Politico: GOP's New Mission -- Stop Palin

[Mr. Morden]

Middle-aged, inoffensive, calm, mid-western Man.

That's my biggest fear...

That's weird.  Mine is killer asteroids.

[Mr. Morden]

I'm pretty sure that the establishment will - actually, most of it already has - rally around Mitt Romney. There will be a few defectors that support Pawlenty, or other candidates, but Romney will definitely be the "establishment" candidate.

I think that's far from certain.  Most of the establishment hasn't rallied behind anyone yet, and probably won't for a while.  The establishment is pretty flexible, and will get behind whichever of the "acceptable" candidates is leading at any given time.  If Romney maintains a lead over the next year+, then the party establishment will stick with him.  If his campaign implodes and/or he's overtaken by Pawlenty or Thune or whoever, the establishment will waste no time in moving over to them.

[Mr. Morden]

Palin's response to the "chain smoking porn producers":

http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/01/sarah-palin-pounds-liberal-media-outlets-like-politico-for-using-anonymous-sources-to-attack-her/

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Well, at least she's not taking this personally. 

[Mr. Morden]

I honestly think Gary Johnson could do very well. Palin has the rural white, religious vote, so who's left? Fiscally conservative, socially moderate/liberal Republicans (in other words, libertarians). NH + NV, and he's a frontrunner.

I wish you were right, but honestly think you are way oversimplifying the make up of the GOP. If Ron Paul Love-o-lution couldn't break 20 delegates, Gary Johnson ain't getting the nomination.

Paul had many problems that Johnson won't.

1. Paul's campaign organization was terrible, they didn't really make good use of all their money.

2. Paul is not very good looking, nor a charismatic guy. He can come off as even a bit crazy at times.

3. Johnson may benefit in the southwest due to the favorite son effect. He'll probably take Hispanic Republicans as well.

Still, I do let my hope get the better of me.

I wouldn't get my hopes up either, and think there's no way Johnson will win the nomination.  But I'd add to your list:

4) Distrust of government on the Right is higher when the president is a Democrat, and there's also less of a reflexive defense of the Afghan War among Republicans (now that Obama is the one prosecuting it) than there was of the Iraq War in 2007/8.

[Mr. Morden]

This thread suddenly got very weird.

[Mr. Morden]

I see Palin as more like the Senate Majority Leader, in a few years.

What?

Seriously....what?