'Twas a grand ol' party in Memphis this weekend

Should any of us care about this weekend's annual Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Memphis? No, not really, even if it more or less marked the beginning of the '08 campaign. Which is why so many Inside-the-Beltway types were there, apparently with nothing better to do, or talk about. What, are Bush and his laugh-a-minute presidency not giving them enough material? Or are simple minds simply more attracted to the bright lights of the horse race than to the nuts and bolts of policy. Is tough, hard-nosed reporting simply too much for them?

Well, duh.

Should you care at all, and I might as well link to the article in the Post, the winner was no less a political giant than local favourite Bill Frist, who secured 36.9 percent of the vote. Surprisingly, Mitt Romney finished second with 14.4 percent. John McCain finished fifth, behind George Allen and Bush himself, with 4.6 percent, though from what I understand McCain asked his supporters to vote for Bush as a show of support for their commander-in-chief. How transparently self-aggrandizing of the good senator from Arizona.

I'm sure good times were had by all. What could be more enjoyable than a weekend in Memphis with the leading lights of the Republican Party (minus Rice and Giuliani)?