Rich – Since you make a good case that it’s now or never for any conservative with presidential ambitions, I think this is your moment. Your short-lived Mayoral candidacy clearly prepared you for a short-lived Presidential bid. You’re from Virginia, so you’ve got the Red-state thing going for you. In New York, your opposition to rent-control was a problem. But now on the national stage it could be pitched as both McCain-like truth telling and proof that you don’t cow-tow to those blue state elites in New York.
With your inside sources at NRO, you could get the rightwing net-roots going. I for one look forward to covering you in Iowa and New Hampshire and your debates with McCain (I promise to be objective!). It’s been a long time since we had a “in your heart you know he’s right” candidate.
Update: Oh and how could I forget!? A key plank in your campaign: Ponnuru for SCOTUS!