ANALYSIS | Jon Stewart went to Camera Three (his one-on-one, him-to-you camera) Monday night on “The Daily Show to talk to the average Republican voter. After prefacing his heart-to-heart with clips of talk condemning Texas governor Rick Perry for his poor debate performance and the search for perhaps another Republican to enter the 2012 presidential race (like New Jersey governor Chris Christie), Stewart told the GOP everyman that perhaps it just might not be the candidates themselves that were the problem and the reason for such indecision and dissatisfaction among the electorate over their choices; the problem could very well be the average Republican Joe.
After taking a few snipes at the current Republican field, describing the contest thus far as “American Idol in reverse” where instead of eliminating the poorer performers they add another “idiot” each week to the group (which he tops off with a clip of Chris Christie delivering a flat “Born To Run”), Stewart threw up his hands and said, “Have you ever considered the possibility that your candidates are not the problem; maybe it’s you. You seem hard to please or figure out.”
Stewart then went on to show the contradictions within the GOP’s positions. Most Republicans advocate a pro-life stance but cheered at the MSNBC/Politico debate when the moderator noted that Texas had executed 234 prisoners during Gov. Perry’s term. Conservatives argued for the life of terminally ill Florida woman (Terry Schiavo) but shouted “Let ‘em die!” at the CNN/Tea Party Express debate when Rep. Ron Paul was asked if he would simply let an uninsured man die without treatment because he chose not to be insured (Paul, a doctor and to his credit, said he would not). And although conservatives are primarily pro-military, the audience booed a soldier at the Fox News/Google debate who posed a question about gays in the military.
Stewart seems to have a point, even if most conservatives are loathe to have their noses shoved in their own shortcomings, especially by Stewart. Conservatives, although they consist of a fairly diverse population, cannot seem to agree on their basic principles and platform stances. That fracturing is reflected in former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney attempting to doublespeak his way around the health care legislation he supported and signed into law while governor just because the GOP base finds the Obama health care reforms unpopular. The confusing disconnect is also reflected, and probably nowhere better, in Gov. Perry’s attempt at the Fox News/Google debate to illustrate Romney’s penchant for flip-flopping on issues, where he became tongue-tied and lost in the this-to-that flip-floppery.
In short, the candidates have been attempting to align themselves with the GOP base and finding themselves continually at odds with a great portion of same due to situational politics and changing attitudes, polls and demographics. What works well in Iowa might not go over well in New Hampshire and neither position might set well with South Carolinians, but rest assured that if a position has been taken in one place, it will be used against the candidate in another.
Jon Stewart told the Republican base everyman: “You guys need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and not come away thinking, ‘There’s something wrong with this mirror.’ “
Unfortunately for the GOP electorate, the pursuit of indecision might stem from a combination of what Stewart labeled as their inability to be pleased and the candidates themselves’ inability to meet expectations. As Stewart pointed out in the opening of the segment, there have been several frontrunners thus far in the 2012 presidential race: Romney, Perry, Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee (which Stewart did not mention, but led the polls prior to his announcing he would not run and Romney’s formal declaration). It appears that at least the media perceives a need to see other candidates (like Chris Christie and perhaps Sarah Palin as well) enter the GOP field. And preference polls still show high numbers of undecided voters and those dissatisfied with the current Republican choices (the latest CNN poll showed 16 percent with “no opinion, unsure,” or preferred “someone else,” but a CBS News poll from Sept. 16 revealed that 50 percent of respondents would like to see more candidates). But the question must be asked: Would they fare any better with the electorate than a Bachmann or a Perry?
And even if the field of Republicans running for president expanded to encompass 25 or more, could any among them present themselves as the better candidate while trying to be the ideal Republican — when, given the multitude of contradictions that exist within the Party itself, that candidate does not — and perhaps cannot — exist.