I don’t pay much attention to RedState‘s Erick Erickson so I owe Ed Kilgore of the Washington Monthly for pointing out a fact that suggests that for perhaps the first time ever, Erickson and I are on somewhat the same wavelength. Erickson, whom Kilgore characterizes as a “blogger, pundit and would-be political boss,” as well as an “an ideological commissar,” has made his contempt for the GOP presidential primary lineup well and truly known:

I have routinely been asked who I would endorse. Today, after a lot of reflection on this race, I can honestly say my position has not changed and I would honestly prefer Ace of Spades’ sweet meteor of death than any of the candidates left in the race. […] I can take the easy way out and not endorse because while I recognize politics necessitates compromise, I would have to compromise my intellectual honesty too much to choose any of the remaining candidates.

Lots of room for bipartisan agreement there.

In other news about GOPers speaking the truth, Kilgore spends a little ink on Missouri’s totally symbolic Republican primary, which is taking place today. Kilgore observes that the situation came about because, just like their federal cohorts, the GOP legislators at the state level are evidently incapable of restraining themselves from using important legislation to try to score unrelated political victories.

In this case, legislation that would have moved Missouri’s GOP primary to a time slot acceptable to the Republican National Committee was loaded up with poison pills. So Missouri citizens who are facing cuts to almost every conceivable government service, are paying for this boondoggle primary because the gentlemen and ladies of the Grand Old Party couldn’t get their priorities straight.

Kilgore quotes state GOP Senator Kevin Engler who dubbed it “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my time in the legislature.” I say “hear, hear.” A singular bipartisan adventure for both Engler and me I’ll wager.  

Remember last October when Sarah Steelman pushed to debate the other GOP candidates seeking to run against Claire McCaskill next year and the Brunner campaign seemingly demurred? At the time it seemed obvious that the reason might have had something to do with the “not-ready-for-prime-time” vibe that Brunner was giving off. Consider, for instance, this little snippet culled from John Brunner’s effort to describe what he would do to help small business:

When starting a business, you have to look at the total picture. We have got so far off track; the whole health care system is so federalized. I have never seen the U.S. government take on a project that it was able to provide a better value at a lower cost more efficiently.It’s a huge, huge problem and it hits us hard. I know in my own business, the most important thing for everybody is to have good health care. We need to take a look back and find out why do we have hundreds of other regulations and other costs that take priority over what I would say is basic health care for the employees and associates in your business? Our priorities are messed up in our country, bottom line. The priority of our competitive environment is that our government has laid in so many regulatory costs and so many complicated tax issues and so many legal issues that a small business now – we have a system that is sucking dry everything. …

As you read this, don’t you envision a shipwrecked sailor desperately paddling for land, grabbing at every bit of right-wing flotsam and jetsam in mental proximity?

But now, a scant two months later, Brunner is signaling that he is chafing at the bit when it comes to debating his primary rivals. You think he actually mastered the essentials during a couple of months of cramming? Of course, you have to consider his opponents, Todd Akin and Sarah Steelman. Perhaps Brunner’s handlers finally decided that there’s not too much he could say to hurt himself in such company.

It should be entertaining at the very least. Given Brunner’s obvious proclivity for twisted syntax and chaotic free association, the only thing more amusing might be listening to him debate Sarah Palin. Although, come to think of it, even better would be hearing Claire McCaskill, who is nothing if not quick on her feet, eviscerate him next year.