Irrelevancies

So now Darth Sunshine is in the running for the position of Darth Queeg's "young" apprentice?  Should Darth Scudder be looking over his shoulder?

Not if Maverick wants a, {*ahem*} prayer of (1) turning out the evangelical vote and (2) getting them to vote for him:

The Brody File has been talking with pro-family leaders and activists and they all agree that if John McCain picks Florida Governor Charlie Crist as his running mate, there will be MAJOR dissatisfaction among social conservatives. Jim Backlin, a conservative activist with a hefty email list, told me:

"If the goal of the campaign is to shore up the base of the party, which is still critically needed, that pick would do exactly the opposite and many social conservatives, and conservatives in general, would sit on their hands this election."

Connie Mackay, Senior Vice President for FRCAction tells me:

“We have concerns about Governor Crist. While he claims to be pro-life he has not been an advocate…We would not be supportive of his candidacy for Vice-President…I think it would not help him. McCain needs to continue to try and energize the base. I think that would certainly not energize the base and I think I could go one step further and say it would de-energize the base.”

Another important pro-family activist, Kelly Shackelford, President of Liberty Legal Institute tells The Brody File:

“I don’t think there is any way that would happen. That would certainly put the last nail in the coffin for social and Christian conservatives, but it won’t happen.  Senator McCain has been fairly clear that he will pick a solid conservative. The big question to me is the CA marriage ruling.  When will he hit the softball resting over the plate?  It is a gift and, so far, he has not taken advantage of it.  It combines two beliefs he has - marriage is a man and a woman AND judges should not be activists- and he could speak sincerely and with conviction. Silence.  It’s baffling so far.  This is even more so in light of Obama’s being in a no win position if he has to respond to the CA decision.”

Another pro-family leader who did not want to be named tells The Brody File:

"There would be an open revolt. We would just not put up with it. He's not one of us and McCain pretty much needs to get somebody that is going to make people happier if he seriously wants to hold the base to being supportive…There's a general assumption that McCain is not stupid enough."

Then there is this from a Republican strategist with strong conservative credentials:

"Crist would be a major asset and a liability to the ticket at the same time. He could help McCain lock up Florida, which would do great damage to Obama's chances in the general election, but would also cause indigestion among conservatives because of his moderate stances on abortion, the Terry Schiavo case, embryonic stem cell research, and climate change. So which is more important to McCain: conservatives, or Florida? We will know soon enough."

Oh, so many loaded questions - "Why doesn't McCain slam the California sodomarriage ruling" instead of swapping one-liners with Ellen Degeneres?  How could he possibly pick Governor Crist, who is simpatico with him on a whole swath of domestic issues?  "Which is more important to McCain: conservatives or Florida?"

The bedrock answer to all of which is: It isn't just Crist who's "not one of us," no matter what Tom Coburn says.  Which is why it doesn't matter a hill of beans who Sailor picks as his wingman, unless he's planning on dying unexpectedly during a prospective first term.

Hmmm; perhaps that is a valid reason to care about this particular veepstakes, if more than a little macabre.  Regardless, being a conservative generalist myself, I would have the same visceral reaction to Mike Huckabee (aka Darth Scudder) as I would Charlie Crist - and as I do John Sith McCain.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, on the other hand...

In many ways, Palin is an ideal choice: a governor, a woman, a conservative, a Christian, a budget-cutting fiscal hawk known for opposition to pork-barrel projects....favors drilling in ANWR...

And she's even hotter than Jennifer Granholm.  That'd come in handy going up against the first female to head a national party ticket, who also happens to be none of those things (other than, you know, a woman, allegedly).

Of course, the Enemy Media would immediately try to mau-mau Governor Palin's youth and inexperience into a caricature of "Dan Quayle in a skirt".  But at least we wouldn't be robbing the cradle for the top of our ticket.

We'd be robbing the cemetary.

Or should that read, "Dem-etary"?