"We Have Met The Tea Party And It Is Us"

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(Jim Morin, The Miami Herald)

(Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Following this week's primaries in various states, the "Republican Establishment is back!" narrative is being breathlessly flogged by the usual, lazy Beltway political analysts and Republican-wired reporters (curiously employed by the "liberal" once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle).  But as Charles P. Pierce aptly puts it:

The basic lesson of last night's primary elections in several states is not to nominate morons. It is decidedly not the comeback of the "Establishment Republicans" because that myth depends vitally on two assertions that are demonstrably unproven in this political era: a) that "Establishment" somehow means "moderate," and b) that there is any such thing as a Republican establishment, or as a formal Republican party, for that matter. What happened in Kentucky, and in various other places where GOP statewide races were contested, was that one group of very conservative, very wealthy, very powerful people sponsored candidates who beat other candidates who were sponsored by other groups of very conservative, very wealthy, very powerful people. (our emphasis)

Jon Stewart, who has more political savvy and insight than most of the hacks employed by the once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle =cough= Cillizza =cough= Balz =cough=, had a great line about the win of human-turtle hybrid Sen. Mitch "Missy" McConnell (Reptile-KY) over a tea bagger:

"Doesn't seem like the Tea Party so much lost, as found a new host."

When comedians and political cartoonists have it figured out and the beard-stroking punditry hasn't,  it tells you something about why the biggest political story of the last 25 years -- the radicalization of the Republican Party -- has gone largely unreported.