Steve Schmidt. who very well may be my favorite Republican next to New York Times columnist David Brooks, has apparently been commissioned to make the rounds this week explaining the Trump phenomena in surprisingly plain and unemotional, un-wacky sober analysis. Trump notwithstanding, I really wish there were a lot more of this in politics (of all persuasions); a seemingly ethical exchange of views and ideas without all the screaming. My cynicism suggests Schmidt is not out there out of the goodness of his heart but is likely an agent of GOP Chairman Reince Priebus in some desperate effort to bring sanity back to the GOP race. Whatever his motivations, this is a good clip and reasonable analysis of what is happening in Republican politics.

I might also mention how disappointed I am that substantial candidates–as opposed to the more electric clown acts–are being lost in all the noise, most notably Ohio Governor John Kasich and former NJ Governor George Pataki. Snicker if you will, Kasich is a real guy. Pataki is dull as toast but actually ran the state competently. Neither has much of a chance in this environment. Neither does Scott Walker, with whom I violently disagree but also have to acknowledge him as a highly skilled political opponent, or the more flamboyant name brand governors like Christie (who blew his chance in 2012), or Jindal (what on *earth* is he thinking?).

Thus far this political season, this is the best explanation and analysis of GOP politics I’ve seen: