We know the “Johnny Mac” McCain lusts after all those women who feel spurned by the by the Democratic Party because Hillary Clinton lost the nomination to Barack Obama. We know that there is a sincere belief among many of her supporters that she lost the race due to sexist attacks directed towards her by the Obama campaign, the media and the even the Democratic leadership. While I don’t think sexism was the deciding factor in her loss, there’s no question that, like race for Obama, it played a major role in how some voters perceived her candidacy, and there can be no argument that sexist, misogynistic attitudes toward her by some in the media (and here Chris Matthews and his MsNBC colleagues are the biggest culprits) were often on display nightly on cable television.

So, is the McCain camp looking seriously at a woman for the Vice Presidential slot? You’d have to think they would be crazy not to do so. Certainly many Republicans are pushing the idea, and a new name has started to receive a lot of buzz in conservative circles: Sarah Palin, Alaska’s Republican governor.

(cont.)

Draft Sarah Palin!

… Three weeks ago, I had no idea who Sarah Palin was or what she was about.

Then, I started researching running-mate possibilities for presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, and noticed a grassroots effort to get the Alaska governor on the ballot. Her name seemed to be everywhere, and I started to wonder if it was a horrible trick, dreamed up by some lovestruck, basement-dwelling teenager with raging hormones and a vivid imagination.

The more I learned, the more I was amazed by this tundra spitfire. I checked with a friend who works on The Hill in DC, and sure enough, she was everything the Internet machine said she was and then some. My friend called Palin the GOP’s “secret weapon,” and said she’s got the looks, the substance and the pinache to change the election for McCain … if only he’d consider her.

Gotta love conservatives. “Tundra spitfire” isn’t exactly the most politically correct term I’d choose to describe a woman these days. Indeed, my daughter was called a “spitfire” by one of her uncles once, and she still won’t let him forget it — and she was six at the time! But clearly, enthusiasm among some Republicans for her candidacy is building, even if some of it may be generated by her own efforts. And she has the kind of personal history that many people will find appealing:

I later discovered that one of the bigger items on her plate was the recent birth of her son Trig, who was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. The newborn is Todd and Sarah Palin’s fifth child. Their oldest, Track Palin, recently enlisted in the military. […]

Three days later, Gov. Palin was back at work.

One son in the military. The challenge of dealing with a newborn with down’s syndrome. And back to work three days after giving birth? Obviously a dedicated public servant. These are the types of personal details that would make her a very appealing addition to the Republican ticket. But would Johnny Mac pick a woman from a small state that is already likely to go in the Republican column this Fall? Well, he will if her supporters have anything to say about it. Some of them have even set up their own website called (big surprise) Draft Sarah Palin, where you can watch a You Tube video promoting her candidacy as an outsider who’ll help clean up corrupt Washington.

A pretty slick effort for a supposedly grassroots effort to put her on the ticket with McCain. In fact it looks like it was crafted by a fairly sophisticated PR firm, one that has experience in creating political ads, and not merely by a bunch of internet enthusiasts, S it’s a reasonable assumption to make that people with some money and influence in the GOP are behind this campaign to enlist her in Johnny Mac’s crusade. And the internet buzz isn’t just restricted to one possibly astroturf operation. She’s has had her supporters on the web touting her for Veep since before she gave birth to her new son.

What better way for my beloved GOP to show how beautifully modern and progressive we truly are than to facilitate and encourage John McCain, our nominee, to select Sarah Palin as his choice for Vice President? Baby Palin is not expected to make an appearance until mid-May, which is plenty of time for Mommy and baby to bond.

Proclaimed “America’s Hottest Governor” by an understandably prejudiced Alaska Magazine, Palin is the perfect choice for VP. Not only is she conservative, she is considered a “maverick” which would make her and GOP nominee John McCain a highly compatible duo. She was born in 1964 which would add just the right May/December touch to McCain’s seasoned 71. Not only would she bring a much needed bundle of joy to the ticket, she would also bring her 90% approval rating along with her!

Ann Althouse has a crush on her, and so does Jack Kelly at Real Clear Politics. So do many other conservative bloggers, for that matter, even if she is considered a “moderate,” (though for a moderate she seems to fall right in line with the traditional family values crowd – “Pro Life,” Anti-Gay Marriage, Pro Death Penalty – and she also talks a good conservative game on “tax cuts” and opening ANWR for oil and gas development). Even comic savant Jonah “The Doughy Pantload” Goldberg of Liberal Fascism infamy, thinks she’d make a good choice for Johnny Mac’s running mate, and Patterico calls her “easy on the eyes.” If that doesn’t cinch it for her what will? (And yes, that’s snark folks)

Still, would McCain put a younger woman on the ticket, one whose personal story and energy could easily upstage him? It would be the smart thing to do, I think, unless she has skeletons in her closet no one knows about. And by GOP standards it would definitely be outside the box. The other possible female candidates either don’t want the job (Condoleezza Rice) or seem no more charismatic than Johnny Mac himself (i.e., Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson of Texas). At the least, Palin would offer a fresh face, and if its one thing the McCain campaign desperately needs, it’s a thorough freshening up. Anyone who saw his lime green jello speech last Tuesday can attest to that.

Ps. For a look at Palin’s “maverick” credentials see this diary posted last November by AliceDem here at the Pond.