This story about GOP party wags getting nervous that tea party hero Ben Carson may insist on running for the presidency is both
very sad and very hilarious.
With former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida moving closer to declaring his candidacy, and the Republican establishment determined not to repeat the mistakes of the lengthy nominating fight of 2012, the rise of Mr. Carson suggests the best-laid plans of the party for 2016 may not go as smoothly as desired. [...]
Though few Republican strategists expect Mr. Carson, 63, to be the nominee, they acknowledge his potential to throw a wrench into the establishment’s desire to unify early, and the danger of turning off moderates if his divisive views continue to gain traction.
The party of divisive views (hello, Rep. Steve King—have you and Rep. Bachmann finalized our nation's policy toward refugee children yet?) continues to be very alarmed that someone will bring those divisive views up
during a presidential run, even though the party is now fairly certain that having frothing crazy people running for president is what doomed them the last time around. But they won't
stop. They won't take the hint that no no, we have already reserved the nomination for the Third Bush, with Mitt Romney a reluctant second if Third failed to come through—we do not want a presidential primary season this time around. Thank you, but your services are not needed!
His unfiltered remarks are embraced by parts of the Republican base in inverse proportion to the fits of outrage they inspire on the left. “To the base who are looking for someone completely different to shake things up, that probably makes them more of a fan,” said Craig Robinson, a former political director of the Iowa Republican Party.
And if Barack Obama stubbed his toe on a cinder block, that cinder block would win the Iowa caucuses. Ben Carson fans are not complicated people.
This is shaping up to be an interesting primary season, at least from the standpoint of watching the Republican Party desperately try to euthanize primary season. I don't think they can do it. The Republican base—and I mean the frothy ones, the ones that show up in tricorner hats and demand the government get out of their Medicare—lives for these primaries. For many state parties, it's their Burning Man. They would no more give up on rallying support for the Ben Carsons and the Michele Bachmanns and the Rick Santorums than they would give up on voting itself.
“At some point the party will wake up from its hangover and pick someone they think can actually go through” a general election, said an experienced Republican strategist in Iowa who has worked with mainstream candidates, speaking on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss party matters.
See that, tea partiers? Even Iowa Republican strategists think your drunken louts are ruining things. Are you going to take that lying down, or are you going to buckle down, take another swig, find someone even crazier to vote for?