It’s a stretch and maybe a tad ‘lowbrow’ for PI but the Toles cartoon reminded me of this charming introduction to the complex logic of Mortimer Snerd
As I see it, this clip from 1939 foretold recent Republican debates. Edgar Bergen is the host facilitator and Mortimer Snerd represents the candidates who cannot provide rational responses to the host’s questions. The analogy breaks down a bit because Snerd has a much more active curiosity about the world around him and has a sharper more inquisitive mind than many of the candidates and is not pretending ideologically driven ignorance like the rest. Ron Paul, of course, doesn’t fit and Charlie McCarthy may be speaking for John Huntsman when he moans, “oooh will you cut it out Mortimer.”
– Iron Filing
