One of the most annoying measures of electoral appeal is the moronic notion that a candidate’s company at a beer bust speaks to his/her qualifications for office. The implication is that a drinking buddy will be someone who is more like me and, therefore, more acceptable to represent me.
Bullshit!
If I’m looking for somebody to assume a high office, like that of the presidency, I’m not looking for someone who is proficient at getting high. And I don’t want a candidate who is like me either. I want one who is WAY better than me. Since when did our standards sink so low as to include the guy chugging pints at the end of the bar?
Well, leave it to the National Beer Wholesalers Association to further blur the lines between competence and crapulence. The NBWA is polling visitors to their web site on with whom they would rather share a beer. This bit of harmless stupidity is the sort of thing that makes H. L. Mencken such a fount of wisdom for observing that…
“As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
Notwithstanding that the downright moron of whom Mencken speaks is about to complete his final term, the NBWA still isn’t helping to improve matters.
For the record, Barack Obama is pickling his opponents.
