Whom the Gods Would Destroy

“Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” Euripides wrote this around 2,400 years ago, and it’s still both true and pertinent.

All in the punditocracy are just itching for the already large herd of presidential candidates to grow by at least two more Alpha Bulls to add to the, uh, bull. The media keep reporting the relative dissatisfaction that Republicans feel towards the present candidates, whose conservative bona fides they suspect as being counterfeit. Gee, I wonder why one would be suspicious of Mitt? If Kerry was the Massachusetts flip-flopper, Mitt is the Mass Whirling Dervish, changing core positions to suit the time and audience. The Democrats say they’re content but the media aren’t. It’s just too early for the race to end, and it would be so much more fun for a couple of stars to shine up the dull line-up.

The truth is that the debates have shown that there are only a few serious candidates for the two nominations—and no one really has caught fire with either party. On the Democratic side, Bill Richardson is running for VP and Joe Biden for Secretary of State. Only Hillary, Edwards and Obama are really contending. On the Republican side none of the second tier candidates will top Rudy, McCain or Mitt.

I’m not sure the political parties are desperately looking for a couple of white knights but the media sure are. The media gods are making mad with hope the already ambitious Fred Thompson and Al Gore. We are unfairly tempting them with prospects of easy victories and heroic welcomes. All that is missing are the flowers. Well, there should be plenty of flowers that were not used to greet American soldiers in Iraq, because they will get the same welcome from us.

The sudden media love affair with Gore, I suspect, is partially out of guilt for having made him look ridiculous in 2000. (Not that Gore wasn’t complicit in his own downfall with a different persona for each debate). Now, however, that he is an OSCAR winner, an authentic author and is being considered for the Noble Prize, he is becoming iconic.

Fred Thompson is also promised a nice amble to the nomination. He is a credible conservative in a field seemingly lacking charismatic and authentic conservatives. This I find a bit strange since Mike Huckabee is charismatic in both the theatrical and the religious meanings of the word and is a genuine conservative. He will be the VP candidate. Thompson has that intangible but important gravitas; he seems presidential and that drawl makes him at once powerful and charming. Truly a potent combination.

Once we succeed in luring Al and Fred in the fun really begins. We get over our infatuation and the negatives come out. There’s Fred’s lymphoma (as against McCain’s melanoma?!). There’s Fred’s YOUNG wife. There’s the fact that Fred was both a lawyer and a lobbyist. The only thing worse would be if he owned an HMO. Already the op-research folks are questioning his work habits. Hmmm an actor who is said to work less than full time? It worked for Reagan.

As for Gore, we will fall out of love with him as soon as he rambles on in that schoolmarmish drone of his. Gore well knows what Hillary’s op-research people are willing to do and I do not believe he will take her on. For him to come in, she would have to have made a fatal political gaff.

It’s a shame we won’t get to kick Al around again. But Fred? Well, I can’t wait.

As the media gods enhance their iconic status, remember that better livings are made by iconoclasts than by icon makers.