With former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore becoming the 17th declared candidate for the Republican presidential contest, some might say the Party suffers from an embarrassment of riches. Then there are those who might say today’s Republican Party is just an embarrassment … period.
That a sideshow carnival barker is the leading Republican candidate in national polling, is an embarrassment; that the field of candidates includes so many political lightweights (Ted Cruz, really?), is an embarrassment; that Fox News will choose which 10 candidates will make it to the debate stage, is an embarrassment; that the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower is today the party of crazy, is an embarrassment.
Are there any adults left in the Party? Where is that wise, respected statesman the party so desperately needs?
The sad truth is that even if such a transcendent figure exists in today’s Republican Party, he, or she, would be unelectable. By having been forced, for sheer survival, to cater to a base of religious fanatics, bigots, racists, and misogynists, the Party sold its soul long ago.
The Party has created a Frankenstein who feeds on hate, ignorance and division.
No, I do not believe even the party of crazy is capable to making Donald Trump their presidential nominee, but who knows? The fact that we are even speculating on such an absurd possibility is, well, an embarrassment.
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We thought about writing something up on Gilmore, but then someone asked why.
The room fell silent.
And that was that.