Disclaimer: I really try to avoid partisanship in my entries, but how can I not when the GOP makes headlines every day?
With the news of Herman Cain's withdrawal (or, in his words, suspension) from the GOP nomination race, I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Polls aside, as there any serious belief that he was a possible candidate after numerous foreign policy gaffes and the evisceration of his 9-9-9 tax plan by Republicans contenders, Democrats, and independent analysts alike? I'm not (to a degree) concerned with the sexual harassment claims that have surfaced; though personal integrity is of importance, I believe political, economic, and foreign-affairs competency is just a tad higher on the scale of priorities.
On the other hand, I, like many Americans, was looking forward to the circus that could have been the debates with Obama. I admit that the outlandishness of the GOP makes a spectacular debacle; for all its ridiculousness (Gingrich and his endless bashing of the poor, Bachmann's ability to surprise all with her endless gaffes [Libya seems to be the bane of many of the GOP candidates, I've noticed], Romney flip-flopping in every manner possible, Perry's history of awkward debate performances, and the general batshit crazy nature of Ron Paul's supporters -- Huntsman is the only sane candidate but is consequently overlooked), it makes for good viewing. It has an addiction that, I would imagine, parallels the obsessive voyeurism behind celebrity life that all the Kardashian reality show fans enjoy so much. My vice, as it turns out, is the political scene rather than the entertainment scene -- fitting, as politics is (morbid) entertainment! Whether the inverse is true -- that the entertainment industry is politics -- I am unsure; I suppose it is on some deeper level that I don't care to explore.
