Crazy as Pataki’s campaign is, it isn’t entirely insane. Of the current candidates who have actually announced, he may well be the only guy that the big-money GOP establishment could get behind.
Now when Jeb Bush makes his announcement, he immediately moves to second string, but if for some reason Jeb’s campaign implodes, he may wind up being the only non-wingnut out there. Depending on how deep into the crazy the other candidates go, there’s a chance the establishment may decide that Pataki could be the closest thing to electable that is available. It’s a major long-shot, but not completely impossible.