As McCain heads, probably inexorably, toward his McGovern moment (benchmark: Eagleton, 42 at the time, lasted about 18 days before McGovern "accepted his offer to withdraw"), I am reminded of another element of the 1972 campaign worth recalling. (please join below the fold.)
Not only did Eagleton hurt the ticket by failing to be completely above-board about his past electroshock treatments. It would later emerge that Eagleton apparently helped the undead columnist Robert Novak coin the branding that helped turn McGovern's likely defeat into an historic landslide:
"George McGovern: the candidate of amnesty, abortion, and acid."
I doubt Palin is capable of such colorful framing (but, hey, I hope someone is micro-analyzing any statements of support she made for other primary candidates). But the aliterative phrase was memorable.
What three "A"s would sum up McCain's candidacy?
The "Amnesty" part could almost be kept (though its amnesty in a different sense these days). The problem with that is that McCain has now flip-flopped on immigration and no longer supports the bill he wrote.
Now tell me: how big a maverick do you have to be to reject legislation you, yourself, authored? Wow.
However, it could be reasonably argued:
John McCain: the candidate of aristocracy, aggression, and Ambien.
By the way, look for McCain to come out any minute now with a statement that he's still behind her 1000%. If we're really, really lucky, that might be followed up with a Palin "Checkers speech."
But, alas, Sarah Palin is no Richard Nixon.
So, as a gimme to our leading pundits, as they work tirelessly to try to make the election look close, a talking point after the inevitable:
"Only a true maverick could show that kind of support for his embattled running mate, and then still ditch her later..."
As for who might come next? McGovern picked a Kennedy in-law in Sargent Shriver.
So if the analog sticks -- maybe...
Arnold Schwarzenegger?!?!?