The last word on the “having a beer” trope. Another sign of decadence in our political discourse when pundits unintentionally out-parody our satirists, who become more acute the drier they get. Far be it from me to wish ill on anyone, but Ms. Noonan of the unfortunate analogy, as quoted by Kelley Vlahos here,  should be greeted with the question “where’s Sally?” wherever she goes, until she performs some public act of ritual abasement.

“Ain’t that guy” indeed. “Ain’t” a lot of things–“ain’t” much at all; but so many were so eager to have us assume a host of virtues by dint of the man’s painfully evident mediocrity. Ironic too how these commentators were so clearly of that class they held up as ridiculously effete in contrast with the earnest practicality they projected onto their blank hero. But then that’s probably the thing right there–they have no greater understanding of or concern for the common citizen than their opponents within the ruling caste. Like “honor the troops”, the image of the Republican working stiff is nothing more than a demagogic bludgeon in the hands of some. They send their jobs overseas, their neighborhoods to hell, and their children to war, before turning about to preen as their defenders. And we let them get away with it.

addendum: with that said, Sarah Palin is still the candidate I’d rather do shots with, preferably sitting in some funky bar in the Alaskan outback with a giant moose head mounted on the wall overhead. Why this should be a prerequisite for higher office is beyond me, however. Come to think of it (or, rather, come to reminisce upon those youthful days of waste), a talent for barroom camaraderie more likely indicates a lessened fitness in that regard. Did any of those faux-folksy types in the media consider what tossing ’em back made of their hero for much of his life?