Of Mice and Ms. O'Donnell

I was taking my usual anti-hypocrisy therapy - watching 'The Colbert Report', that is, when up comes this bit on how Fox News (and O'Reilly specifically) was declining to air an embarrassing appearance of Christine O'Donnell on Fox News circa 2007. Of course, Mr. Colbert aired the piece O'Reilly wouldn't, and it was a doozy. It depicted Ms. O'Donnell, then a chairperson for some watchdog group or other, claiming that scientists had genetically engineered mice with human brains.

Colbert turned it into a laugh, of course, but I must say the piece left me feeling dread - a deep and anxious dread. Can a substantial minority of people in these United States really want to elect someone with idiotic opinions? Ms. O'Donnell's comments were at best uninformed, at worse gullible and stupid. Does energy, youthful enthusiasm, and looking good on camera trump intelligence, thoughtfulness, and competence in the people we seek to lead us?

The dark night of the soul I spent pondering these questions left me wishing Ms. O'Donnell's observation was correct, and we had some viable murine candidates to choose from ...