I highly doubt he will trash Palin, if he loses. I’ve got a lot of problems with McCain, but I do not think he would stoop that low.
Besides, it would make no sense at all to blame Palin. His primary opposition is coming from his right and Palin’s support could only help him there. If he were facing a RINO to the left of him, the idea tha Palin’s support hurt him might be somewhat plausible, but it makes no sense at all against Hayworth.
Now if Sarah actively campaigns for him and Hayworth beats him anyway, the MSM will aggressively push the idea that Palin has much less influence than we thought and mock her, but McCain will not say anything negative about her.
very good points, but my thought is that McCain is hoping Sarah campaigns for him until the end, and when she doesn’t he will blow his top when he loses and blame her not himself, which is where the real promblem is himself.