To Err Is Herman, to Forgive Divine


Nothing shows the wacky unseriousness of the postmodern, Tea Party-ized Republican Party than the irresistable rise of Herman Cain, a former business exec and Fox News confabulation who is now topping the charts in numerous primary state polls. Here is a man who has never held elected office--he lost his one run--and whose knowledge of foreign and domestic issues resembles light pencil sketches of cirrus clouds and has piggbacked his campaign on a book tour, yet many Republicans are embracing him as just the smiling lightweight the nation needs to make it Reagan Country again. Now I happen to think the sexual harassment allegations unearthed over the weekend concerning Cain's tenure as head of the National Restaurant Association are awfully fuzzy, at least based on what we know so far (in short, I agree with Jack Shafer), but the rush to exoneration by outraged rightwing bloggers and talkshow hosts has been like watching Justin Bieber fans in swarm mode.

Roy Edroso has a characteristically funny, perceptive roundup of the apoplectic apologists at his regular Village Voice rightwing blogosphere report. If "America is doomed, why not elect a nut?" is the operating ethos of the What-me-worry? conservative punditry and peeps. Where it will all end, apart from in laughter and tears? Edroso:

...[W]e will say here and now that Herman Cain will not be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2012. The Vice-Presidential nomination is another story. In fact, as Mitt Romney's ascension grows more likely, it is almost certain that the ticket will have to be balanced -- an uninspiring trimmer at the top, a charismatic rightwing fire-breather in the #2 slot to keep the true believers aboard. It didn't work in 2008, but with the present, persistently crap economy it's worth trying again.

Even there, though, Cain faces some big hurdles -- like Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and possibly Rick Perry, or a lunatic to be named later. In fact, it strikes us now that most of the Republicans allegedly running for President have actually been running for for the Sarah Palin role -- which is a good gig in any case; if the ticket fails, he or she can spend a few years stringing along disgruntled followers, soaking up money and adulation, and then bail out, held comfortably aloft by his or her golden parachute. If you're wondering why these people have been acting so crazy in debates and other public forums, this is as good an explanation as any.

As we all know, the Republican Party has a substantial backlog and bench strength in lunatics, so maybe The Donald will start making stomach rumbles about running again.