Can you even imagine how utterly crazy this race and its media coverage would become if McCain began his speech tonight with the words:
“My fellow Americans. It has been my honor to serve my country as a United States naval aviator, to serve the good people of Arizona as their Senator, and to serve the Republican Party as its candidate for President.
To me, public service, not personal ambition, has always been the highest calling. So now, in order to better serve the people of this great country, I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the nomination. And I am deeply, profoundly, honored, and absolutely delighted to nominate the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, as the Republican Party’s candidate for President of the United States….”
Now, THAT would inspire a media conniption worth watching! McCain may or may not become the next president, but he’d make himself an immortal by becoming the president-maker. Obama had a similar opportunity with Hillary a few months ago, but he was too short-sighted and egotistical to seize it.
Hillary would be the very last one to want to see that; as it is, she’s almost going to have to sign up for the old maverick:
Possibly the most depressed liberal in the country today (other than Obama) is Hillary Clinton. She has been dogged, patient. She has spent years preparing to win the presidency. She’s weathered public humiliation. She was planning to be the frontrunner for 2012. But last night she saw the future and she’s not in it.
I would have assumed that Hillary could beat Palin following four more years of Bush-McCainery, but that’s a questionable assumption at best after last night’s steller performance. Having forgone the chance at an insurrection, Hillary’s best chance now is if McCain to wins this fall and then runs again for re-election in 2012. The interesting question to consider is if Palin would run in 2012 against an incumbent President Obama in the event of a McCain loss. My first inclination is to think she wouldn’t, but then, if Obama screws up the way I’d expect him to, I think Republicans would not only draft Palin for president, but lynch any Republican who thought to oppose her.
By the way, the MSM’s ability to analyze events is best shown by the recent suggestions that Republicans might demand Palin’s withdrawal from the ticket. Of course, there hasn’t been even a whisper of that, instead, they’re loudly wishing that the ticket was upended. Clueless, simply clueless.