As McCain's "Victory or Bust" Express heads over the cliff, Sarah Palin is doing something interesting: breaking with John McCain. This is no accident IMO.
I believe Sarah Palin has realized a great truth in these last few weeks: McCain is heading for a major electoral catastrophe but she has a national political future if she can avoid being forever stamped with John McCain's "Loser" brand. That's why we're seeing her break with McCain in several important areas.
First, critcizing the excessive negative campaigning (as if she had nothing to do with it), e.g., robocalls and hate-filled crowd ourtbursts. Whether or not you believe it will work, she's creating a record and narrative that it was the McCain campaign, not her, that orchestrted the hate.
Second, cranking up her populist economic vibe, i.e., recent comments that the McCain campaign should be talking about the economy rather than making nasty character-based robocalls.
Third, polishing her conservative social values credentials as in calling for a federal constitutional amednment to ban gay marriage, contrary to McCain's "let the statees decide" position.
Why is she doing this? After all, she is McCain's running mate and should be carrying his water.
Answer: this is McCain's last desperate lunge before fading away, while Palin has a big-time political future if she doesn't irrevocably tie herself to the McCain debacle.
Who's drawing the crowds? Palin not McCain. Who is the darling of the cultural conservative/right-wing Christian Republican "base"? Palin not McCain. Who's only 44 years old? Palin not McCain. Who's going to be around to pick up the pieces of the Republican party after this election? Palin not McCain.
My guess is that Palin (or those advising her) realize that if she can weld together a coaltion of cultural conservatives/evangelicals and economic poplists, she can lead a hoped-for Republican resurgance in 4 or 8 years. In the meantime, she can buff up her resume with some foreign travel, practice her interviewing skills, and get ready for the next opportunity.
If you think I'm wrong, just imagine who the hard-core Republicans would rather have. Palin? or Romney? or Huckabee? or Giuliani? or Gingrich? or Jindal?
If I'm right, you'll see Palin clearly moving to the "values" and populist postions and backing away from the over-the-top negative campaigning in the next two weeks.