I know it won’t come as much of a surprise but I’m hearing from anonymous Hill sources (I always wanted to use that kind of weasel sourcing) that the Republicans are getting nervous as all hell about the selection of Sarah Palin as their vice-presidential nominee. It goes without saying that the ‘Realist School’ on foreign policy isn’t remotely amused by this pick. Senators Richard Lugar, Chuck Hagel, George Voinovich, and Secretary Colin Powell, Undersecretary Richard Armitage, Brent Scowcroft, and their ilk were already near their wit’s end with John McCain’s embrace of neo-conservatism. But this pick is a bridge too far. No one can defend it and it is getting more preposterous to try with each new damaging revelation.
Even Karl Rove acknowledged that she was a risky pick in his talk this morning with the Maine delegation. The soap opera is getting surreal. Sarah Palin’s involvement with the secessionist Alaska Independence Party is just the latest punch in the stomach to a reeling Grand Old Party. She is a Buchananite who liked (and maybe voted for) Ron Paul? Now news of her daughter’s pregnancy adds new poignancy to her 2006 campaign promise.
“Explicit sex ed programs will not find my support.”
Lord have mercy, it’s hard out there for a Republican pimp. They’re going to have to ditch Sarah Palin. They’ll blame her, of course, but the main fault lies with John McCain, who only met her twice before selecting her and who obviously did an inadequate job of vetting her. Picture Sen. Lugar at home with his wife watching this on his teevee:
Hoo-boy. McCain has less than 48 hours to yank this nomination. He better start cracking.