McCain thought Palin was better than Romney

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Harris-Moore 2016? You betcha!

Politico:

Asked why he chose not to go with Romney, McCain said: "Oh come on, because we thought that Sarah Palin was the better candidate. Why did we not take [Tim] Pawlenty, why did we not take any of the other 10 other people. Why didn't I? Because we had a better candidate, the same way with all the others... Come on, why? That's a stupid question."

No, it's not a stupid question. People want to know why Palin and not Romney -- or, really, just why Palin. McCain's just an old crank at this point. If he doesn't want to answer questions, he should get the hell out of politics and retire to one of his many homes.

Anyway, let's not read too much into this. It's not that Palin was simply better than Romney, and it's not that she was necessarily "the better candidate." What she was, as we now know, was a "game change," which is exactly what McCain needed, or what his campaign thought he needed, at a time when he was floundering. And, too, she was the neocons' empty vessel, and of course the neocons, led by Krazy Bill Kristol, were big in the McCain campaign, having long been ardent supporters.

And maybe the old guy just feel head over hells for her, what with her sultry charm, what with that intoxicating wink.

Whatever. He blew it, and he's spent the past four years aggressively defending his pick, protesting way too much for his own good. This is just more of the same.