Michelle Malkin hits town on a holiday book tour, and leave it to M.D. Harmon to spin such an event into some sort of important, intellectual conference (“Time for taxpaying sheep to grow some teeth,” Nov. 4).

I can picture Harmon leaving the Maine Heritage Policy Center luncheon. A new, autographed copy of Malkin’s latest screed clutched to his chest. His belly full of a hard-earned free lunch. His neck a bit sore from all of the ascribed reverent nodding, and most importantly his mind nourished with all of the same oft-repeated cliches and platitudes he knew and loved from before.

I wonder if the harsh light of reality momentarily blinded Harmon or any of the other attendees when they emerged squinting from the dark echo chamber of the luncheon into the outside world.

The reality that the GOP presidential field has no one the tea party wanted, nor anyone that the American people as a whole seem to want, either. It has become, as we find out more about the candidates and with each passing debate, the longest and most unfunny running joke in American history.

The reality that according to a recent New York Times/CBS poll the GOP/tea party-run Congress has a job approval rating of 9 percent, ranking their national popularity somewhere between Casey Anthony and Kim Jong Il.

The reality that, based purely on the continued weakness of the U.S. economy, President Obama is vulnerable but that the GOP/tea party is so busy with monotonous attacks on him that they’ve forgotten to come up with a viable platform, an alternative plan, or most importantly, a lucid, likable and electable alternative.

I hope that Harmon enjoyed his meal because I have a feeling he is going to have a very unpleasant case of indigestion on election night a year from now.