McCain’s loss, of course, means that it’s now time for recriminations, back-biting, and arguments about the way forward. I look forward to getting into all that over the coming days and weeks and months. But for now, my quick take: We’ve arrived at the Southern-centric Republican Party I warned of in my book (George Will: “The South is beginning to look less like the firm foundation of a national party than the embattled redoubt of a regional one.”). Now, the GOP can either pull out of this downward spiral or not.

It’s way too early to get a sense of which way things will go, but let’s just say it’s less than encouraging that this Rasmussen survey finds Sarah Palin topping the list of Republicans’ choices for president in 2012 — with Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney coming in behind her.

It’s way too early for 2012 speculation (though, man would that feel good). But if die-hard Republicans are unable to get over their (in many cases creepily sexual) infatuation with Palin — and are unable to understand what makes her so repulsive to non-die-hard Republicans — it will be a long four years.