Bass leadership

Last Sunday I read an idiotic op-ed in the LA Times about Mike Huckabee that claimed Huckabee's being a bass player shows he may not be a good leader of the nation because bassists are really just frustrated guitar players. Maybe it was written as a joke but it got some great letters in yesterday's Times (that they didn't publish online) that summed up my thoughts well:

1) lots of bassists can 'lead from the bottom' (one letter simply said 'Willie Dixon') and one could even write a similar opinion that said Huckabee's instrument gives him insight into what a functioning musical unit (and therefore a functioning political unit) requires.

2) the op-ed obviously reflects on the author more than bassists. Joe Queenan is the frustrated guitar player while most of us have embraced our role as essential parts that support the guitarists and sax players who are desperate for attention.

His remark about John Entwistle being a 'nonentity' is strong evidence for this article being a joke which makes me wonder why they couldn't find an op-ed that deals with Huckabee's desire to change the constitution instead. I don't think I'm hypersensitive about this topic; I can laugh well at the many good jokes that are told about bassists but this was just dopey.