Sometimes it feels like David going up against Goliath when it comes to putting good Conservative candidates on the road to victory. First, you have your rivals to deal with. Yeah, politics is hardball, but sometimes it seems more like dodgeball, and those with an “ends justifies the means” sense of ethics aren’t content to play by the rules, they’ll throw hammers, monkey wrenches and whatever else they can get their hands on to derail your campaign. Then you have the media. Most of what would be considered mainstream media is overwhelmingly more intellectually interested in a story that might destroy a Republican than they are with one that might destroy a Democrat. That’s just human nature since the pool of journalists is inarguably skewed toward progressive sympathizers. There was a time when journalistic ethics would soften such bias, but ethics in journalism has sadly gone down the same path as ethics in politics.
Before you even get to go up against your enemies, you need to survive your friends. Again like David, decent candidates need to face the criticism and naysaying of their own before they can face the Philistine. For reasons ranging from winning at all costs, to a fanatical refusal to compromise at all, the GOP has become balkanized, and Reagan’s eleventh commandment, “Thou shall not speak ill of thy fellow Republican”, is adhered to about as much as the original ten are. And if one of their guys doesn’t make the cut they’ll continue to whine even after the teams are set, and, often enough, they’ll take their ball and go home. Democrats seem to have less of an issue with this. If they can’t have Hillary, they’re good with Barack… Heck, they’d vote for Joe Biden if he could ever win a primary! Don’t get me wrong, I’m no advocate of putting up inoffensive moderate candidates in the hope of grabbing the center while taking your base for granted; I don’t see that as a winning strategy, and there may indeed be times when a message must be sent, but we are always choosing between two human beings, and as such we are ALWAYS making a choice for the lesser of two evils, if we define evil as something less than perfect. Also, make no mistake, almost every election involves an either or choice between two candidates, and like it or not those are your only two choices. It is like a menu with only two items, if you pick something not on the menu you might be perfectly self satisfied with your independent spirit, but someone else will be deciding what you’ll have for dinner.
Now everybody knows that I’m not a big fan of Chris Christie, but he is a prime example of what happens to the Republican front runner, no matter who they turn out to be. Elected in a blue state, moderate on social issues, the epitome of how liberals would like to see Republicans behave, that is if there have to be Republicans. He was the media darling while he was sucking up to President Obama in the aftermath of Sandy; one more nail, if not the final one in the Romney campaign. Yet it was surprising to see how easily the media sharks could be roused to a feeding frenzy for “Bridgegate” after seeing the lethargy they exhibited for Benghazi, the IRS scandal, and any other scandal with origins on the left side of the political landscape. The only reason Christie is considered a contender is because all the other establishment choices can’t get any traction with their Hoverounds in all this ice and snow, and the future of the GOP is still splintered behind a plurality of possibilities like Rubio, Paul, Ryan, Cruz, and others. Many of these have no chance of winning the primary or the general against Hillary, but they do inspire passion, and unfortunately there is the possibility that this passion will become resentment for those whose candidate doesn’t make it. Republicans need to coalesce behind one candidate who is at least “acceptable” to all, and preferably the first or second choice of most. That candidate will still need to be a master of timing, as the last thing they will want to do is peak too early, like Christie, because whoever they are, they will need to run the gauntlet, and better to run it for months rather than years.
IMHO: Republicans would do well to remember and obey Reagan’s eleventh commandment when it comes to Christie, if not out of party loyalty, then from enlightened self-interest. The longer Christie is viewed as the GOP frontrunner, the longer he will be the target of the press and Clinton’s deathstar political operatives, the longer whatever candidate who will emerge from the pack will be sheltered in obscurity as Luke Skywalker, Frodo, (nerd? …yeah, a little), or David, from the Goliath threats of the Universe. It is hard to envision a RINO as a sacrificial lamb, but if the cards are played correctly that is what Christie will be. It won’t end with “Bridgegate” unless “Bridgegate” ends him, in which case the sharks will move to the next in line. The powers that be are expecting warriors like Christie, it’s what they would do, who they would choose… so they fear him, and all their focus is drawn to him, all the more given the brightness of his aura and the largeness of his presence. He is the bait to divert the attention of the sharks and comedians. The best hope for Republicans is for a champion to be waiting in the wings, only to be fully revealed at the last possible moment. Those dreading another McCain or Romney will be so relieved at this “Not Christie” candidate that they might not reject this possibility out of hand. The giants of the press and the Democratic machine and PACS will stay with Christie as long as he is perceived as a threat, and maybe a little beyond, and after Christie they will believe the battle over. The establishment Republicans will be left without a back-up plan except to support whoever emerges after the dismantling of Christie. It seems a doubtful strategy. It runs against conventional politics. When facing a giant, you put up the biggest guy you have, and for the GOP, that’s Christie. But sometimes when you’re fighting big things, the only hope you have is something, well, small. That’s how it was when David faced Goliath. There was no giant among the Hebrews who could match Goliath’s strength, and for any mighty man who would face him Goliath would have kept up his guard and brought his “A game”. But David’s smallness caused Goliath to underestimate the threat, and in the end all it took to fell a giant was a smooth stone, a courageous heart, and the winds of Providence.
Just a quick note on state politics, which I usually leave to others: Not something I could write an entire post on, but something Governor Cuomo recently said I cannot let pass without comment. Cuomo made a comment on what he called “Extreme Conservatives” which he basically defined as anyone who disagrees with him on issues like abortion, gun control, and same sex marriage; he said, “They have no place in the state of New York.” Now many of my conservative friends and relatives have already made the exodus to more welcoming states, and I must admit to considering the possibility myself. But arrogance like this from the Governor just makes me set my stakes even deeper. I don’t have a right to exist in a state you are the head of? I don’t belong here because I don’t agree with you? I have no place here? I was born here! I’ve worked my whole life to make this place, and paid the high taxes you and your predecessors have levied! This is my place! You want to say I don’t belong here? That I have no part in this state? That it isn’t mine as well as yours? You want my place? …Come and Take It!
