March Hares

Not to say, Mad Hatters.

John McCain has never before faced a serious primary challenge, and his election has then been secured by his popularity among Independents in a state where they, Republicans and Democrats are pretty much even. However, primaries in Arizona are closed. Independents cannot vote in them. And this year, McCain faces a challenge from radio host and former Congressman, JD Hayworth, the sort of person classified as a conservative in the Lewis Carroll world of post-Bush political nomenclature, and thus the sort that appeals to what, in historical terms, is now the incomprehensible Republican base.

So, which way has Sarah Palin jumped? Why, for the GOP Establishment, of course. Tea Party people take note: it is without them, not without you, that neither she nor anyone else can be nominated as a Republican for President. Despite the enormity of her fee to address you, even Sarah Palin has already forgotten about you.

If he loses the primary, then what will McCain do? His extremely rich wife could easily fund an Independent run, after the manner of his friend and preferred running mate, Joe Lieberman. But that still leaves the Democratic third or so in Arizona. And those Independents, probably a good number, with serious reservations about the war agenda. A morally and socially conservative economic populist and foreign policy realist, is this your moment, even if McCain is the Republican nominee?

With healthcare now a done deal whether people like it or not (and they all will soon enough), then on the moral and social conservatism, at least if you play it right then on the foreign policy realism as well, and even on aspects of the economic populism if you really do play it right, there are Tea Party and other votes ready to be harvested.