They are some of the biggest names in the Republican national security firmament, veterans of past GOP administrations who say, if called upon by President-elect Donald Trump, they stand ready to serve their country again.

An unexpected comedy is playing itself out as a new administration is about to take office. Clueless and self-absorbed Beltway foreign policy insiders who publicly spoke out against Donald Trump’s candidacy now huff and puff about the dangers of “blacklisting,” and the Washington Post gives them space to remind us of how essential their wisdom is to the functioning of the republic. Or something. David Nakamura writes:

But their phones aren’t ringing. Their entreaties to Trump Tower in New York have mostly gone unanswered. In Trump world, these establishment all-stars say they are “PNG” — personae non gratae. Their transgression was signing one or both of two public “Never Trump” letters during the campaign, declaring they would not vote for Trump and calling his candidacy a danger to the nation.

Call me a cynic, but I suspect that they all thought Trump had no chance to win, so taking a “brave” stance against him might help gain favor in the Rodham administration. And now, having demonstrated their poor judgment in relying on polls and the media, and having insulted Trump, we are now supposed to believe that their talents are essential to the national welfare?

“Before he won, the conversation was, ‘We really would love for you to change your mind and join us,’ ” Peter Feaver, a National Security Council special adviser under President George W. Bush, said of informal talks with Trump aides. Feaver, who signed both letters, added that, “Since he won . . . the conversation is, ‘There likely will be a blacklist of people who signed the letters who won’t themselves be eligible for a post.’ ”

“Blacklist” is a loaded term, to say the least. It conjures up helpless victims unjustly excluded from work opportunities. Oddly enough, the term hardly ever shows up in mainstream media accounts of the problems non-leftists in Hollywood face in getting career opportunities.

I don’t know what Peter Feaver’s role was as an adviser to the G.W. Bush administration, but if he offers the opportunity for Trump to duplicate those successes, it seems quite reasonable to overlook his offers of help. How many Americans want to duplicate the foreign policy record of that presidency? I am dead certain that Donald Trump doesn’t.

I am reminded of the ancient joke explaining the Yiddish word “chutzpah” by stating that it is exemplified by a child murdering his parents and asking for mercy from the court as an orphan.

Do these people really think they are this indispensable?

If so, that level of delusion disqualifies them from any further responsibilities in government office.