Pundit on Pundit Action

The oft-mocked David Broder does us all an enormous services and writes the name of another Washington Post columnist:

Unelected conservative ideologues -- such as Rush Limbaugh and George F. Will-- can mutter in frustration, but Republican politicians recognize what was written here as long ago as last Dec. 2: "If the Republican Party really wanted to hold on to the White House in 2009 . . . it would grit its teeth, swallow its doubts and nominate a ticket of John McCain for president and Mike Huckabee for vice president -- and president-in-waiting."

The unwritten first rule of the op-ed page -- you do not talk about other writers on the op-ed page -- has long struck me as in need of revision. If Broder can use his "dean" status to knock this wall down, good for him.

Comments

I might echo those thoughts if "President-in-Waiting Huckabee" didn't scare the living shit out of me.

Posted by Freddie | January 31, 2008 9:15 AM

If Huckabee is on the ticket I will run (not walk) to the polls to vote for Hillary. This is from an extremely enthusiastic Obama supporter who has voted Republican many times in the past.

The thought of a theocrat who thinks the Constitution should be revised to better reflect the Bible, that evolution is a theory on par with Intelligent Design, and that somehow relations between Christians and Muslims haven't evolved since the Crusades, being one heart attack or stroke away from Commander in Chief scares the living hell out of me.

Posted by Jay | January 31, 2008 9:17 AM

Matt, it may interest you to know that here in Colorado (a state in the western region of the country) the Rocky Mountain News, which is the home paper for my syndicated column, has run entire articles by two of its other columnists devoted to blasting me as a typical elitist liberal blah blah blah.

I don't see anything wrong with that btw.

Posted by Paul Campos | January 31, 2008 9:19 AM

Maybe Broder and Will will kiss and make up over their common denominator, the enormous number of times they have been wrong.

Posted by Jen | January 31, 2008 9:20 AM

This is wonderful news. Jay is right: Huckabee coming that close to the presidency is utterly terrifying. And I do think it will scare most people to the left of George Will.

If the CW becomes that Huckabee should be veep, it's going to make McCain all the more beatable. And no one's a better barometer of CW than Broder.

Posted by Philly | January 31, 2008 9:24 AM

Note that Broder isn't actually quoting anything they've said. He's merely using them as props to demonstrate how centrist and reasonable his own views are. We're in for ten months of how McCain is the consensus bipartisan candidate.

Posted by Bloix | January 31, 2008 9:40 AM

To return to the original topic of the post: Woo hoo! Finally! Because what I really want to read on the op-ed page is bitchy infighting among Washington insiders! Stoke! It'll be just like the Internet!

Posted by James Gary | January 31, 2008 9:42 AM

Is McCain actually dumb enough to pick Huckabee as his VP? The whole kissy-kissy routine is pretty savvy now but to actually run with him would be nuts.

Posted by right | January 31, 2008 9:48 AM

And any day now shrub's approval ratings will spike, huh David?

Posted by john o. | January 31, 2008 9:51 AM

When you watch McCain do such a lousy job against non-candidates in the Republican debate, it's easy to see how either Obama or Hillary will handily defeat him.

Posted by Rich | January 31, 2008 9:54 AM

Huckabee as VP / President. Just in time for the Rapture in 2012!! Yahooo!

Posted by Thumper | January 31, 2008 9:54 AM

He's making fun of George Will for not having the sense to recognize the wisdom of president-in-waiting Huckabee. So dumb, I can't absorb it.

Posted by Exile on Ericsson St. | January 31, 2008 9:56 AM

I agree that, in regard to media developments, one columnist calling out another is a step forward. Hopefully, this small step for Broder (saying, you just watch, I'll be right) will lead to a large step for democracy - competents calling out co-pagers for actually misleading people and trivializing our national discourse.

Posted by Chuck | January 31, 2008 9:59 AM

Hopefully, this small step...will lead to a large step for democracy - competents calling out co-pagers for actually misleading people and trivializing our national discourse.

Really? Who exactly are the "competents" who are going to do the calling-out here? Are Herbert and Krugman going to school 'em all now that the gloves are off?

Posted by James Gary | January 31, 2008 10:03 AM

McCain-Hubakabee! 100 year war, God and fried squirrel. All I can say is bring it on.

Posted by 2cynicalbyhalf | January 31, 2008 10:03 AM

er.. that should be McCain-Huckabee

Posted by 2cynicalbyhalf | January 31, 2008 10:05 AM

It would have been preferable for Broder to knock the wall down while refraining from writing something so titanically stupid. If McCain wants to get beaten soundly by Senator Clinton, or absolutely crushed by Obama, putting Huckabee on the ticket would be a good start.

Posted by Will Allen | January 31, 2008 10:06 AM

Bloix is right. This is just more baseless, knee-jerk centrism from Broder.

McCain won't put Huckabee on his ticket if he's the nominee, either. Maybe George Will can call Broder out on that score in a few months.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | January 31, 2008 10:07 AM

James Gary:
Not only infighting, but between George Will and "Dean" Broder to boot. The only thing better would be for Will to run over Broder with Krauthammer's wheel chair.

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | January 31, 2008 10:10 AM

I'm sorry, but Broder is just an idiot.

Posted by bajsa | January 31, 2008 10:21 AM

It's amusing that Broder sneers at George Will for being an "unelected conservative ideologue" while appointing himself as basically the Voice of God, praising Republican politicians for having the good sense to recognize that what he said "as long ago as Dec. 2" was the ever-lovin' blue-eyed truth so just do what I tell you goddamnit and then everything will be OK!

Posted by Alan Vanneman | January 31, 2008 10:27 AM

Pundit on pundit action. So hott.

Posted by Al | January 31, 2008 10:29 AM

This is exactly what the Republicans are doing. Given the increased turnout for Democratic primaries, the distaste for Bush and the republicans shown both in the 06 elections and polls; and the natural love that the press has for this so-called maverick (who lost any claim to straight talk after he folded on the detainee treatment act), they will need a year of "one-note" messaging to win. "Responsible" republicans were simply horrified by the thought of a Huckabee presidency, and are lining themselves up behind the least odious choice.

Edwards has a huge role to play in this election. When the 529's get turned loose, it's going to get ugly.As others noted, both he and his wife did a superb job calling attention to outrageous right-wing attacks, and making the attackers look foolish. The Democratic candidate will need several like Edwards (plus all his supporters) in order to win.

Posted by rumpole | January 31, 2008 11:02 AM

"I might echo those thoughts if "President-in-Waiting Huckabee" didn't scare the living shit out of me.

Posted by Freddie | January 31, 2008 9:15 AM"

A fried possum in every pot and a cap in every fat ass.

Posted by Reality Man | January 31, 2008 11:17 AM

It's not a big deal.

By opposing "straight talker" McCain, Will is shrill, and calling out the shrill trumps the other rules.

There is a hierarchy to wankerdom.

Posted by Matthew G. Saroff | January 31, 2008 3:27 PM

Once McCain loses in November, George Will can just cut and paste Mitt's name into that paragraph (even though he would also lose) to castigate Broder for giving the GOP silly advice.

Posted by bob | January 31, 2008 5:51 PM

It's amusing to see everyone miss it the one time Broder actually writes something insightful. Huckabee is an extremely effective speaker and helps keep the South locked up for the GOP. If the Huckster had half of Romney's money, he'd be the Republican nominee.

Mike

Posted by MBunge | January 31, 2008 6:01 PM

Is McCain actually dumb enough to pick Huckabee as his VP?

Yes. And it's conceivable that the deal is all but done, given that the Huckster is staying in till Super Tuesday, more or less, in order to play spoiler to Romney in the south.

As for Broder, my guess is that he doesn't really consider Will part of the paper's staff, but more of a jobber.

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | February 1, 2008 2:09 AM