From the Man Who Gave Us the Capitol Hill Moon Coronation

Joe Conason's recent article on Sarah Palin has some interesting information about Charlie Black, the Republican operative who arranged the 2004 coronation ceremony for Sun Myung Moon and his wife. Black had a big hand in John McCain's ill-fated decision to tap Palin as his running mate:

[McCain strategist Steve]Schmidt had collaborated with [lobbyist Rick] Davis and [speechwriter Mark] Salter to promote Palin over several more qualified candidates -- after a cursory background investigation that revealed almost nothing about her lack of knowledge, bizarre official conduct, and narcissistic temperament. When the three insiders presented her to a smitten, impetuous McCain, he accepted their judgment, ratified by Charlie Black, one of the most experienced Republican operatives in Washington, who told him that if he chose her, he might win -- and otherwise he would surely lose.