Trading Places

Jonah Goldberg uses an analogy from Dan Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy’s Trading Places to explain John Kerry’s condescension towards voters, and then writes:

Contrary to what the people who think George W. Bush is highly concentrated evil might believe, George W. Bush really is the more likable candidate. Just imagine if the roles were reversed. Imagine if the Democrats nominated a guy like Bush. Democrats would love Bush’s folksy style and his tell-it-like-it-is convictions and humor. And if the Republicans nominated a guy who managed to marry into Big Money (twice)–who talked like a 1920s banker and looked like he was born in blue-pinstripe diapers–Kerry would be the constant butt of class-warfare jokes and the like.

Of course, there’s another way of looking at it: just imagine if the Democrats had nominated somebody like Joe Lieberman. Lieberman’s likeability and general sense of fair play, along with his desire to confront terror head-on, would have reduced the need for the Democrats to do this to try to win an election.