The rumors are flying that Bill Kristol’s probable choice for his independent bid is conservative lawyer, veteran, and National Review writer David French. I don’t know either David or Bill personally and I have no inside information about whether these rumors are true.

A lot of people who have been praying for a big name like Mitt Romney or Tom Coburn are disappointed that the candidate is not someone who is more familiar to most Americans. I suppose it might have been better if the nominee started with higher name ID, but the ankle biting pundits who are mocking Kristol’s efforts have not done anything on their own to recruit someone with a higher profile. And let’s be honest, either Romney or Coburn would have come with their own baggage in addition to their own name ID.

If it really is French, it is now up to him as to what effect his candidacy will have on the race. The attention that’s been focused on Kristol and his effort thus far means that he is going to get some amount of media attention. What he does with it, and what impression he makes on people in the first week of his run, will go a long way towards indicating that he is a serious person and a serious candidate. And before anyone brushes this effort off as frivolous and irrelevant, we already know that French is at least ten times more serious of a person than Donald Trump, and he’s a major party’s nominee.

I guess some are determined not to give French a shot on the basis that he can’t possibly win. Personally, I could not care less. A realistic chance of anyone who deserves the office winning left the building a long time ago.

I don’t have a duty or obligation of any kind to vote for a candidate who might win. The only duty I have – to myself or anyone else – is to vote for the candidate who is most deserving of my vote. Hell, by the time election day of 2008 rolled around, McCain had no chance, and we all voted for him, didn’t we?

If French really does run, he will easily get my vote over any of the options that are currently on the ballot, in addition to my help gathering signatures and whatever spare money I can afford. Not only will he deserve it, but I won’t submissively tuck my tail between my legs and bow before the con man who bragged that I would support him even after he destroyed my party.