John McCain tells Ted Stevens to "step down".

"It is clear that Sen. Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down," McCain said. "I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will be spurred by these events to redouble their efforts to end this kind of corruption once and for all."

Wow this is huge!

I know that Stevens, feisty bastard that he is, wants to continue to fight this verdict. But it is beyond obvious he has lost the support of his party. How can Senator Stevens justify continuing his run for the Senate in the face of this conviction and the vote of no confidence from the leader of his party?

If, by some miracle, Ted Stevens wins this re-election bid, he will soon be ousted by the Senate. Who will the Governor select to take his place? My guess is she would select herself.

We know she has acquired a taste for the national spotlight and it is unlikely she will be happy back here in our small pond, being such a big fish and all.

But Alaskans need to understand that the only REAL choice we have is Mark Begich. Begich will join the overwhelming Democratic majority that will now dominate both the Senate and the Congress.

It is very unlikely that ANY Republican from our state will get any support in this new Senate and it will take a Democrat to start making the alliances and friendships that will help Alaska in the future.

So when you vote on November 4th (or earlier if you want to), then remember to think of the future, and what kind of Senator will most likely have the best chance of steering Alaska toward prosperity in the years to come.

(I need to give a hat tip to my friend Phil Munger over at Progressive Alaska where I first saw this incredible news.)

Update: I hate to have to admit I made a mistake, but I made a mistake.

The Alaskan Governor CANNOT appoint a replacement for Senator Stevens if he is forced out of the Senate. That right was stripped away from the Alaska Governor after Frank Murkowski appointed his daughter Lisa Murkowski to his abandoned Senate seat after he was elected Governor. After that Alaska adopted an amendment to keep that from happening again.

But what DOES happen is that we have to call a special election. So if by some chance Stevens wins this re-election bid, and he ends up getting jail time or being kicked out of the Senate (which is more then likely with a Democratic Senate), then there will have another election in which Mark Begich will certainly emerge victorious.

So no matter what happens on November 4th, Mark Begich WILL eventually be our new Senator.

But Steven's chances have now been reduced even more since Sarah Palin, having tested the political winds and decided it is in her best interests to distance herself from Senator Stevens, has now asked him to step down as well.