The latest McClatchy-Marist poll finds that "69 percent of Republicans and right-leaning independents actually don't believe Cain should drop out of the race."
That percentage may seem shockingly high, but it's a trifle compared to the 100 percent of Democrats and left-leaning independents who agree. And the Democratic rooting for Cain -- or Perry, or Gingrich ... -- is what renders the far right's fiery accusations of Dem-machine skulduggery against their most immoderate candidates so amusingly pathetic.
The radicalized GOP base made possible these human jokes of political tawdriness and easy defeatability, yet somehow the base doesn't get the joke.
Take Herman Cain. Please. Support him, dear right-wing boys and girls. Send him cash, hoist him on your shoulders, and by all means nominate him. Or, you can go to Tampa's prom with Newt, or either Rick. The opposition isn't picky, it doesn't care, it's the very model of latitudinarianism when it comes to these things, these particular folks.
Just don't go with that man -- and who know who the Dem machine means. His silver tongue and wily, experienced ways will have independents -- those floozies and flakes of earthly temptation -- in the back seat and out of their skirts and giving it up in intemperate time.
Or at least that's the worry of responsible adults. The Unctuous One is the premiere Eddie Haskell of the silly season's opening of this GOP sitcom; he slinks, he slithers, he provocatively schemes and plots, he has only one objective in that squalid little mind. To quote from my childhood's favorite musical, "You'll find it in Balzac."
And the Unctuous One is the only one with the potential to screw us all.
Yet somehow, the GOP base perceives a comedy of arrows aimed not at all at its most feckless candidates. This phenomenon is really quite astounding -- even after all these years of the GOP base's fecklessness, too.
Personally I gave a sigh of relief when the only Republican candidate untainted and unencumbered by history and lunacy (Tim Pawlenty) dropped out of the race. I hope the rest stay in and diffuse fund raising as much as possible. And also that they keep saving the Democrats time and money by so assiduously pointing out each other's failings. Bless their demented hearts. I expect they will ultimately hold their collective noses and nominate Mittens but their hearts won't be in it and he has provided so much ammunition for a campaign against himself that I look forward to this slanging match.
Posted by: Peter G | November 12, 2011 at 06:33 PM
Just simple common sense would tell anyone who actually had any, that IF the Dems knew something damaging about Cain, they would have embargoed it until the unlikely event that he had become the GOP nominee. So I mean, like, cui bono?
Posted by: priscianus jr | November 12, 2011 at 09:31 PM