If Palin's dubious conduct *does* force her off the ticket, who will accept the berth?

[Franks Wild Years]

I mean, if she has to leave / be dropped, McCain has essentially lost the election via a landslide. His campaign automatically looks like the sloppiest, least prepared, most presumptious and preposterous of all-time. Damage control is about the best the GOP can do after that.

Who would want the VP position knowing that they're going to be tarred by association? Dark Lord Romulus almost certainly won't because he harbours ambitions of running and indeed winning in 2012. Huckabee, I think, while rather nuts is also too sharp to be fooled into accepting. Another woman is a no-no because it exposes the reasons for his initial choice in the minds of even the most idiotic voters. Jeb Bush, if he has no future desire to become President, may be the best bet simply because of his ability to shore up the remaining 30% who think Bush is doing a good job, but one could argue he loses more votes than he retains. Ridge is a possiblity, but do his connections to Bush's 'terror reports' doom him by proxy? Even Jeb can argue that he wasn't part of the administration.

I can only imagine Tiny Tim, Fred Thompson or perhaps a GOP return by Alan Keyes as realistic options.

[WillParkinson]

1. Why would she be forced off the ticket?

She's a republican. I mean it's not like none of them have ever not done something wrong before. It'll be OK. She'll repent to her god and her family and they'll love her all the more.

[pnwmom]

7. How about criminal charges against her resulting from the current investigation

being conducted by the Alaska legislature?

She's made a lot of enemies there, by posing as the enemy of corruption. This could be payback time.

[WillParkinson]

8. Still won't mean anything.

Republicans only care when Democrats do bad things. Republicans have a shield.

[democrat2thecore]

9. When it becomes public knowledge she was associated with A.I.P - she's gone -nt

[MrModerate]

2. Not gonna happen, but if I were them I'd put up some elder statesman

(à la Mondale after Wellstone died) who doesn't care about his future and is willing to take a few weeks of rough handling. Don't have any names handy, but I don't think it'd be one of the other presidential contenders.

[Submariner]

3. I heard Katherine Harris is waiting in the wings n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. That means Moxie and Spunk are in the running, too.

[Rebellious Republican]

4. huh maybe this ass hat.....

[chelsea0011]

6. It would be Mitt Romney and they will immediately talk about how he saved

the 1984 Olympics and is the guy to repair the damage. I predict this will all happen.

[TheDonkey]

10. Let's bring out the big guns. Alan Keyes is the Republican Party's only hope.