The lesson that GOP pols should (but won’t) learn from Tucker’s recent beat-downs is that the pretty words and sentiments that’ll pacify corporate donors and beltway bigwigs just don’t cut it anymore.
Do I think people’s careers will end because of these? No, probably not. But media opportunities are meant as a good and safe option for someone in the hot seat. You try to find a comfy opp. Tucker has made clear that he’ll never be that thing, and we all owe him for that.
This is how you get a better GOP. You stress test the latest ideas and discard those that aren’t good. So many ideas have kicked around for a long time because they were a sacred cow for lobbyists/donors that the base wants to see die.
Now, there’s no inertia defending them anymore. They’ve gotta live or die on their merits when people like Carlson are there to interrogate them.
And you know what? Lots of them suck, in the way that unchallenged ideas have a way of rotting.
And you know what? Lots of them suck, in the way that unchallenged ideas have a way of rotting.
I’m still trying to come to terms with this ascendant nationalism/populism thing, but if a big part of it is “you can’t hide your bad/unpopular ideas beyond lobbyists and dodging questions” then I think that’s definitely a net-good.
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