The Other McCain that is…

Instinct counts for something in politics. Having been around the Beltway GOP for nearly 12 years now, I agree with the populist instinct that the national Republican leadership has succumbed to political elitism — a deadly temptation in small-d democratic politics.

Like the Buchanan Brigades of 1992, or like the Tea Party movement, the Palinistas represent an effort to get the GOP establishment to acknowledge the party’s conservative grassroots. If they sometimes commit rhetorical overkill — including demonizing everyone who is not a True Believer — this should be understood in context.

[bolding mine]

That said, I do hope they get past the “demonizing” quickly.  We have plenty of work to do in the time between now and 2012.  And I think Gov. Sarah Palin would agree.

Aaron Gardner