Bring on the Celebrities    

Peggy Noonan

   Are we done with our politicians?

   Peggy Noonan's column (see yesterday) continues with her analysis of people wanting Oprah Winfrey to run for president. Oprah led President Trump 48-38 in the first poll since speculation arose.

   Noonan pointed out that traditional politicians are boring. In falling in love with celebrity and personality, we are acting like a frivolous, shallow country, she wrote. 

   Donald Trump changed it all, she says, "like a cartoon character that bursts through a wall, leaving a him-shaped hole." 

   Noonan thinks, when the Trump era is over, we will not go back to the old ways, maybe ever. "We are in the age of celebrity and the next one will and can be anything," she says, from Nobel laureate to professional wrestler. 

   "The political class can bemoan this," Noonan says, "but it was the failure of the political class that brought our circumstances about." 

   "When at least half the country no longer trusts its political leaders, when people see the detached, cynical and uncaring refusal to handle such problems as illegal immigration ... and neglect to notice something hinky going on in the financial sector, or with mortgages, and the IRS abuses its power, and a bunch of nuns have to file a lawsuit because the government orders them to violate their conscience..." 

   "Why wouldn't people look elsewhere for leadership? Maybe the TV star's policies won't always please you, but at least he'll distract and entertain you every day." 

   Each time a politician (criticizes) Trump, she'll think, "Buddy, you've had 20 years on the Hill, and we didn't get to this point only because of Trump. That's a deflection."

      Jimmy