DONALD TRUMP: The New Ron Paul?

Donald Trump’s appeal seems to be largely that he will say any old thing that pops into his head. And for a sizable segment of the population, which is sick of being shushed by their self-appointed betters in the coastal corridors, that’s refreshing. Every time the chattering classes go into paroxysms about Trump’s latest outburst, that merely heightens his appeal, in the same way the chattering classes sometimes enjoy not-so-appealing foodstuffs precisely because the folks back in Peoria would hate it. Ultimately, however, this is a bad reason to elect someone president — sort of like marrying a deadbeat alcoholic with commitment issues because your ex-wife hates her.

And when we move beyond two people making a disastrous mistake, and try to get 100 million or so other people to jump on board, it’s not merely unwise, but impossible. As Joe Scarborough remarked during the last round of oversubscribed GOP primaries, “The Republican Party does not nominate crazy.” They may flirt with crazy. But when it’s time to settle down, they pick the boring, middle-of-the-road candidate that they can bring home to the folks in Peoria … and Atlanta … and Cleveland … and Portsmouth. So do the Democrats. Because ultimately, they want their guy in the Oval Office more than they want an authentic, election-losing alternative to the status quo.

I’m not sure this analogy quite works.