Here is how stupid our 2016 campaign dialogue has become – instead of any of these rebuttals to Gowdy’s endorsement, we are treated to the endlessly circular argument from supporters of other candidates that Gowdy isn’t conservative because he’s endorsed Rubio, who obviously isn’t a conservative, and one of the proofs of that is that Rubio has the endorsement of Gowdy.

Gowdy’s additional sin? Giving the (completely pro forma) official nominating speech for Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)‘s election for speaker in 2013, in which he won well over 200 votes and did not face a serious challenger.

I am not kidding.

No mention is of course made of the fact that Ted Cruz voted for Mitch McConnell for majority leader twice and is also thus by this standard an establishment squish.

I won’t link to the piece I have seen going around, or the Facebook pages of prominent conservatives (many of whom happen to be my real life friends), because the intention here is not to call anyone out or to single someone (or even a whole block of someones) out for ridicule.