In 1949, William Randolph Hearst told his editors to "Puff Graham," that is, write favorable articles about a young evangelist Billy Graham. The puffing worked and Graham went on to great fame.
In this morning's Washington Post, George Will "puffs" Indiana Rep. Mike Pence. It is curious that Will starts the puffing by praising Pence for his refusal to support President George W. Bush's call for TARP funding to rescue the financial industry. Will used to be a grown-up, the kind of man who understood that ideological purity must yield to hard facts, in short, he used to be a conservative. But no more.
Pence's vote against TARP was irresponsible in the extreme. Will has every right to tout Pence for the presidency in 2012, but he should find better reasons than the man's vote against TARP.
George Will never had a great mind but he had a fine one. Until he started drinking the Tea Party koolaid.
