Could Sarah Palin beat President Obama?

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) says yes.

“Of course she can,” McCain said this morning on Fox News Sunday. “Now, whether she will, whether she’ll even run or not, I don’t know.”

Palin, he added, will be a “major factor” and “very competitive” if she jumps in.


Later today, Palin will launch a national bus tour at a motorcycle rally in Washington. As she begins her trek to various historical sites, McCain noted that the former Alaska governor “inspires great passion, particularly among the Republican faithful.”


She also draws jeers. “I’ve never seen anyone as mercilessly and relentlessly attacked” in recent years, McCain said.