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The Buchanan Troll Project
Beware the Ides of March.
If Pat Buchanan is right, that's when the media will start paying attention to his presidential campaign. As Buchanan laid it out at a New Jersey rally in support of his presidential bid last week, the two big parties should be effectively finished nominating their presidential candidates by the beginning of March, with California and the Solid South putting the leading contenders, Al Gore and George W. Bush, over the top. With Bill Bradley and John McCain, the two candidates the media has found most attractive, out of the race, the media will "look out the window and see that old troll is still on the bridge." Guess who's the troll?
You don't have to agree with Buchanan on anything to agree with him on this. Neither Bush nor Gore is a particularly compelling campaigner. The assumptions they hold in common about foreign policy, globalization and free trade dwarf their differences -- especially when an articulate, quick-on-his-feet third alternative is shouting from the sidelines. So far, the Reform Party is being kept out of the televised presidential debates. Of one thing we are sure -- if Buchanan gets the Reform Party nomination (supporters were carrying "Dump Trump" signs at last week's rally), he'll...