Bumpkin politics

Yesterday I mentioned the Conservative Political Action Conference which was held in Washington last week. Of course, Rick Santorum was not the only one to speak - and apparently he didn't even say the most stupid thing.

That distinction may go to Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who appeared to be caught in some sort of time warp. As reported by The New York Times, here is what he said about those most detestable of beings in the conservative view, liberals:

"When you listen to the elites and the pundits talk about the Tea Party movement, or they talk about us as conservatives, they may not always say it explicitly ... But implicit in their comments are, you know, maybe they're not as sophisticated, because a lot of them didn't go to the Ivy League schools. Or you know, they're from places like the heartland, not you know, they don't hang out at our Chablis-drinking, Brie-eating parties in San Francisco. And the implication is, you know, we are kind of bumpkins."

This is rich. Notice how he says liberals insult the intelligence of conservatives while simultaneously treating his conservative audience like unsophisticated fools. As for the basic charge, I wrote about this subject this morning in my column. My feeling is that a bumpkin is what a bumpkin does - and education and wine and cheese preferences have little to do with it.

Further, as one who didn't go to an Ivy League school, in fact went to the University of Hard Knocks where I received a degree of concussion, I can reliably inform the governor that no American of any political persuasion has been seen in public drinking chablis for at least the past quarter century. It has been chardonnay-ed into virtual oblivion.

And how about those Brie-eating parties? It is a French cheese, you know, which quickly surrenders in the cheese-making vat, so that when you cut it, it runs. Nope, most of us have never been to a Brie-eating party as such, in San Francisco or anywhere else. If Brie happens to be served, which actually is not an offense against nature, it is merely as one of many other horses doovers (I substitute the Aussie words for the French term in deference to conservative sensibilities).

Governor, please get your class resentment cliches right before you run for president.

Here's another little gem from the governor:

"The first one is this: God's in charge ... There are some people who say, ‘Oh, you know, Pawlenty, don't bring that up. You know it's politically incorrect.' Hogwash."

He's right - it is hogwash, although not in the way he deludes himself. Far from being politically incorrect, the most politically correct thing for a politician to do - that is, the smartest move he can make to advance his career - is to wear his faith on his sleeve - as he was doing here. Does anyone seriously believe that an atheist could win the presidency in our day and age?

Here's more proof that the term political correctness is fast becoming meaningless.