Carpetbaggery

I think Ramesh Ponnuru is just about right on Keyes and HRC. As a principle in law, I think voters should be able to elect whomever they want (I'm against term limits, too), and the infringement on political liberty that laws against carpet-bagging would entail probably isn't worth the benefits. Still, wouldn't it be nice if our leaders would choose to run for office in states in which they have some, any roots?

The differences between Keyes and HRC? Hillary never claimed to be against carpetbagging, so she can't be accused of hypocrisy. (Keyes' answer to charges of, dare we say it, flip-flopping? Illinois is his spiritual home. Er, yeah.) On the other hand, her move to New York is something like gerry-mandering on a federal scale: selecting a senatorial seat in an overwhelmingly Democratic, pro-Clinton state. Needless to say she's unelectable in most states.

UPDATE: Keyes compares the Obama candidacy to a natural disaster requiring out-of-state aid.