For anyone not growing up in the later 50’s/early 60’s, one of the early TV shows most all of us watched was Leave it to Beaver. The show was about childhood and family life featuring a fictional suburban couple and their children – in particular “Jerry Mathers as the Beaver”.  The series actually ran for six seasons (234 episodes) so we had plenty of opportunity to watch what it was like to be white, suburban, middle-class family.  Not that I remembered it at all but in all six seasons there was only one episode that had a black character and that was a black maid.  Given the times, there were many other themes highlighting in particular education, occupation, marriage and family as requirements for a happy and productive life (cited from Wikipedia).  Interesting parallel with much of what we see with the modern day Republican party – I guess that not all of us were as effectively brainwashed!

So why the reference to Leave it to Beaver?  I have commented numerous times on the desire of the Republican Party to return to the past with a particular interest in the 1950’s.  While I had always assumed it was primarily driven by the Tea Party, I can now see how much the Romney’s also embrace that intent – with what I would expect to be closets full of dresses, interesting pick that Ann chose for today’s cover of Parade.  How June Cleaverish.  Not much of a stretch to see Mitt (doing an impressive Ward Cleaver imitation) sitting around the house in a white shirt and tie!

I knew that Mitt reminded me of someone prominent in my childhood – Ward Cleaver!