John Mark Reynolds understands our moment

Folks like Rod Dreher and Kathleen Parker want to to throw Sarah Palin - the one vibrant, true conservative we have on the '08 ticket - overboard. John Mark Reynolds does not.

If Palin bows out, millions of Americans will not vote for McCain. Palin is, I believe, more popular in the Republican Party than McCain . . . something that the nature of fund raising emails from the McCain camp (all Palin all the time) indicates astute Republicans know.

If Palin leaves it will be assumed to be involuntary, and McCain will lose.

This was always a hard year for Republicans and Palins’ strengths (some of which Parker listed) made this a race. McCain may lose, but my guess is it is more likely in the long term that Parker will vote for Palin for President than that Palin will sit with Parker on her front porch composing her thoughts.

It is difficult for conservatives in the media, academia, and other generally "liberal" (read: "leftist") professions to stay true to there principles. There is always the temptation to give in to the group consensus, and try to be a team player. But you can't be a team player when they aren't on your team! The goal of a conservative is not to be a team player, it is to be Right, and to stand up for the Right against the Wrong. Sarah Palin is a brilliant and Good woman, and the hysterical, spitting, vulgar fury she provokes in Leftists (and closet Leftists like Andrew Sullivan) is certainly not all the proof of this, but it is all the proof you need. To toss her overboard would be a slap in the face of stallwart conservatives, and one that would not easily be forgiven.

And never forgotten.