Some years ago, NBC news anchor David Brinkley appeared on the Johnny Carson late night show to discuss the then current political candidates in the race for President.

I can’t remember which candidates, but apparently it could be compared to the current crop of Republican candidates now on the political stump.

Brinkley was commenting about one of the then top-contender presidential aspirants having a tough time generating support. Using the anecdote of the fireside chat popularized by President Roosevelt during the Great Depression, Brinkley said that if this particular candidate had a fireside chat, the fire would probably go out.

Well, that’s how a lot of folks feel about the current crop of candidates.

Where’s the fire?

Two shoes dropped this past week, the big shoe of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who dropped out of the race even though he never dropped in. And sadly of all sadness and woe, the mighty Sarah of Alaska would rather stay at home with the kids than save the world from financial ruin and collapse.

Whew. That was close.

My Kindle e-book allows me to tap into a bundle of daily newspapers each day, and I particularly like both the Sunday New York Times and Washington Post.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, they are liberal, but it doesn’t hurt to keep up with what the other side is espousing, particularly when it comes to dishing Democrats.

In a New York Times editorial last week, I was struck by its acute observation as to the current crop of Republican candidates and their combined views that we are being told as if they were truths which are self-evident.

Here is what the editorial said in part, after viewing the three debates, two of which were in Florida. It was headlined “An Icy Political Vision.”

The Republican template has been in stark view at the Presidential debates lately.

It is a program to wind down the government’s long-standing guarantee of health care to the elderly and the poor;

to incinerate the Democrats’ new promise to cover the uninsured;

to abolish the department of education and its effort to raise national standards;

to stop virtually all regulation of the environment and the financial industry;

to reimpose military discrimination against gays and lesbians;

to deport immigrants;

to cut unemployment insurance and nutrition programs;

and raise taxes on the poor and lower them for the rich.

So there you have it.

The conservative political platform of the Republican race to take over the White House.

Of all the machinations now going on – this candidate is in, that candidate stays home with the kids, Mitt Romney keeps coming back to the forefront. He’s down, he’s up. He’s in front, he’s slipping. He’s in first place, third place, first place, second place…

Well, fall is here. It’s getting cooler now. Time to put on a warm sweater, sit in front of the fire to gather some warmth. How about a relaxing background interview with Mitt and talk show host Charlie Rose, one-on-one in front of the fireplace.

Let’s see if they can keep the fire from going out.

Jim Smith writes a weekly column for The Post-Searchlight. You can leave a comment on his email at bainbooknook@yahoo.com or on www.thepostsearchlight.com