Kathleen Parker: Is Meghan McCain the GOP's answer to Rush Limbaugh?

April 3rd, 2009 9:21 AM
Kathleen Parker

, a "conservative" columnist who has discovered that slamming real conservatives was an easy way to lift herself from her earlier state of relative anonymity, has now turned herself into an inadvertent comedienne. I mean, how can you beat this comedy line on the title of her latest column appearing in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel: "Is Meghan McCain the GOP's answer to Rush Limbaugh?" Yes, Parker is seriously proposing that "Valley Girl McCain" can save the Republicans from that "nasty" Rush Limbaugh:

The GOP's identity crisis just got more interesting with the recent media splash of Meghan McCain, eldest daughter of the senator who did not become president.

Young McCain, who began blogging during her father's presidential campaign, recently made waves at The Daily Beast when she picked a fight with conservative media mavens Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham. This is enough sport to make the little dog laugh, to say nothing of the dish and the spoon.

McCain, just 24, is one smart cookie. In a matter of weeks, she has created a brand, presenting herself as a fresh face of her daddy's party and a voice for young conservatives. Strategically speaking, what better way to launch herself than to challenge the reigning diva herself, Miz Coulter?

Madonna, meet Britney.

Reality, meet Parody.

Yeah, Meghan McCain would be the "voice for young conservatives" but only if those young conservatives sounded like empty Valley Girls whose big decision in life is which wrist tattoo to choose as you can read in this recent interview with Larry King.

KING: OK. You blogged earlier this month that you still were figuring out what tattoo to get to commemorate your time on the campaign trail.
Have you made a decision?
MCCAIN: I think I have. I think I'm going to get...

KING: Where are you leaning?

MCCAIN: I think I'm going to get McCain and Old English on my wrist, just to commemorate the whole experience, because I kept wanting to but I think I finally decided on what I want.

KING: Are you a tattooer?

MCCAIN: I have one. My brothers have a lot of tattoos. I love tattoos. I do. I know, you never would have thought me, right? But I do.

KING: No. You don't look like a tattooer.

MCCAIN: I do. I love tattoos.

KING: What do your folks think of that?

MCCAIN: I've got supportive parents, you know. They -- my mom thinks it's cute, the one I have so -- I have a little star on my foot.

That should be enough for Kat von D of LA Ink sign on as an enthusiastic Republican. Now back to the Kathleen Parker comedy act:

Among criticism now familiar to anyone who has dared contradict or question the GOP's wisdom is that Meghan McCain is a "useful idiot" to liberals who will use her to further diminish Republicans. Or that she is poking her father's party just to draw attention to herself.

Gee, ya think?

Well, if McCain doesn't make it in journalism, she has a future in marketing. She has learned, perhaps from a lifetime of observing political strategy, how and when to pick a fight. Trying to provoke Coulter (who so far has gamely ignored her) was shrewd. And engaging American women in solidarity against market-imposed body images was a stroke of genius.

An absolute "genius" she is.

Yes, of course, a 24-year-old political pundette doesn't find her way onto "Larry King Live" without a famous name. McCain is interesting precisely because of who she is, not because of what she has accomplished. Liberals found young Ron Reagan equally riveting for the same reason.

The same reason meaning slamming conservatives. Parker also discovered that the bash conservatives shtick could be quite a career booster. And if Meghan follows in the footsteps of Ron Reagan then she should get herself an Air America radio gig and endorse Barack Obama in the next election as Ron Reagan did last Halloween Day. Such is the requisite career path as set down by Kathleen Parker as she continues to gush over Republican "savior" Meghan:

On the other hand, McCain is also a successful blogger with a following. She has established a voice and an audience. And the GOP is, allegedly, hoping to expand its tent. 
 ...The GOP's extreme voices are a turnoff, not just to young people, but to millions of Americans who might otherwise be attracted to conservative principles. Who better to point that out than a young maverick named McCain.

Yeah,  just what the GOP needs. A like totally Valley Girl voice to lead them out of the wilderness and into the valley of the...Valley Girls.

And keep us all updated on that  like totally wrist tattoo, Meghan.