Tough Call Ahead for Palin

Speaking of Arizona...

Sarah Palin must not be pleased at all with the latest developments in the Grand Canyon State, as a poll out has John McCain tied in a potential primary contest with blowhard former Member of the House J.D. Hayworth. Yikes! The Sage of Wasilla should be rooting hard for Hayworth to pass on the race. Otherwise, what is she to do? Support McCain, and she risks losing the one big asset she has, the full and enthusiastic embrace of the Beck/Tea Party/crazy wing of the Republican Party, which will certainly be gung-ho for Hayworth. But support the challenger, and not only does she appear ungrateful to McCain (I think it's a little late for that worry), but more importantly she loosens any restraint that the McCain and his staff have shown in ratting out her antics during the campaign.

What should she do? Well, only she knows to what extent there's more to spill than the McCain crew have already dished to the national press. She may decide it can't get much worse from that side (putting aside whether she's capable of objective judgment about that sort of thing). At the very least, McCain himself has been nice to her in public, and that would likely end if she actively opposes him. Meanwhile, would her fans give her a pass for opposing Hayworth? I don't know; I guess that's when we find out if they are Palin fans or movement conservatives.

If the race happens, she couldn't just ignore it; she's clearly going to be involved in other primaries just as she was in the NY-23 fight. She could issue a neutral statement, but that might annoy everyone.

She really should be hoping that Hayworth passes.