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Tour de Farce

A handful of high-profile Republicans have embarked on a so-called listening tour, the stated purpose of which is "to learn the pressing concerns of voters and to discover solutions that rely on free-market principles and individual responsibility." 

Former governors Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush and Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor will be joined by Gov. Bobby Jindal, Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. John McCain in this town hall-style revival session series that was kicked off last Sunday at a strip mall in the ostensibly Democrat Washington, DC suburb of Arlington, Virginia.

"These are discussions that need to occur with the American people of any political stripe.  We need to make sure the discussions, I believe, should be focused on the principles that have made America great -- the principles of freedom and opportunity," Congressman Cantor came closest to creating a theme without creating any energy or excitement.

Face it.  In the absence of universal Jimmy Carter-like distrust and disgust, not a single personality in this road show's cast has a remote chance of beating the incumbent from the top of the ticket in 2012.  Possession of the knowledge of the pressing concerns of voters will do absolutely nothing to change that.

With such a huge investment by the left and the left-biased news media in Obama, the president is way too big to be allowed to fail.  In addition to the slobbering over him that was seen in the 2008 campaign, he will be propped up and protected in 2012 like no other politician in history, regardless of the level of success of his first term. 

Likewise, no Republican candidate will ever again be treated as fairly -- comparatively speaking, of course -- as John McCain was prior to the addition of a genuine Conservative running mate to his RINO campaign.

In its current format the GOP Listening Tour will never amount to anything more than a trial balloon marketing research project that puts the burden of nominee selection on the backs of revival meeting attendees instead of traditional party operatives. Furthermore, it appears that the GOP's rank and file could end up as the scapegoat in the event that their consensus candidate fails. 

Nonetheless, a tour like this one could actually be productive if every observer keeps listening -- carefully -- for a new voice in the crowd. 

That person may be a low-level elected politician or a political novice with impressive private sector credentials.  In any case, an untainted charismatic personality who asks the right questions, takes the appropriately angry tone and rallies his fellow citizens to take back their own republican dictatorial powers is probably the GOP's only chance at a successful re-branding.

If you think that sounds far-fetched just consider the qualifications of the candidate who got nearly 69,500,000 of your fellow Americans votes in 2008.

Conspicuous by their absence from this touring company are the three known Republicans -- Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee -- who, in any combination, would make up the most solid 2012 ticket based on their qualifications and ability not only to put forth ideas but to defend and debate those ideas far better than the teleprompter wizard ever could.

Unfortunately, great potential candidates like these are too old to be anything but tour guides for more youthful GOP wannabes. However, they can listen as well as they can talk and are more likely that most to know the sound of a winner when they hear it.

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