I can imagine a case where a (nominal) Republican might feel duty-bound to support an independent over the GOP candidate. If the Republican nominee was egregiously unqualified or held some sort of objectionable policy position and the indie was principled and extremely personally impressive, the balance in that race would shift. Note to Schwarzenegger: This is not that race.

I blame the weed.

The governor, a fierce independent who many Republican candidates would run from this year, tweeted: “I endorse Gov @charliecristfl for Senate. Great leader, works with both parties, and our country needs someone like him in DC right now.”

Mr. Crist (7,183 followers) tweeted back to his bud Mr. Schwarzenegger (1,814,804 followers): @Schwarzenegger – “I’m honored to receive your endorsement. Thank you for the kind words my friend.”

I assume Arnold’s preparing to announce his formal Bloombergian break with the GOP, as there’s simply no earthly reason for a Republican to support a weasel in human form over Rubio. I’m frankly amazed at the sheer balls it took to claim that Charlie Crist — Charlie Crist — is the sort of guy America needs in D.C. right now. He’s the precise opposite, an unmoored opportunist committed to nothing except advancing his career. No candidate this year better embodies the slick, say-anything “professional politician” at which so many tea partiers recoil. And yet here’s Schwarzenegger mindlessly blessing him simply because he’s a self-styled centrist. Does anyone doubt that if Crist saw a path to victory by running to Rubio’s right or Meek’s left, he’d do it in an instant? There’s your “great leader” for you.

Even as I write that, PPP is trumpeting a new poll finding that if Meek dropped out, a two-way Rubio/Crist race would stand at … 46/46. Alternate headline: “Blogger wets pants.” Exit question: Charlie Crist has only 7,000+ Twitter followers? What?