It seems that this GOP primary has taken yet another cruel turn. The lack of debates in February has severely limited the range of topics my hard hitting commentary can touch on. I use the phrase "severely limited" to echo my man Mitt Romney's assertion at CPAC that he's "severely conservative". Many in the media have criticized Romney for that strange idiomatic departure, it's certainly a strange adjectival choice. Chris Matthews also had fun with Romney's assertion that the trees in Michigan are the right height, likening it to something one of the coneheads might say. Both are indicative of a man who seems ill at ease speaking naturally. But I digress, with Super Tuesday right around the corner, and the Republican race seemingly beginning to calcify I'm left longing for more debates. I will have to wait, because CNN has canceled a March 2nd debate after Romney and Ron Paul said they wouldn't show.
Of course, these GOP debates are debased spectacles. They are boring, they shed little light on the issues, the candidates usually just recite talking points, and the whole event devolves into a pissing contest over who's the most conservative candidate. For whatever reason I still find them to be compelling. Part of it is a pure voyeuristic thrill, watching people espouse ideas that are diametrically opposed to my world view is interesting for whatever reason. It's simultaneously infuriating and hilarious. Another reason I enjoy the debates is perhaps more earnest. I enjoy the spectacle of politics, and political discourse. I like to watch candidates being forced out of their comfort zone.
I can't really blame Romney for skipping the debate. They have weakened his candidacy. Each time Romney debates, the juxtaposition with other candidates makes him sound more disingenuous and uncomfortable. Still a strong debate performance could've been a boon to his faltering campaign. I guess Romney's strategy is to try and run out the clock. He'll use his vast financial advantage to blast the other candidates and sit above the fray.
Today Newt Gingrich backer Shelly Adelson gave him 10 million more dollars today. Newt must be making the calculation that Santorum might be even less attractive to independents than him, and thus it may be wise to stick around. I feel kind of bad for Newt, at two points in this race it appeared he was on his way to coasting to the nomination. Nothing is worse to a narcissist than seemingly getting your way only to have it taken from you. Riding high in Iowa and South Carolina, Newt must've felt that the public finally saw him as the genius he always knew he was, making it sting much more when they started thinking he was a dithering gasbag again.
This Republican Primary has surpassed anyone's expectations. Early on many liberals who fretted about Obama's reelection chances reminded themselves that the extremely weak field would play to his advantage. I don't think any liberal could've imagined that Rick Santorum would be one of the leading contenders this late in the game. Santorum is a political joke, us east coast elites see him as a persona non grata for his virulently anti-gay remarks. After Santorum's win in Iowa I compared him to Tim Tebow, with the crux of my argument being that it was unclear whether his success was due to his own skill or the missteps of his opposition, the analogy has only grown stronger over time. That Obama is either going to face a weakened Mitt Romney or an out of touch Santorum is a testament to the inanity of the Republican process. The debates have been a big part of the inanity, with each candidate forced into more extreme positions as they try and outflank their opponents. As the primary season wraps up, I'm sad that I won't have many more opportunities to watch the Republicans duel.
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