The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Memo From the National Affairs Desk: Meanwhile, Back on the Campaign Trail …

Posted on | February 21, 2012 | 19 Comments

Since I returned home from Florida three weeks ago, people have been going nuts, and the stress of being caught in the middle of the escalating insanity is undermining my health. (The sniffles haven’t turned into pneumonia yet, but I’m still worried.) This means there’s only one thing to do: Road trip.

Get back on the campaign trail, where at least the internecine hatred and madness are supposed to serve some political purpose.

My hope had been to attend Wednesday night’s debate in Arizona, but the travel plans didn’t work out. So the backup plan is now in effect: I’m renting a car and driving to Michigan, with a planned stop-over in Ohio. This should be the start of a two-week excursion that carries me all the way through Super Tuesday, March 6. I’m not sure exactly where I’ll be going during this trip, except that I hope I won’t be going crazy, which is what might happen if I sat around here for the next two weeks.

In all honesty, I had expected that by the time we finished the Florida primary — the end of my extended 37-day campaign expedition that began the day after Christmas — there would be some kind of clarity in the GOP primary campaign. But Mitt won Florida, then Newt melted down in Nevada, then Rick Santorum won a hat-trick on Feb. 7 and, at this point, we’re starting to hear serious discussions of a “brokered convention.”

Lord, help us!

Good News: Santorum has an 11-point lead in Washington State, which votes on March 3 (the Saturday before Super Tuesday) and if he can hold on to that, Santorum stands a good chance of emerging as the winner at Tampa.

More Good News: William McGurn of the Wall Street Journal is defending Santorum against the “extremism” attack. That should help re-assure Republican donors, who are prone to freaking out about stuff like that.

Now, if only we can avoid more lunacy among those of my friends who are either trying to destroy each other, or else trying to destroy me, maybe we can finally get some resolution in this seemingly endless GOP primary campaign which is, I suspect, at the root of this epidemic outbreak of psychodrama within the conservative online community.

Whether or not my blogger friends can stop gnawing at each others’ necks, I’m going to hit the road and try to go cover some actual news, which will have the therapeutic effect of:

A. Distracting me from the online insanity; and
B. Giving me the mental health benefit of driving the highways at high speed, an enormous stress-reliever.

Right now, I’m going to go take a nap and ask you, please, dear readers: Hit the tip jar! 

UPDATE: Is the Drudge Report working for Romney? Or could it be that Satan is really out to get us?

 

 

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Comments

19 Responses to “Memo From the National Affairs Desk: Meanwhile, Back on the Campaign Trail …”

  1. Brian D Paasch
    February 21st, 2012 @ 4:37 pm

    God speed. (And if you need a place to crash in Indianapolis during your travels, let me know.)

  2. Rick Santorum: A Chink In The Armor? - The POH Diaries
    February 21st, 2012 @ 5:23 pm

    […] question of whether or not Satan really is out to get us is irrelevant, because those who are actually being used by “Lucifer” would never want to admit that […]

  3. Zilla of the Resistance
    February 21st, 2012 @ 5:36 pm

    Happy Trails, Stacy, but as far as the online insanity goes, aren’t you the inventor of RULE FOUR?  (Which is far more fun than rule five, IMHO)

  4. Adjoran
    February 21st, 2012 @ 6:01 pm

    I guess it makes no sense to say, “Drive safely,” so good luck and Godspeed – and watch out for de Debbil.

    Hey, who knew the path to the GOP nomination lay through the Washington state caucuses, a state which last voted Republican nationally in 1984?

  5. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    February 21st, 2012 @ 6:12 pm

    So I assume you will report your itinerary from the road.   The best sort of road trip!  Deer everywhere need to be afraid.  Very afraid.  If you get a rental make sure you get the insurance (or use a credit card that does it for you).  

  6. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    February 21st, 2012 @ 6:12 pm

    http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/02/declaration-of-independence-pursuit-of.html  My what a difference having Newt out of the race makes.  I do not care for Rick Santorum’s hostility to libertarians, but many of his critics are not arguing in good faith…

  7. ThePaganTemple
    February 21st, 2012 @ 6:40 pm

     That Washington poll is a big deal. That could be a reflection of antagonism towards Mitts previous position on AGCC. Washington loggers have been badly hurt by that. Just another faction that would be very wary of a Mitt candidacy.

  8. Boogliodemus
    February 21st, 2012 @ 6:44 pm

    I think you should go look up some democrats and do some up close and in your face type of interviews. Be sure to handle coffee pots and refrain from washing your hands when in their offices.

  9. Quartermaster
    February 21st, 2012 @ 8:45 pm

    Santorum’s hostility towards Libertarians is not a wise move on his part. While there are legit functions of Gov, his vision of Gov does not comport with that of the founders. Many of the Libertarians are better described as Libertines, but it would be stupid, and destructive, to ignore the others.

  10. Wombat_socho
    February 21st, 2012 @ 9:09 pm

    I’d just as soon my boss didn’t become known as the conservative, heterosexual version of Dan Savage, thanks. 

  11. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    February 21st, 2012 @ 9:22 pm

    Those are very much my sentiments.  This is a self inflicted wound that Rick Santorum should have the good sense to treat before it goes septic.  

  12. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    February 21st, 2012 @ 11:10 pm

    Everytime you fill up think of this.  Better yet, remind everyone at the pumps what you are thinking.  Funny how everyone gets really critical of the party in power when gasoline prices go up.  The internal polling over this issue must be ugly for the White House to lie so blatantly over this.  This is insanity!

  13. robertstacymccain
    February 22nd, 2012 @ 1:48 am

    Satan has horns and hooves.

    Just like a deer.

    Coincidence? I don’t think so.

  14. Bob Belvedere
    February 22nd, 2012 @ 7:40 am

    Satan, Laughing, Spreads His Wings.

    [Yeah…yeah, I’m a shameless blogwhore, but I’m upfront and honest about it!]

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