Stunner: McCain Not Running in 2012

Granted, with Obama being such a disaster he'd probably have a decent shot, but thankfully for the GOP we won't have to envision the possibility.

With unusual ubiquity for a losing presidential candidate, Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain has been popping up all over the media these days.

So it was probably inevitable that he'd get the same question asked of virtually every breathing Republican in these, the Grand Old Party's Days of Disarray: Will you be running for president in 2012?

First of all, McCain's got to win Senate reelection next year.

Second, the party's conservatives still don't like him, although as long as he lost in November, they've pretty much shut up about it for now.

Third, he'd have to raise an awful lot of money, which he genuinely hates doing.

Fourth, if many Americans thought he was too old last fall, how would they feel when he's 76?

Fifth, Republicans do not generally do well running legislators for the White House. (Yes, yes, Nixon was in both the House and Senate -- and that turned out well, didn't it?)

Sixth, I doubt the GOP is going to let the media pick their candidate next time around.