Appearing, as if out of nowhere, were two related articles in major conservative news the day after the third debate of all Republican presidential candidates — Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman. In the articles, conservative pundit Bill Kristol — hands clutching pearls in horror — realized something profound: that the Republican field looks and sounds crazy.
There is the concern (terror) that Texas Governor Rick Perry (homo erectus texas ignoramus) just doesn’t have what it takes (too nuts to bring to a badger hunt) to win the Republican nomination and the Presidency in 2012, Mitt Romney’s candidacy just isn’t generating the enthusiasm in Southern states to cinch the nomination and he is now chasing after Perry even though Romney’s candidacy and nomination was presumed inevitable as “establishment favorite.” Since Perry’s entrance, Michelle Bachmann and Ron Paul, once front-runners, are barely registering a blip. Yet, instead of handing a win to the evangelical darling Mr. Perry, the winner of last week’s Florida straw poll was Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather Pizza.
The high priests of the conventional wisdom in Punditlandia may or may not remember when and how it happened — so much for allowing conventional wisdom to dictate their perspective — but somehow, their incredulity over the nature and response to the Republican field is a moment made for laughter. No one should be blamed for this but themselves. And unfortunately none of us are laughing. Are the republican presidential hopefuls really crazy? Oh yes they and most of their supporters are.