A Cronkite moment?

Today, there is much chatter in the Chattering Class about whether elite opinion is turning against Republicans. Everyone is citing David Brooks' latest column ("The Mother of All No-Brainers"). Long story short, Brooks thinks the GOP has taken leave of its senses on the economy.

"The Republican Party may no longer be a normal party. Over the past few years, it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative. ... The struggles of the next few weeks are about what sort of party the G.O.P. is — a normal conservative party or an odd protest movement that has separated itself from normal governance, the normal rules of evidence and the ancient habits of our nation. If the debt ceiling talks fail, independents voters will see that Democrats were willing to compromise but Republicans were not. If responsible Republicans don’t take control, independents will conclude that Republican fanaticism caused this default. They will conclude that Republicans are not fit to govern. And they will be right."

Strong stuff, especially coming from a conservative. Some are calling Brooks' warning a "Cronkite Moment." (The famed CBS newsman called the Vietnam War unwinnable after the Tet Offensive.) This isn't 1968. I doubt Brooks will ignite a similar, Come-to-Jesus Effect. It's hard to imagine Republican establishment leaders going all LBJ on us and lamenting, "If we've lost Brooks, we've lost Republican America." At least not yet. Still, the cracks within the GOP are real and clearly widening.