The American Spectator

Fred’s paradox is indeed that his campaign is not ready for him to meet his moment and his moment is ready to meet him.

The solution: declare his candidacy official on August 10 — the day the Declaration of Independence, belatedly, but none the matter, reached London. Declare independence from the Bush administration, announcing as Newt rightly said one must that the Bush era is over, to be replaced by — nothing.

That’s right, nothing. The era of eras ought to be over for a little while too. No dynastic pendulum swinging party to party, Mrs. Clinton. No overheated, underripe audacity, Mr. Obama. No two Americas, no come home, America, no, not even morning in America.

It’s high noon in America.

The decisive moment in our generational struggle isn’t so much in Iraq as it is right here at home. Politics as usual has failed everyone, politicians not least of all. Never before have both the executive and legislative branches languished in the abysmal station of sub-30% approval. Polls don’t tell every story, and not every poll even has a story to tell. But some polls can’t lie. It’s time for a return to life as usual — a good dose of the common-sense sanity, plain thinking, and plain speaking (simple and elegant) that’s the American equivalent of the British stiff upper lip and carry-on spirit.

No more gimmicks, no more posturing. The era of the red pickup truck is over for Fred, now that the era of the Ten Gallon Hat has tumbled like tumbleweed away from Crawford, Tex. and into the dustbin of a (very lowercase) history. No to the politics of identity, no to the politics of compassion, no to object modifiers, no to hyphenated conservatism, no to the demagoguery of ideologues, no to the infighting, backbiting, double-dealing, hornswoggling, earmarking, loan-sharking, border-busting, budget-busting, subcontracting nightmare of Federal government in this foul year of promises misused and opportunities betrayed.

Republicans flocked to Fred because of who the man is — no other Fmr. Senator I can think of could command such sudden alertness and abiding interest. And people have sensed, I think, that the man is a fellow who can deliver these lines without false notes.

And that is what matters, for no other reason but that the need for their deliverance is an urgent need — bearing witness to the truth in a way that inspires, in the moment of decision, those who might otherwise falter and sag and fade and fail.