Rick Santorum: Satan, Michigan Primary and Judgment Day

Judgement Day for Rick Santorum: Michigan Primary

Does it pass the smell test? Its an expression that acknowledges that we initially judge things superficially. In the case of the Rick Santorum story on Drudge - Do you smell sulfur or a political circus brewing.

My analogy that American Politics is like Professional wrestling can be dismissed as frivolous depending on how you view it. In actuality whilst both elements can at times be ridiculous they can be discussed seriously if a premise is agreed upon. In literature it is referred to as Verisimilitude - a "willing suspension of belief" tempered by its grounding in reality. For example in Superman comics, the audience has already accepted the premise of a heroic alien saving the people of earth but the storytelling needs to convince us of his loving relationship with Lois Lane. We need to find authenticity within the skewed reality.

Some people are incapable of appreciating the story on its merits if they can't accept the premise. Depending on a person's value systems the notion may never be entertained, nuances become overlooked and whole arguments are dismissed outright.

Audiences unfamiliar with wrestling might not be aware that there are two classes of wrestling fans - Marks and Smarks

What is your definition of a Mark and a Smark?
A mark is someone who enjoys the show for what it is. They are able to suspend their disbelief and watch wrestling for what goes on [onscreen and they don't care] what goes on backstage. A pure mark is unaware of the scripted nature of the program and believes that wrestling is a legitimate competition.

A smart mark (Smark) is someone who is aware of the staged nature of the show but can still suspend their disbelief to a certain extent... A smark is someone who thinks they know everything about the business. They tend to put down marks and others who can suspend their disbelief while watching the show...

The nuance of discourse would be lost on observers who see wrestling as mindless entertainment for gullible people. In fact most times when American Politics is viewed as wrestling, its meant in a dismissive patronising way. This blog acknowledges the manipulation, hyperreality and framing found in both. With that said there is a threshold that can be crossed, where storylines can become cartoonish even by the standards of wrestling or politics.
  
Rush Limabugh as a fellow conservative accepts Rick Santorum's premise. The larger question is will the general electorate see it in the same frame.

Santorum Will Have to Answer on Satan
SANTORUM: The Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies, Satan, would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country -- the United States of America. If you were Satan, who would you attack in this day and age?
...
RUSH: Okay, so he said it. Can we take you back to the United Nations? What was it, 2000... I don't know, three or four or five or six. Hugo Chavez shows up, he speaks either the afternoon Bush spoke earlier or the next day, but he gets to the microphone at the United Nations and the General Assembly and starts sniffing around. (Sniffing) He says, "I can still smell the sulfur. The Devil was here," and he had accused Bush of being the Devil...
Hugo Chavez can show up and call George W. Bush Satan. "Hey, hey! You know what, that's right! That's great. Let's laugh about it. Let's applaud it." Santorum gives a speech in Ave Maria, Florida, back in 2008. "Oh, my God, we're dealing with a nutcase! Oh, wow, what a fanatic weirdo. What are we gonna get next, an exorcism?" So the double standard does exist.