McCain

Twenty years or so ago a guy named Harry Muheim published a humorous political novel called "Vote for Quimby - and Quick" in which - skipping the story and most of the fun - a slightly clueless regular guy named Quick is recruited to run for Lieutenant Governor solely because his name would give the ticket such a catchy slogan. In the end - you've already got it figured out, right? - Quimby keels over on the Capitol steps moments after being sworn in, leaving Quick in charge of the state.

Fiction, sure, but things just as strange have happened in the world called real. Nobody thought at machine pol from Kansas City would get into much trouble as Vice President when they picked Harry Truman for the job. And I've noted before how mischevious crossover voters helped get Lester Maddox into the statehouse in GA. There are plenty of other examples, I'm sure. You can fill in the blank.

So while it may be fun for crossover Ds to have helped Romney in Michigan (if in any number they did) and it may be oh so tempting to hope Huckabee wins the primary and fractures the Republican party, it's dumb. It may seem smart to vote for the candidate thought most electable over the candidate you think is best but that's what sent the Ds to destruction in '04. Or one of the things, at least. It is not wise to put the wrong guy any closer to the levers of power than need be. It's not smart to vote for the second best.

It seems, quaintly, to me the point of an election is for everybody to vote for the candidate they think best for the job.

So that's why I'm saying - and yes, this is Yet Another Media Empire's first '08 endorsement - if you really feel you have to vote R (what are you anyway, some kind of loon?) vote McCain. He's the least evil wingnut in the race.