This, yes, this is from The Weekly Standard. The author, yes, the author is William Kristol, the man who discovered Sarah Palin during a cruise to Alaska and promoted her to the Republican Party, who didn’t see the grifter – they saw salvation. Suckers.
THE WEEKLY STANDARD’s official reaction to last night’s Republican presidential debate: Yikes.
. . . The e-mails flooding into our inbox during the evening were less guarded. Early on, we received this missive from a bright young conservative: “I’m watching my first GOP debate…and WE SOUND LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE!!!!” . . .
But in a week in which markets collapsed, Solyndra exploded, our Middle East policy was in meltdown, the Iranian nuclear threat became more urgent, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fingered our “ally” Pakistan as a sponsor of terror against American forces in Afghanistan—none of the candidates really seemed up to the moment, either politically or substantively. In the midst of a crisis, we’re getting . . . a somewhat subpar version of politics as usual . . .
And Elvis help me, but it seems that young William, son of the more famous Irving, agrees with me. I’ve said (tooting horn! tooting horn!) from the first day that Perry would crash and burn.
. . . no front-runner in a presidential field has ever, we imagine, had as weak a showing as Rick Perry. It was close to a disqualifying two hours for him.
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 
Just one of the reasons I call it the silly season.
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Why that is a nice gravatar, Sir.
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Thank you. A quick Google, search did the trick!
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Hah. That is interesting.
If most moderate conservatives and 2/3 conservatives look at the facts for a moment – I suspect that lots of them would find that they land right about where Obama has been for the last three years – in his practical policymaking, though not his speeches. Or maybe many would find themselves a bit closer to the center. On something that works. On a balanced approach that is sustainable. And on a return to the founding ideals and values of America – not some recent fascism orchestrated by a few billionaires who are playing with government and public opinion.
On a side-note, I sort of think last night was perhaps the most moderate and sane of the four (?) debates thus far. No yelling for death and killing, less crazytalk.
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Gotta count it as more sane if it began the countdown to the end of Rick Perry. Cain won the staw poll in FL, so we know we’ve not climbed back through the looking glass yet.
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Imagine if Palin had been there too. I think she would have Perry look good.
Full disclosure: I haven’t seen the debate, but Perry meltdown seems the talk everywhere. Do you think he doesn’t want to run, and hence the horrible performance???
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bruce, I think he’s just not up to it – his entire political career has been in Texas where bluster serves very well. The Texas gov is a very weak governor by statute. He’s just not up to it.
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It is nice when you can point to such a clear example of the disconnect between the people of the US and what they are allowed to vote for.
It is more like choose your favourite political caricature and hope that they do not sincerely believe the whack-a-loon crazy tripe that is coming from their mouth.
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It’s why I’d love to see the primaries be opened everywhere. A number of states have done it and it raises the level of the dialogue because candidates aren’t only running to their primary base.
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talkandpolitics ,
” I suspect that lots of them would find that they land right about where Obama has been for the last three years – in his practical policymaking, though not his speeches. ”
And down is up and Left is Right.
” Or maybe many would find themselves a bit closer to the center. On something that works. On a balanced approach that is sustainable. ”
What exactly has worked ? How is spending $ 750 Billion in wasted Stimulus sustainable ?
” And on a return to the founding ideals and values of America ”
You mean capitalism and racism ?
” not some recent fascism orchestrated by a few billionaires who are playing with government and public opinion. ”
Please give examples.
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Yea! There is no satisfaction like being proved right! Congratualtions on calling Perry as a loser. Now all that is needed is a sweep to get the date of his declining to run further right and you have the set. 🙂
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I’m planning for my march of triumph David! Do you think a tiara would be too much?
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An old friend of mine, a conservative, posted on his Facebook page following the debate, “If Perry performs like that with Obama, we are screwed.” This says a couple of things to me.
Let me preface by stating that the individual of whom I speak is an outspoken atheist. Unless, of course, you mention Ayn Rand or Ron Paul at which point he will begin a homily post haste.
My point is, he showed concern that Perry would be EXPOSED as an idiot rather that horror at the fact that Perry IS an idiot and a zealot. This scares me to death. They know all of these candidates are, at best, unqualified and at worst, stark raving mad. It doesn’t matter. An atheist “Libertarian” is prepared to vote for a Dominionist moron simply because he’s on the GOP ticket.
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David, what you describe is far too common. I run into it all the time – have a few conservative friends who used to just have an ideology and now seem more like guards at the palace ready to repel any assault on cherished beliefs.
It all feels so tribal. And anyone over the age of 19 who is still enamoured of Ayn Rand? Dear elvis! Our last Fed chairman, Greenspan, was a life long acolyte. His policies were a major contributor to the mess we’re in now. Certainly there’s blame to go around, but not everyone had the power he had and how he was considered the oracle of oracles . . . .
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