Here's something to put in your back pocket for 2012:
Dear Republican Party:Don't worry: they won't do it. And if they do, great. Because trust me -- you only got a little taste of the Huckabee Crazy in the primary days of 2008. It only gets better. I promise.
Please, please, please make Mike Huckabee your party's nominee for President in 2012.
Thanks so much.
Much love,
The Spencerian
# # # #
Eugene Robinson at the Post has not one, but two columns that made me ponder. The first kind of goes over the Obama accomplishments. Well done, I thought.
Is it everything we hoped and dreamed? Of course not. One of the hard lessons I learned about politics early on is that politicians don't save the world. They improve it in increments. They make our world, our country, our communities a better place to live by -- hopefully -- taking our shared ideals and spreading them around to the best of their ability. That "spreading around" is done through the bully pulpit and by making laws -- and that's about it, really.
With respect to this grossly oversimplified framework, I think Obama is on the right track, and I look forward to seeing what the next year brings.
Robinson's other piece is about the GOP civil war.
Two things on this, gang.
First, if anyone can find polling on this, I'd like to see it. Like, of all registered Republicans, who considers themselves a conservative teabagger type, and who considers themselves a moderate? I'd love to see the breakdown but haven't found it.
Second, if you recall from Election 2008, I had a friendly wager with my friend Jason. I called it Viva Las Spencerian! I lost. Badly.
But in and around the bet, we had a number of good conversations (almost exclusively email) about politics and the political future. I don't recall, but I think one of his questions to me that started a very good back and forth was regarding a potential split in the GOP. At the time I'm sure I said something obtuse and vague.
And though a GOP rift didn't exactly come to pass in the GOP primary in '08, or in their convention, I'd say that question may be worth re-examining.
Are we witnessing the mitosis of the Republican Party, a splitting away of the conservative wing, leaving behind a more pragmatic (but, many might say, no less wrong) wing of the Grand Old Party? Is this the birth of GOP 2.0?
And is that a good thing?
People will be watching the GOP primary of for the United States Senate here in Florida. On that, all I'll say is, Crist just lost another straw poll (badly), and I've seen my first Rubio yard sign (I don't care for them from a design point of view, but that's just my taste). It's on Central Ave., kind of in the Pasadena area, just down from O'Bistro right by the Starbucks I go to a lot. That's in Pinellas County, by the way. Charlie's home county.
I know, I know -- nobody wins on straw polls and yard signs. But each in their own way are a kind of harbinger of momentum. I'm just saying: everyone is watching. Because this is getting to be more than just a GOP primary for the United States Senate in Florida.
# # # #
Can you tell me how to get...
...how to get to Sesame Street.
The world needs you now more than ever, Ray Charles. We miss you.
And happy anniversary, Sesame Street!
-- More later, gang --
