being Governor of. I could be wrong, but I believe Sarah Palin will go for it. She just won't be able to help it!

 A couple of things are clear to me. The Republican party is just as fractured and disorganized as the pundits claimed after the whippin' they took in '08. Don't let that quirky off-year election last year fool you. The candidates don't even sound like they're in the same party- with the one exception of truly hating our President. They will wreck this country to prove their hatred, and ask you to elect them after they do. Oh, good strategy people! Its really working out well for Republican Congressmen. Have you seen their approval ratings lately?  Another thing is clear- not one of these chosen people has floated a solid policy idea yet. The President looks vulnerable now, but as any one will tell you- it's hard to beat the incumbent. Just ask Reagan or G.W Bush. Each had lower approval ratings than Obama's at this point. As for now, I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the show.

Thanks for looking in.