Keller @ Large: Elections Are Cocoon Busters

BOSTON (CBS) - By now, every single human being in North America has offered their analysis of what happened to Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader who succumbed Tuesday night to the disease a politician fears most – his constituents got sick of him.

So I turned to Buddy the Lab for a fresh take.

Rough, observed Buddy. Politics these days is rough.

Smart dog. And it seems especially rough for politicians like Cantor who get themselves lost in the cocoon.

In Washington, the Capitol district is the heart of the cocoon. Congressmen, senators and other bigwigs are driven to work, rarely suffering the expensive frustrations that go with the morning commute for regular folks.

Once there, they zip back in forth on a posh underground subway, or stroll through climate-controlled tunnels, never suffering the hassles of normal life above ground and, all the while, getting their egos stroked by passersby.

After that, it's a never-ending cycle of ego-inflating TV interviews, open bars, steak dinners someone else paid for, and at the end of the day, a few moments in front of the mirror to reflect on how truly distinguished you are.

Some of these fine men and women manage to stay grounded and in touch with the people they represent and the real lives they are struggling to live.

Many do not, like Eric Cantor, who thought he had become just too big a deal to stay in touch with those who elected him and their grubby demands for attention and leadership.

It would be funny if it wasn't so serious. Life in the cocoon leads to skewed priorities and failed policies.

But that's why we like elections, isn't it?

Otherwise known as cocoon busters.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON