Team Player

It's pretty clear now that even John McCain's own campaign managers underestimated Sarah Palin's nerve and/or outright stupidity. Choosing her may have "energized his base" of plumbers and overweight soccer/hockey/karate/bukaki moms but at the cost of alienating the far larger moderate/independent voters.

Palin is doing Machiavelli proud by ignoring the recommendations of the people that she is supposedly reliant on for a job. Her ambitions are pretty much naked now and it's clear that she is playing for HER future and doesn't give a shit that shes screwing over McCain. Not that I feel sorry for him at this point...he should have known better but he's been blinded by his own all-consuming desire to be President.

Here's Sarah Palin's dream scenario fueled by her narcissistic nature and the throngs of the unwashed that come to worship her.

1. Build as much popularity now as possible, distance herself from McCain as much as possible. By appearing to disagree with him she can later "wash" herself of blame for costing McCain his chance at getting elected.
2. Go back to Alaska and do as many "friendly" interviews as possible to keep focus on her while she arranges to take Ted Stevens's Senate seat after he gets shit canned for being an unethical bastard.
3. Return to Washington expecting to be welcomed by the GOP as the next "heir apparent" and begin a protracted candidacy for the President similiar to what Obama did over the last two years.
4. Run in 2012 and defeat Obama.

That is her dream world. Here's the reality.

1. She actually thinks she can screw McCain over and come away undamaged. McCain still has a lot of friends, enough to make Palin's career very short and even more meaningless.
2. She COULD get that Senate seat but there are a lot of people in Alaska that are less than thrilled with her performance as Governor since she became the VP candidate.
3. No way. The GOP isn't going to do her any favors, especially if she keeps on going off message during this campaign. And she's no where near smart enough to pull off what Obama has over the last two years. Ambition and good looks will only get you so far.
4. Only if the GOP is insane and Obama fucks up REALLY bad.