By Alan Caruba
I have begun to think of the Republican campaign as a series of Looney Tunes cartoons being replayed again and again. They are filled with a combination of laughs and the fantastical, self-defeating violence of Wily Coyote trying to catch the Roadrunner
As the primary season moves along, I sometimes think that far too many Republicans have temporarily lost their minds. Three years of Barack Obama will do that to you.
My response to the campaign thus far may have something to do with the fact that, like Reagan and others, I was once a Democrat and, to borrow a phrase from Paul, First Corinthians, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
These days, a lot of Republicans sound like a kid who sent Santa a list of toys he wanted and, even though he got most of them, he feels compelled to write and ask why he didn’t get all of them.
Granted that Republicans don’t have the most scintillating field of candidates, but most, including Donald Trump, have concluded that a guy that made millions as a successful venture capitalist, gave a couple of million away in charity just last year, has been a Governor, and hasn’t had a single hint of scandal in his life, might not be such a bad choice.
His opponents at this point include a guy who wants to start a Moon colony, is married to his third wife, left the Speaker’s position under a cloud of ethics impropriety, is given to saying genuinely bizarre and extremely nasty things with regularity, and would make the pathological narcissist in the White House look like a Boy Scout.
Another opponent—one whom nobody including himself—thinks could get elected seems to be in the race for the purpose of having one last hurrah, beating the drum for a few good ideas and a lot of really bad ones. Ron Paul has been in Congress since shortly after the last Ice Age ended and has sponsored only one bill that passed.
And, finally, there is Rick Santorum who is so infused with religious commitment that he reminds me of someone who was touted in a similar fashion, a former Sunday school teacher named Jimmy Carter. All the religion in the world cannot substitute for the steely-eyed realism a President requires in a world filled with evil counterparts.
It’s the voters, however, about whom I worry. New Hampshire was expected to endorse Romney, but in South Carolina Republicans there gave the nod to Gingrich. The Floridians came through with the unmistakable choice, based I am inclined to think on the many older and wiser citizens that live there though, in fact, he won all the demographic groups.
Ron Paul may be mildly amusing to some, but he cannot win. Santorum is a nice guy and, as the saying goes, nice guys finish last. And Newt Gingrich is like one of the Loony Tunes characters, the Tasmanian devil, going around wrecking the place and throwing bombshells that do nothing to advance the Republican and/or conservative agenda.
Too many Republicans appear to be waiting for a candidate who is perfection in every respect, political and personal, and in the real world few fit that description. America has had its shot at electing a “messiah” and it has turned out very badly.
As the rest of the primaries unwind, I anticipate that Mitt Romney will emerge as the party’s choice. I also expect a lot of pure nonsense about his being a Mormon, about the fact that he has not always hewed perfectly to conservative principles, and that he has—God forbid—actually changed his mind more than once or twice in the past.
Lost in all this blather is the fact that he is ideally prepared for the toughest job in the world and appears to have both feet planted firmly on the ground. I actually like the idea that he occasionally misspeaks, admits it, and then apologizes.
I hope that between now and the convention in Tampa, Republicans will regain their senses, their optimism, and their fighting spirit.
Rolling over for the worst President of the modern era because our candidate is not “perfect” is not an option.
Voting for a third party candidate is not an option.
Staying home on Election Day because “your guy” didn’t get the nomination is not an option.
The Republican compass has to point in only one direction and that is the resounding defeat of Barack Obama.
© Alan Caruba, 2012
Comment
Comment by Mike NQR on February 6, 2012 at 9:43am Mitt Romney is not a conservative option.
Newt Gingrich is the conservative option.
Comment by Ronald Sorrells on February 6, 2012 at 7:30am KATHY:
YOU THINK THINK "THE "GRAND OLD PARTY" WILL ACTUALLY SUPPORT A "CLEAN CUT CHRISTIAN THAT SPEAKS THE TRUTH, SUPPORTS FAMILY VALUES" AND IS NOT A CON-ARTIST".
YES...I CAN SUPPORT RICK AND SARAH PALIN & MICHELE BACHMANN HAS SAID THE SAME !
Semper Fidelis,
Ron
Comment by Kathy Hamm on February 6, 2012 at 5:53am New polls are out: Romney has fallen much lower in the polls than Obama! The electability argument is not so convincing anymore. Newt is also the lagging behind Obama. This is not going to do. A surprise, Santorum is actually the one being shown with the abibility to defeat Obama! Looks like Santorum's stadegy to remain in the race is a good one. I like Santorum.
Comment by Gary Covington on February 6, 2012 at 3:15am How come every time Mr. Caruba writes an article in the tea Party blog I keep wondering to myself WHO IN THE HELL LET THIS GUY IN THE TEA PARTY!!! this guy doesn't even like the two candidates that the Tea Party supports. So again who let this guy write for the Tea Party? If this was the first article or even the second or third that I didn't agree with I would just blow it off, but this guy writes articles that don't even reflect Tea Party views. So whoever let this guy write for the Tea Party I have got just a couple of questions for you. One: Do any of you even proof read any of the articles that are written by other writers before you let them be published? And two: Or are you on drugs!!! Caruba in my opinion never left the left. This guy needs to be FIRED!!!!!!!! This guy is no friend to the Tea Party movement. If you want to lose members, keep letting this guy write articles for you.
Comment by janet barks on February 6, 2012 at 1:49am Mr. Caruba,
I disagree with your article. When you state that Newt would make the pathological narcissist in the white house look like a boy scout, you really were out of line.
Need I remind you, that there is NO ONE that could ever be as bad as what we now have.
You accused Newt of saying nasty things. You don't think what you said was nasty?
You have every right to cast your vote for who you want, but what you said was incorrect, and I didn't even get started on what you said about Santorum! You question his faith and stand for God's principals?
You sure can't criticize the candidates for going after each other, when you have done a pretty good job of doing it yourself.
I am sure you are concerned for our country, as I am, but I don't think your article was accurate.
Comment by Elizabeth Shea on February 6, 2012 at 1:12am I came across this a few minutes ago and am wondering if they haven't already usurped all our chances to be rid of Obama.
It has been 3 years now that Barack Hussein Obama has been illegally in the White House as a NON-NATURAL Born Citizen using a social security number from Connecticut that was never issued to him according to federal government data bases.
I personally took this evidence to my local FBI office and they told me they weren’t going to investigate the matter without even looking at the evidence I gave them. I consequently researched if the FBI does a background check of President Elects or Candidates and they don’t.
At first I blamed the loophole in the laws for the FBI’s arrogance and inaction, but now I believe the inaction is because of an orchestrated effort from the leadership within the Department of Justice to protect the criminal Usurper Obama.
http://obamaballotchallenge.com/were-fbi-agents-carrying-out-orders...
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Comment by janet barks on February 6, 2012 at 1:02am Carole, if 99% of women voted for Romney, maybe they let Newt's personal life, that included three wives, become the sole reason for their choice of Romney. Their grudge with him may have kept them from focusing on what is best for America. Sad.
Comment by janet barks on February 6, 2012 at 1:02am Carole, if 99% of women voted for Romney, maybe they let Newt's personal life, that included three wives, become the sole reason for their choice of Romney. Their grudge with him may have kept them from focusing on what is best for America. Sad.
Comment by janet barks on February 6, 2012 at 12:49am @ Larry Cumbie that said, in his defense of Romney:
"a Conservative Congressional majority would very effectively control Romney's liberal tendencies"
Well, the so called conservative congress sure hasn't effectively controlled what we have in office now!
No, Larry, we need a leader, not someone that the congress should have to control. Do you really want to take that chance?
The problem is not that Fox News is part of the establishment that we are fighting, the problem is that many would be conservatives continue to listen to them. BTW fairness is a myth that exists only in the minds of socialists, small children and Bill O'rielly. It does not exist in nature.
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