It's DeJa Vu All Over Again

I have been reading FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72 recently and it is starting to seem eerily real in what I am seeing in the Republican Campaign.  Then as now, there are candidates all over the place with different viewpoints(mostly in the extreme of the party), multiple winners in the primaries, people popping in and out of the race, and no clear front runner.

In watching the numbers come in tonight, you cannot help but notice that Herman Cain got 1% of the vote.  1% of the voters in South Carolina think that a man not even running is a better choice than those who are.  If that leaves you scratching your head, do understand that the 1% picked up by Cain most likely represents Stephen Colbert's votes as he was not officially on the ballot.  Colbert used his SUPERPAC to advertise that a vote for Cain would represent a vote for him.

This insurgent campaign from Colbert harkens back to1972, where Shirley Chisolm polled a very high in New Hampshire when she was not even in the race.  George "Segregation Now, Segregation Forever" Wallace got 17% of the ballot at the convention. The Vice Presidential candidate, Thomas Eagleton was receiving electroshock therapy during the entire race. Jimmy Carter was running around the convention floor trying to stop McGovern, yet actively seeking the Vice-Presidential slot.  All of this took place in a primary race that ultimately nominated George McGovern.  McGovern would end up wining only the Washington D.C and Massachusetts.  For those of you keeping score at home that is 17 electoral votes to Richard Nixon.  This was at a time when Richard Nixon had (Pre-Watergate) approval ratings in the teens. Such a defeat goes to show that even with someone with a record like George McGovern can be beat without a cohesive party behind him. 

What I foresee happening, and I have said this all along, is the Republicans going the same way.  Who only knows who they might tack on as the VP for Romney, but it has better be good or we are going to see another 1972 type general election.  They had better be looking at someone not in the field now.  There are simply too many opposing viewpoints,and too many hard feelings to get a cohesive ticket in the fall.  Might I suggest a Paul Ryan (even though you might well want to save him for 2016) or even Bob McDonald (please get him out of Virginia). 

What do you think? By all means write a comment here, or on Facebook.  I am as curious as always in what you have to say.