Of course the candidate also has to have broad appeal, especially to the Christians, largely because of their stand-alone $$ sources and networking (another reason I think Keyes), because 3 weeks has to be one helluva grass fire, and the Christians are the best source to really get that to happen IRL.
***That aint gonna happen. But there’s been so much spiritual warfare surrounding these candidates that I see it entirely possible that McCain suffers a debilitating illness such as a stroke. Then what? Pres candidate Palin, and... Thompson? Hunter? Someone that will keep the RINOs from bolting, like Lieberman?
Bear in mind that I wish no ill upon McCain- I hope he has a long and happy life, sitting on his front porch farting into his diapers, yelling "Get off my lawn you damn dirty kids!" from time to time, burping contentedly, and mumbling incoherently from time to time about his strawberries- And I hope he begins doing so tomorrow.
That being said, McCain OFF the ticket would send Republican stock trough the roof, and might even get a 1%er like me to pull the lever...
But I really doubt the Bakerites would turn Palin loose on the top of the ticket- They have kept her on a leash so far. And the idea that they would allow a Hunter or a Pence to rise up is to deny all reality. They WILL suppress Reagan Conservatism, because the moment the Reagan message reaches the people, the Bakerites are voted out. You know it, I know it, and they know it.
They govern with Whimpy's promise: "I will pay you on Thursday for a hamburger today..." GWHB gave us Quayle, W gave us Cheney, now McCain promises Palin... But somehow the Conservative they borrow to get them to office never makes it into office themselves. Thursday never comes.
It is all a "bait and switch" game.