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[Midnight Rider]

Good choice demographically, but with virtually NO experience at the national level, much less foreign, and with McCain's age and health issues, she could end up being president.  Don't get me wrong, I hope McCain lives to a ripe old age, but if elected, the job takes a real toll, both physically and mentally.

I see the selection as strictly an appeal to the woman vote and not necessarily a substantive addition to the ticket with regards to the actual work that needs to be done.

I guess we'll see what happens in the debates, but Biden is going to chew her up and spit her out, I'm afraid.  The Pres debates will be interesting as well...McCain better hold his temper, 'cause he's going to get provoked.

[BigR55]

 It is harder, however, to say that this is vitally important when you're own running mate is three years younger than Obama, has two years in a Governorship, never served a legislature, and whose only foreign policy experience is chasing away out of town dogs when she was a town mayor before being Governor.

HOT DAMN!  

Now we can get back to street duals complete with six shooters, cowboy hats, chaps and hand rolled cigarettes! Put those pesky lawyers out of business!

Better get her up to speed quickly, one like that KILLED my grandpa!

[Twolanerider]

I guess we'll see what happens in the debates, but Biden is going to chew her up and spit her out, I'm afraid.  The Pres debates will be interesting as well...McCain better hold his temper, 'cause he's going to get provoked.

That much I'm not as sure of.  It's certainly a larger stage than she's been on.  But Alaska politics isn't kid gloves at all.  And she's been a real maverick up there.

When Murkowski put her on (can't think of the formal name for it) the state commission that watches oil and gas resources she did much to get the ball rolling against a large cohort of corrupt state and commission officials.  It was those investigations that cracked the iceberg that led to the investigations against Senator Stevens and Congressman Young.  The old line state GOP has not been her biggest fan.  She basically kicked them in the privates and moved on as she pleased anyway.

Whether it was a decision made before the Democratic choice or not it still has the perception of a counterpunchers choice though.  It'll also be interesting to watch how she and McCain get along. 

A maverick choosing a maverick gives thouhts of kindred spirits.  But when there's still really only one big dog in the room animosities can brew.

The dynamic of the campaign has at least changed significantly; at least for awhile.  So it'll be interesting to watch.  Very interesting, in fact, to see who Palin does on the national stage and how quickly she gets comfortable there.

[WaSEEG]

Hmm, interesting pick by McCain.  At first I thought that it was aimed at the 18 million HRC supporters but on second thought it likely won't have a huge impact as most of Hillary's supporters are pro choice and the Honorable governor of Alaska is decidedly pro life.  If there is any issue out there that is more polarizing than abortion, I don't know what it is.  For many, on either side of the issue, it makes them essentially one issue voters and gender doesn't enter into the equation.

[FNGw/08SERK]

Didn't take long for the lobby's to go to work on McCain's  VP pick. Check this out... it's only the beginning

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/08/29/welcome-to-ohio-sen-mccain-here’s-what-workers-have-to-say/

[BIGDOG]

Well this should PO all the red nicks out there , a woman for Vice President and with McCain 72 she will probably have to finish of his term should he get elected.

[ultrafxr]

She seems very savvy to me, and she is most definitely conservative which will go a ways towards helping McCain since he is more middle of the road.  I think she'll hold her own against Biden in the debates and I'm not all that concerned about foreign policy experience.  The potus will have expert advice and his/her task is to sort through the conflicting opinions and make decisions based on his/her core beliefs and what is in the long-term best interest of the country.  Remember Give 'em hell Harry Truman.  I'll take more like him any day and she seems to be of that ilk.

[greglyon]

I guess the McCain advisers figured out he can't beat Obama on the experience argument as he picks someone with no foreign policy or national security experience. I guess they have to change their tv ads. 

Will Hilary folks really be attracted to someone against a woman's right to choose and a life member of the NRA.  I think women will see beyond the gender and look at the substantive differences between Hillary/Obama  and Sarah.  Assuming they do, why this pick?   Desperation?  Extra media coverage? Apeasement of the Evangelicals or D all of the above.       

[BIGDOG]

I guess the McCain advisers figured out he can't beat Obama on the experience argument as he picks someone with no foreign policy or national security experience. I guess they have to change their tv ads. 

Will Hilary folks really be attracted to someone against a woman's right to choose and a life member of the NRA.  I think women will see beyond the gender and look at the substantive differences between Hillary/Obama  and Sarah.  Assuming they do, why this pick?   Desperation?  Extra media coverage? Apeasement of the Evangelicals or D all of the above.       

I pick D and a fine example of poor judgment.

[Twolanerider]

Assuming they do, why this pick?   Desperation?  Extra media coverage? Apeasement of the Evangelicals or D all of the above.       

The options suggest a bias before the fact.  No sense of desperation currently as the race is generally seen to be a statistical dead heat at the moment.  And you say "media coverage" like it's a bad thing . 

Appeasement to more right/religious cohort may be a gain but it can't be a foundation of the choice.  Governor Palin doesn't have an overt religiosity on her political resume' and that branch of the party just isn't the juggernaut that it used to be.  Plus, you really think they're voting for Obama/Biden?

Just a guess but I think the biggest hint to the choice was in her speech the morning.  The several mentions of "reform."  Both what she'd done in Alaska (which was significant) and that they'd look to continue the same at the Federal level.  Just a hunch, but I've thought that when Senator McCain closes his eyes and sees an image of himself he sees a guy in a Superman shirt but with a big R rather than a big S.

He pushed hard for his view of ethics and campaign reform.  He thinks he sees a kindred spirit.

Sooner or later the campaign will have to respond to the Obama language that places him running against Bush more than McCain by simply saying "hey, remember, I ran against that guy too."  That should effectively blunt the effort to co-locate any perception of Bush and McCain as siamese twins. 

There are other issues with the Palin choice for sure.  Those you mention I really don't see as vital among them though.  If the McCain campaign is smart he'll even do a little tongue in cheek with the popularity she'll gain for awhile and be like Jack Kennedy was with Jackie when they toured Europe together during his Presidency.  "Hi, I'm the guy accomanying future Vice President Palin around the country for awhile." 

If she works well and doesn't shrink before the national press and they make a real issue of specific and large future reform they co-opt the "change" message from the other side and make some real gain because of the choice.  They do limit the attack they can make on Obama's lack of experience with the Palin choice but the Obama campaign can't exploit her limited chops either.  Doing so, after all, would only highlight his own limited record.

[Twolanerider]

I pick D and a fine example of poor judgment.

Good or bad judgment we'll only know in hindsight more than we have now.  It is an interesting choice though.  Certainly adds a dynamic to the choice we did not have before.

[BIGDOG]

To date McCain has offered nothing but slanders and negative ads . He has no answers to what the Bush administration has done TO this country. He still has to tow the party line and that is what so many people are against. I saw a reply from another reader who said his life was much better off now than before Bush, Well I am happy for him but maybe he should look around and see how every one else is.The world is a much scarier place , as we have pissed on every bush around us outside of our own yard .The world does not see us as an ally but rather a paper tiger that bullies every one. We need to work WITH others and resolve these issues before we doom ourselves. McCain is not that type of man but rather a small guy with a small guy attitude.

[Hugh Janis]

I'd rather have an angry small guy with an itchy trigger finger than a cowardly pacifist bent on appeasement.  Libya used to threaten us for crying out loud!  They were responsible for the Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.  Haven't heard a peep since their Presidential Palace was bombed.  In fact, weren't diplomatic relations recently reestablished?  Americans overseas need to know that their old man can whip someone elses old man.  It makes me  feel secure when I'm traveling outside of the country.  I see no problem at all in defending our interests.

[MJZ]

The dems have already started a panic in the streets, their talking points have been distributed to the lacky's (see the post here this morning from Pelossi's butt boy).
If this was a poker tournament, Republicans just went "all in" and the dems started crying to the media, as expected.
Game, set, match! Sorry Muslim countries, Allah ain't moving in here!

[LRebel]

I'd rather have an angry small guy with an itchy trigger finger than a cowardly pacifist bent on appeasement.  Libya used to threaten us for crying out loud!  They were responsible for the Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.  Haven't heard a peep since their Presidential Palace was bombed.  In fact, weren't diplomatic relations recently reestablished?  Americans overseas need to know that their old man can whip someone elses old man.  It makes me  feel secure when I'm traveling outside of the country.  I see no problem at all in defending our interests.

DITTO!