The Circus Is Under Way

For those of us who think of politicians as being good for only one thing--entertaining us--it looks like 2012 is shaping up to be a great year. (By contrast, 2004 was only amusing when Howard Dean imploded with his "scream" in Iowa, following that with drinking beer from the skull of one of his supporters) What could be more entertaining for us than having Sarah "I can count to potato" Palin in the presidential race? How about Michele Bachmann, AKA "I Can't Believe It's Not Palin"?

Let's see--both are good looking women, darlings of the outsider, Tea Party movement, and prone to saying incredibly stupid things all the time. Surely, they'll be butting heads sooner or later--or maybe sooner. Bachmann adviser Ed Rollins--the guy who helped Reagan use Walter Mondale as a push broom back in '84--has claimed his candidate is more "intelligent" than Sarah Palin, which is sort of like saying you're a better husband than Ike Turner. He's of course had to retract--neither Palin nor Bachmann are official candidates yet, so they have to play nice for now--but man, here I am actually rooting for Bachmann in this one.

Bachmann, to her credit, has been serving in the House of Representatives since being elected in '06, the same year Mama Grizzly was elected governor of Alaska. Unlike Palin, she didn't quit to go on the TV circuit and cash in, so points for Michele. Bachmann also practiced as a lawyer before that, which even for the lowest form of lawyer, requires more work and intelligence than TV anchor (yeah take that Brian Williams, talking head just means looking pretty, unless you're Greta van Susteren which I just don't get). And Bachmann has raised five children and 23 foster kids, none of whom became a national embarrassment. Palin can't even give a normal name to a single one of her awful brood (and youngest child Piper is clearly turning into a nasty piece of work like her mother. News flash, kiddo--your vacation might have been "ruined" by the media because your attention gobbing mother decided to travel in a giant bus with her name on the side. And maybe she should teach a 10 year old how to show a bit of respect to adults). In a head-to-head comparison, I'm finding myself actually liking Michele Bachmann!

But in a "surely the GOP won't nominate either of these nutjobs" way, I welcome the idea of both Sarah and Michele in the race, because I expect plenty of good quotes and goofs over the year. The only way to make this even better is if Jimmy "Rent is Too Damn High!" McMillan gets into the race. Ooh, looks like I'm in luck!