Rise and Fall of the Anti-Romneys

Newt Gingrich

The anti-Romney shooting star pattern we have seen with Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Herman Cain has been so consistent that it's practically become a predictable scientific phenomenon.

I stumbled on this very clever interactive graph of polling data that demonstrates the trend perfectly.

The remaining question is whether Newt, the most recent contender in the Republican field to twinkle, has enough staying power to present a real challenge. I'm hoping he follows the pattern and flames out like the rest within a few weeks of his peak, so that former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's star may finally have a chance to rise.  Given the opportunity, Huntsman will stand tall over the intellectual dwarfism of his peers and demonstrate what a legitimately qualified candidate actually looks like.

Of course, armed with only his incredibly relevant experience and his intellect and good sense, and in the absence of the non-stop foaming-at-the-mouth ideological rhetoric that seems essential to gaining the approval of the far right wing, I doubt Huntsman will garner enough support to pose a serious threat to Romney.

Here's wishing on a star...