Huck 2012?
Haven't had much time to read today but it seems there's a great deal of speculation as to the Veep. The race is over, don't cha know?
Of course it's over in that we know the nominee. That's McCain, and he's a good man. But it's not really over until we know the second most important man in the race. There is disagreement, it has to be settled.
Some think it's Romney, the guy who didn't win one state where he didn't have a hometown advantage --daddy, 95% Mormon support, one four year episode of being something of a governor, and of course caucuses. Added with that he had unbroken elite support, and --has anyone mentioned-- money money money. With all that he didn't win one state where people actually went into a booth and pulled a lever for a man they knew simply and only as a possible national leader. To my mind what he's established is that with a lot he can do little. Simply put, in terms of political gift, in terms of the gift to lead and excite, he is a nincompoop. 'Course, so are the elites, the people who picked him, supported him, created him. And they want their nincompoop as Veep. After all, they deserve some representation too, don't they?
Actually, no. Nincompoops are not good for America, whether they're in universities or behind microphones or behind a monitor somewhere punditering over each others punditery. What America needs is a political leader with a political brain, a unique gift, and that might be Mike.
The great thing about political gift is that it is totally easy to judge: if you don't got it you don't get to the top. That's the measure. McCain made it. He made it on his own. He was not anointed. He has that gift. Romney was anointed, he didn't make it. He does not have that gift. He has other gifts, but he does not have the gift to lead.
But then there's Huck. We'll see. He certainly to date has achieved an immense amount with very little: no money, no elite support (something of the opposite) and yet great success. To the elites, some are impressed, most snicker: "Regional candidate," "Evangelical support only," "Time to get out, Huck, now!"
Yet Huck staying in. Is this foolishness? Vanity? Or does he see something others don't?
I don't know. I don't claim to have political gifts. I claim only that I'm smarter than those who despise McCain and dismiss Huck. To my mind that makes me normal. But I do have some advantages. I have thought about this a lot and I've come up with one bit of wisdom: Wait And See.
We'll see what Huck does. I'm quite certain that what he does will be politically smart. I don't know if he'll get out in three days, or if he'll stay in until the convention, but I rather expect that whatever he does he will end with more influence when he finally withdraws than he has now. A little or a lot more I don't know. I do expect he knows exactly what cards he has, and will play them very well. I do want him to come to be seen as unquestionably the second most important man in the race.
I of course dream great things, victories here, victories there. That might be to expect too much, but I do expect history to repeat itself, I expect him to do "better than expected."
Conservatism in America is a three legged stool. I'm uncertain of the exact anatomy of that stool, but I do know I would like to see the Huck leg of that stool kick that stools rear end.
Of course it's over in that we know the nominee. That's McCain, and he's a good man. But it's not really over until we know the second most important man in the race. There is disagreement, it has to be settled.
Some think it's Romney, the guy who didn't win one state where he didn't have a hometown advantage --daddy, 95% Mormon support, one four year episode of being something of a governor, and of course caucuses. Added with that he had unbroken elite support, and --has anyone mentioned-- money money money. With all that he didn't win one state where people actually went into a booth and pulled a lever for a man they knew simply and only as a possible national leader. To my mind what he's established is that with a lot he can do little. Simply put, in terms of political gift, in terms of the gift to lead and excite, he is a nincompoop. 'Course, so are the elites, the people who picked him, supported him, created him. And they want their nincompoop as Veep. After all, they deserve some representation too, don't they?
Actually, no. Nincompoops are not good for America, whether they're in universities or behind microphones or behind a monitor somewhere punditering over each others punditery. What America needs is a political leader with a political brain, a unique gift, and that might be Mike.
The great thing about political gift is that it is totally easy to judge: if you don't got it you don't get to the top. That's the measure. McCain made it. He made it on his own. He was not anointed. He has that gift. Romney was anointed, he didn't make it. He does not have that gift. He has other gifts, but he does not have the gift to lead.
But then there's Huck. We'll see. He certainly to date has achieved an immense amount with very little: no money, no elite support (something of the opposite) and yet great success. To the elites, some are impressed, most snicker: "Regional candidate," "Evangelical support only," "Time to get out, Huck, now!"
Yet Huck staying in. Is this foolishness? Vanity? Or does he see something others don't?
I don't know. I don't claim to have political gifts. I claim only that I'm smarter than those who despise McCain and dismiss Huck. To my mind that makes me normal. But I do have some advantages. I have thought about this a lot and I've come up with one bit of wisdom: Wait And See.
We'll see what Huck does. I'm quite certain that what he does will be politically smart. I don't know if he'll get out in three days, or if he'll stay in until the convention, but I rather expect that whatever he does he will end with more influence when he finally withdraws than he has now. A little or a lot more I don't know. I do expect he knows exactly what cards he has, and will play them very well. I do want him to come to be seen as unquestionably the second most important man in the race.
I of course dream great things, victories here, victories there. That might be to expect too much, but I do expect history to repeat itself, I expect him to do "better than expected."
Conservatism in America is a three legged stool. I'm uncertain of the exact anatomy of that stool, but I do know I would like to see the Huck leg of that stool kick that stools rear end.
posted by mouse at 11:50 PM
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