I don't know what George Will is thinking, but Sam Brownback is not going to get the GOP nod. He may be a smart guy and all, but watching him on the tube I just can't shake the feeling that I'm watching that comedian in the '80's who used to impersonate Reagan. Santorum will be lucky to survive his Senate race, and there is no way that GOP centrists like Hagel or McCain or Liberal Republicans like Giuliani or Pataki will ever make it through the Republican primaries. But after watching several tube appearances by George Allen and again this morning on This Week debating Hagel, I think he's going to be tough to beat. He manages to come across as both winsome and tough and appears to be comfortable in his own skin, something I haven't seen in a politician since Reagan. The nomination is his to lose.
If the Democrats aren't going to nominate a candidate with a real shot at making inroads into the Red States, like Evan Bayh, I just don't know why we have to go through the motions of another campaign when the result is fore-ordained. They still seem determined to give the nod to Hillary Clinton who will serve to energize the right as no one else could and singlehandedly raise millions of dollars in Red State cash for Allen's war chest.
An Allen-Clinton race is Allen's to lose and he'll probably win by five points. An Allen-Bayh race on the other hand is a tossup, and especially with Indiana going blue, presents a serious challenge to the GOP. But are Democrats smart enough to nominate somebody who can win? Stay tuned.