Joe Conason: Trump? The Republican Primary Is Now Officially A Gong Show

[babylonsister]

Trump? The Republican Primary Is Now Officially A Gong Show
Fri, 12/02/2011
Joe Conason


Marketing genius is perhaps the most appropriate way to describe Donald J. Trump's newest incarnation as the announced host -- he can hardly be called a "moderator" -- of a post-Christmas Republican debate sponsored by Newsmax, the conservative magazine. Why would candidates agree to join this spectacle? (Jon Huntsman quickly declined, although he can always unleash his daughters' often-brutal Twitter feed on Trump if he raises a ruckus.)

The problem immediately faced by any candidate who might not wish to risk being "fired" by the Donald onstage as millions watch is how to politely decline without being "fired" in a super-heated blast of publicity right now. As President Obama discovered earlier this year, the press eagerly latches onto Trump at every opportunity, even when he sounds utterly deranged.

With the possible exception of Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachmann -- who seems to have established an actual friendship with Trump -- these unfortunate Republicans cannot relish the prospect of an encounter with America's towering ego. Whatever Trump's intentions, how will he be able to resist upstaging, one-upping, contradicting, and perhaps even humiliating each of them in turn? And which of them will want to talk back smack to a publicity machine with his own Fox and Friends weekly timeslot called "Mondays with Trump"?

It is hard not to feel a bit sad for the Republicans today, although they have certainly brought this on themselves. Ed Rollins, the legendary Reagan aide who worked for the Bachmann campaign until earlier this year, expressed what many party stalwarts must be feeling: "Who made Trump the kingmaker? This campaign has been enough of a circus without making him the ringmaster."

more...

http://nationalmemo.com/article/trump-republican-primary-now-officially-gong-show

[liberal N proud]

1. ROFL

:rofl:

[Cigar11]

2. It’s really good to keep the Stupid all in one place.

[zeemike]

3. I used to love the gong show.

It was so bad it was good...but this does not meet that criteria.

[disndat]

4. The Gong Show

What a perfect analogy for the Republican parade of crazies. Good to hear from Conason again. He is so brillant.

[lunatica]

5. Idiocracy

We have become it.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

6. Barris' intentionally-outlandish autobiography was more reality-based than these GOP candidates

He's the moderator the GOP field deserves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Cw8od97P4&feature=related

[AtomicKitten]

7. They only wish they had the stature of Gene Gene the dancing machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACpNVD5GMUw&feature=related

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

8. maybe the Unknown Comic will drop by

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8PuXddceT0A/Tfu-7vFSjKI/AAAAAAAAACk/k5bDDvl0oYw/s200/The+Unknown+Comic.jpg

[AtomicKitten]

11. LOL.

[Joe Bacon]

9. It's been a Gong Show for years, BUT

Ask my friends who fled the Soviet Union, and every one of them will tell you that the Republican Party operates in the exact same manner as the Soviet Communist Party did right before the USSR collapsed.

[SmittynMo]

10. It's more like the ding dong show.