There is a great abundance of examples in our teetering society of the power of delusion to conjure and stir even greater delusions. The deluded exist in a rarefied and protected space that holds them harmless from the cost of their delusions, while inflicting judgements around any discussion of it as impolite. Mike Pence’s presidential campaign is a perfect case in point. It exists to what end and purpose? Whatever it may be, it is currently being crushed by the Ramaswamy juggernaut. Not.
If Mike Pence showed up on television dressed up in a launch suit, and declared himself an astronaut, would he be? What if he said he was a bull fighter or a parakeet? Would it be so? What gives his delusions dispensation in the presidential race? Is it the fact that he was vice president? I was unaware that the office immunized former occupants from reality, or is it that it exempts them from political reality? Wherever the thin air between delusion and crazy exists, Mike Pence is inhaling deeply, and the media pretends it’s a rational candidacy.
The 2008 comeback of John McCain from the middle seat on Southwest Airlines to Republican nominee has become another wellspring of young fascist delusions. It makes my head hurt. A lot.
There will be no McCain comeback for this guy:
First, and of course it goes without saying, but John McCain would never have worn those boots, and if anyone ever suggested that he should, trust me, it would have inspired an all-time classic response.
Ron DeSantis was a back bench Republican congressman who ran for governor as a sycophant, tried to govern as a tyrant, and run for president as a humorless demagogue. The act is nearing its end. There will be no comeback.
The McCain comeback was built around John McCain’s best qualities, which included a tremendous sense of defiance, duty, determination, toughness and perseverance. He was stoic, where DeSantis is petulant. He was funny and real, and would have been incapable of having this exchange with a kid holding an Icee.
McCain’s comeback was also built on an attitude of complete indifference towards the conventional wisdom and the media narrative that had written him off. American politics in the summer and early fall of 2007 was dominated by the contest between Senators Clinton and Obama. Rudy Giuliani was the GOP front runner, while Governor Mitt Romney was trying to establish himself as the conservative candidate in the primary. His campaign was large, flush with cash, well organized and built around winning the Iowa caucuses. Being governor of Massachusetts was not an advantage for Romney in 2007 when it came to the first in the nation primary state — New Hampshire — where “massholes” is a fairly common reference for residents of the neighboring Bay State. He staked his claim in Iowa, and left New Hampshire where the polls were dominated by Giuliani. There were a thousand stories written about the coming Giuliani vs. Clinton general election campaign. Per usual, there was a tremendous focus on the importance of “organization,” and it was held that Romney was the conservative alternative to Giuliani and McCain, the already-defeated RINO bête noire.
The conventional wisdom was great, but it was built around a couple of fantasies, which were that a Mormon could win the Iowa caucuses in 2008, and that a thrice- divorced operatic New York mayor, who refused to spend a night sleeping in New Hampshire could win the New Hampshire primary. Instead, what was much more likely was that a southern Baptist preacher from Arkansas running as a pre-Trump happy conservative named Mike Huckabee would. Huckabee, a southern fried grifter of the oiliest variety, never had any chance in New Hampshire where the flinty New Englanders have no tolerance for the schtick and Jesus sermons from the religious hucksters that swagger like titans in GOP politics.
All McCain had to do to win New Hampshire was for Romney to lose in Iowa, while Giuliani, whose campaign was built around electability, collapsed because he wasn’t actually winning. McCain wound up coming in fourth place on the night of the Iowa caucuses, but it was covered as a tie for third, alongside Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator and “Law & Order” star. It was enough to propel him to first in New Hampshire, while political gravity grabbed Romney and pulled him down.
There had been a moment when Fred Thompson could have walked to the GOP nomination in 2008 like Chris Christie could have in 2012. Both hesitated, and missed their windows in a cruel and merciless business. By the time Fred Thompson made his electoral stand, he was part of a three-way fight between Romney, Huckabee and himself against McCain. They divided the bite and McCain shot through the gap.
Voilà! A GOP nominee is made, and a great comeback is achieved. No such scenario exists for DeSantis. None at all.
There are, however, two other scenarios that are very real.
One, like I have been saying, that Tim Scott can win in Iowa.
Two, if he does, that Chris Christie might pop in New Hampshire.
Trump just has to lose once somewhere early, and it becomes an open race. Open for everyone except Puddin’ Finger. Like I keep saying, the pudding and the boots aren’t a very good look.
This week on the podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Maria Shriver, my very dear friend and one of the smartest people I know. An award-winning journalist, best-selling author and former First Lady of California, Maria inspires millions of people — including me — with her Sunday Paper. If you don’t subscribe already, I’d encourage you to do so here.
I hope you’ll have a listen to our conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or click on the link below. We covered everything from the crisis facing American men to the need for a return to optimism in our country.
If you’d prefer to read the transcript, you can find it here.
As an Obama supporter, I'll never forget the time, at a rally, when John McCain defend the character of Barack Obama. Wow, could you imagine something like that happening today? I can't.
Wouldn't that be a wonderful way to "Make America Great Again"?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jrnRU3ocIH4
I believe Mike Pence’s disconnect from reality is attributable to his long-term belief in an invisible friend and religious fantasy. His mind no longer processes facts because it has been turned to mush through religious zealotry. Trump chose him because his is an obsequious toady, the perfect type of person Trump desires next to him. He has zero leadership skill, no charisma, no gravitas. He’s a self-described religious zealot who has no place in our liberal democracy.