In the 1979 film, "Being There," Peter Sellers masterfully plays an aging, somewhat cloistered gardener, whose only window on the outside world is TV. Upon the death of the employer, our man is left to fend for himself, albeit with his limited skills and worldliness. In a manner reminiscent of "Forrest Gump," "Mr. Gardner" soon finds himself the object of admiration and those seeking his "sage advice." Gardner goes along for the ride, somewhat puzzled by the attention he gets without really trying.
Last week, Rep, Kevin McCarthy was elected by the GOP Caucus to be House Majority Leader. His ascension was not so much merit-based, but testimony to the notion that "nature abhors a vacuum." In fact, McCarthy's 2006 election to the House was preceded by the retirement of Bill Thomas, the former high-strung Chairman of House Ways and Means. But Thomas was literally "in bed" with a pharmaceutical lobbyist and the writing was on the wall. So the local Kern County GOoPer movers and shakers needed to groom an attractive but malleable replacement. McCarthy, a back-bencher in the California Assembly, was a good fit. In his district, McCarthy has a loyal following that overlooks his lack of actual achievement and gravitas, but admires his dedication to the fight against Liberalism. McCarthy is not a "deep thinker" as Paul Ryan purports to be, and while he rarely says much, he is, more importantly, a go-along kind of guy.
As a long-term observer, constituent, and critic of Kevin McCarthy, I see mostly an empty suit. But sometimes even empty suits have their day. For me, comparisons between McCarthy and the above-referenced film character, Chauncey Gardner, are unavoidable. Only time will tell. One should not mistake McCarthy's mild-manner for a lack of guile, however. He has learned at the feet of many masters and continues to do their bidding.