I suddenly got it. What you posted about country club republicans: The republicans were the Washington Generals. The team that was paid to travel around and get beaten by the Harlem Globetrotters. They had to try... that was they hook. They’d “try” and the globetrotters would run rings around them, etc. They came close sometimes... I think at least once they actually won. But it wasn’t their show - they were just foils for the rulers.
There ya go...:-)