Its the new game that's sweeping Republican ranks, and the closest the GOP comes to diversity - come play Pick the Next GOP MSOM!
You've heard of the flavor of the month, the GOP has now implemented a a formal strategy to periodically elevate an official Minority Savior of the Month - MSOM.
(Or, considering the 100 Senators out there, and many high profile new ones, you suppose there is some other reason you've even heard of a wet noodle dry noodle like Rubio?)
With Marco Rubio's remarkable flame-out last night, though (quick: what's a comparably embarrassing moment of celebrity humiliation in the last decade?), the search has already begun for a new MSOM.
Of course, the term length is often a bit longer than a month. Past MSOM's - JC Watts, Condoleezza Rice (you really can only count the era of VP speculation), Michael Steele, Herman Cain, Bobby Jindal, and Nikki Haley, before Rubio - have generally lingered in the public consciousness for several months before succumbing to gaffes or corruption.
So recognize that the next GOP MSOM may well last for many months, maybe even a year or more - and may even carry the honor of delivering next year's SOTU Rebuttal.
Also note: since the stranglehold on actual GOP policy positions by plutocrats, Wall Street, Big Oil, Big Coal, Big Defense, Big Agriculture, religious extremists, racists, and the gun nuts is unshakeable, the picking of token minorities to front the message is really the only vehicle Republicans have to try to "sell" their canned toxic swill to more than half of Americans who suffer from the discrimination, repression, impoverishment, violence, health impacts, and overall externalities (environmental destruction, endless wars) of right wing policy dominance and legal regimes established since the 1980s.
Its really a pretty important role for the Republican Party - which is itself a critical cog in our indispensable two-party duopoly.
Some possible candidates:
Tim Scott, Senator, South Carolina
Pros: Good at spewing the talking points
Cons: Clearly not a very bright guy - barely smarter than Darrell Issa
Susanna Martinez, Governor, New Mexico
Pros: Has already had prime-time slot at RNC
Cons: May be capable of independent thought - might prove difficult for Reince Priebus, Roger Ailes, and Rush Limbaugh to keep her on message
Ted Cruz, Senator, Texas
Pros: Channels the viciousness and stupidity with huge sincerity and energy
Cons: Actually born in Canada, which is rumored to harbor French-speakers
Others?
Next Steps:
The official coronation of the next GOP MSOM is slated for the cover of Time Magazine* and approximately 15 Fox news slots (with associated hagiography in non-interview slots) in the April time frame. Please help the GOP choose well!
*Assuming Time Magazine still exists in April