THE POST-BECK WORLD: A LOT LIKE BECK'S WORLD

This doesn't really have anything to do with Glenn Beck's upcoming departure from the daily Fox schedule, but it is a caution to those who might be ready to celebrate because they think we've finally passed Peak Wingnut: Daily Kos and the SEIU got Public Policy Polling to survey Donald Trump as a presidential candidate, and PPP obtained the following results:

Q: If the candidates for President next year were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Donald Trump, who would you vote for?

Barack Obama: 47
Donald Trump: 38
Undecided: 14

That's right: the new King of Birthers trails Obama by single digits. A majority of Americans say they'd at least consider voting for him.

And no, it's not because Obama is having trouble beating everyone -- go here and you'll see that PPP has Obama beating Palin by 15, beating Gingrich by 11, and beating Pawlenty by 14. Rasmussen polled the "grownup" Republicans against Obama in January and found the president beating Barbour and Daniels by 17, and Huntsman by 10. That's Rasmussen! But PPP has Trump within 9.

I know, I know -- it may be that a lot of voters aren't paying attention to Trump's birtherism lounge act, and just think of him as that smart business tycoon with a reality show. Still: 9 points? Really, America?

Beck doesn't even speak well of Trump, but they're part of the same brave new world that's disconnected itself from objective reality because deeply cynical right-wing media figures with deep pockets know that the ignorant and superstitious vote for politicians who line their pockets. Trump's success means that that world still exists, even if Beck is going away.

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UPDATE: More Trumpmania:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears to be the early front-runner in the largely unformed race for the Republican nomination for president, but real estate magnate Donald Trump may be a surprise contender, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Among Republican primary voters, Mr. Romney captured the support of 21% in a broad, nine-candidate field. Mr. Trump was tied for second with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, with 17%....

The linked story includes this:

Mr. Trump "may be a punch line but when he talks about the way to solve our problems, he makes a lot of sense to the average guy out there," said Todd Mauney, a conservative Republican in Weatherford, Texas. "I don't know if people can get over him being the butt of every joke but for me, he can be serious when it’s time to make real decisions."

How could I have missed it? No wonder Trump's surging among wingnut voters -- he's being mocked. To the right-wing base, nothing proves virtues more than being the object of mockery in the media. It's been true since Nixon.