The Brown-for-President Boomlet

BOSTON — At his morning press conference, Senator-elect Scott Brown (R-Mass.) seemed more miffed than flattered by a question about whether he had “presidential timber.” He apologized for being tired, and meant no disrespect, but it was a “silly question.”

Nonetheless, Max Fisher is collating the Brown-for-president talk on the web, which starts with Matt Drudge, who has had a “will he run for president” headline leading his site for around 15 hours. From my vantage point, it’s cute but ridiculous. If voter anger at the Democrats has taught us anything, it’s that a superstar can fall very fast, and Brown has perhaps the least-examined record of anyone elected to the Senate in modern times. How many Republicans are aware, as he reminded reporters today, that Brown voted for the Massachusetts health care plan?

Still Brown’s rise as a positively adored GOP superstar is going to scramble the alignment of power and influence in the party. It’s not yet clear how it will happen. But watching Fox News’ re-runs of election coverage last night, and watching Sarah Palin literally phone in comments about a campaign she had nothing to do with, seemed significant.