Nov ‘11
29
I’ve Got All This Stuff Twirling Around In My Head: Part II
Wolf Blitzer and CNN broke the story on Herman Cain’s latest marriage fidelity problem. Making it five at last count. Regardless of the size of Herman’s head, how can he possibly find room for what he knows that we don’t know? Plus all the things he should know as a candidate, but doesn’t? How desperate must Republican voters be to consider him presidential?
Newt has a big head too, but he’s compartmentalized the stuff we need to know.
The current front-runner in what’s turning out to be an “Anyone But Obama” primary, is a man who conducted a multi-year affair with an employee of the House of Representatives while he was its Speaker and while he was married. The difference: He divorced his wife, married the affairee, converted to a religion with a sacramental penance, and will have the religious base of the party believing God forgives and so should they. Because they don’t want a Mormon president who has changed his position on the role of government in abortion and health care.
What does this say about republican voters this year?
Not much. I hope. Right-of-center conservative Republicans probably aren’t answering their phones for opinion pollsters. Only “the base,” which thinks the 2010 election gave them ownership of the party, is eager to express their current opinions. Now they have to justify their role in the caucuses and the primary elections, by supporting Bachmann or Santorum, or by watering down what passed for principled beliefs in the role of government in order to support an “idea man.”
And about why more qualified GOP candidates are sitting this one out?
Minnesotans are asking each other whether Gov. Tim Pawlenty regrets having dropped out of the race early. I doubt it very much. For the same reason his colleagues Haley Barbour (R-MS); Mitch Daniels (R-IN); and Chris Christie (R-NJ) decided against running. The national Republican Party isn’t ready for prime time. It has been running against President Obama since Senator McConnell (R-KY), the Senate minority leader, declared Obama a one-term president. They, not Obama, have made accountable governance impossible at a time we need it most. Americans will not turn out for another negative election.
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