We Elected a Pet Rock

In 1975 the toy buying world went crazy for about six months and bought about 4 million of these:

It was marketed as a "live pet" complete with carrier that had air holes in it, straw for bedding, and a training manual. It was one of those short-lived fads that get people all excited for a brief time, but eventually they realize they just paid $4 for 1 cent rock and cardboard box, and the mania goes away.

In 2008 we elected a Pet Rock.

It was marketed as a post-racial, post-partisan unifier who would lead us from the dark days of the Bush Administration into the light where rainbows and unicorns could be found. His words were written by the angels themselves. Instead of a cardboard box with holes in it you got a "Hope and Change" bumpersticker.  All the cool kids were getting one.  Millions of people bought into the fad, but it didn't even take six months to realize they'd been sold a Pet Rock. It didn't do any of the things it was advertised to do.

Of course, the Pet Rock had its advantages.  Owning one didn't make your life any worse.  Not so true with the Pet Rock President.  And unfortunately, unlike the Pet Rock you can't just throw the president away.  You're stuck with him.

The GOP needs to be careful that it doesn't fall for a Pet Rock of its own. When a leader like Gov. Chris Christie comes along suddenly there's a surge of "Christie in 2012" fever.

Stop it.

I like Christie and I think he has some real potential. But so far he's only been in office a few months and until he's there long enough to be able to demonstrate real results to go with his terrific rhetoric, he's a Pet Rock. Let's see where he is in 2016 or 2020.