Yes, there are some bizarre and unappealing personalities among this year’s contenders, but most of them are no worse than the Republicans of yesteryear. The 2012 field has perfectly orthodox ideological and professional credentials. ... Yet it’s true that Republicans look more foolish than ever. Why? Perhaps because the party is more indulgent than ever of a media even more infantile than that of the 1990s. The quantity no less than the quality of debates has been degrading. Pundits have hyped nonsense polls and nonsense candidates into the stratosphere.  

Douthat responds by citing the concept of "cable news candidates":