Monday, January 13, 2014

Not Even Second-Runner-Up

By Sniffles

Now that Chris Christie's George Washington Bridge scandal has engulfed him, it's amusing to us cats that in their rush to anoint a new GOP "frontrunner," the media keep ignoring the existence of the Republicans' 2008 Vice Presidential nominee.

Dan Balz at The Washington Post is just the latest offender. Hand-wringing over the fact that the press-fav'd New Jersey bully may be permanently wounded — and thus impede pundithead prognostications — Balz scrambles to mention every possible alternative: Perry, Santorum, Huckabee (Huckabee?), Rubio, Cruz, Paul, Ryan.

Well, not every one. Where, oh where, is the famous quitter from Alaska?

Now, we know that omissions like this drive the Freepers and their fellow teabaggers nuts. But that's because they like Sarah Palin. For those reasoned, prudent, clear-thinking Americans who don't (i.e., for the rest of us), it shouldn't be cause for consternation, right? It's just a reflection of how cartoonish she's let herself become... correct?

Well, yes. But also, no. Because invariably, when the pundits do this, they're writing and speaking in terms of how obediently stratified the Republican Party is. "There is no experienced heir apparent with an inside track," Balz says. "Anyone who doubts that Republicans have been a hierarchical institution need only look back at past nomination contests." In that context, the name of John McCain's running-mate should definitely make the list.

Well, we cats will not quibble. The more the Beltway crowd passes Palin over, and the more that establishment Republicans acquiesce to that, the madder the teabags will be. Which makes us cats PURR.

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