What do Republican Talking Heads really think about the Palin pick? Well, Peggy Noonan (h/t to our own Drew J Jones ) tells us that Palin was not the most qualified woman as McCain’s veep pick: “Most qualified? No. I think they went for the — excuse me — political bullshit about narrative.” Take a listen to this conversation between Noonan and Mike Murphy during a commercial break on MsNBC today. It’s about 50 seconds into the video:
Nonetheless you won’t get many, if any GOP sources to go on the record complaining about McCain’s choice about Palin. They are all in lockdown mode, loudly proclaiming that they are foursquare behind Johnny Mac’s decision whenever a reporter wanders by. But in their heart of hearts? Well, you heard the evidence from two of the conservatives most diligent water carriers yourself. They think Palin doesn’t belong on the ticket.
Hell, maybe I’m wrong and Booman is right. Maybe the GOP powers that be will hold an intervention and convince McCain to dump her. I don’t think he’ll back down even if they do, but then I never thought I’d see him playing footsie with Karl Rove and showing George Bush (on camera) some of that classic Republican man love.
Update [2008-9-3 17:16:37 by BooMan]: Rough transcript:
Murphy: You know, because I come out of the blue swing state government work. Engler, Whitman, Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush. And these guys, this is all how you want to (inaudible) this race. You know, just run it up. And it’s not gonna work.
Noonan: It’s over.
Murphy: Still, McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech to do himself some good.
Noonan: I saw Kay this morning
Murphy: They’re all bummed out. I mean, is she really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?
Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives and (inaudible) the picture.
Murphy: Yeah, but what’s the narrative?
Noonan: Every time the Republicans do that because that’s not where they live and it’s not what they’re good at and they blow it.
Murphy: You know what’s really the worst thing about it? The greatness of McCain is no cynicism and this is cynical.
