A brilliant pick, actually-- not because it appeals to me (she doesn't) or increases my likelihood of voting for McC but because it subverts the narrative of the race. McC has already knocked the pro-Obama media off their stride. Last night, TNR and every other media outlet-- left right or other-- was 100% about Obama; now all the buzz and chatter is about Palin and what this means for not just the race but the future of the GOP. Advantage McCain.

Second, McCain's talking points memo hit upon a theme that's now front and center given Putin's threat to cut off oil and gas flows to Germany and Poland next Monday if the EU punishes Russia: energy security. Putin has long made clear that this new cold war will be waged with pipelines, not missiles or tanks.

By choosing the governor of our main energy state, McCain's saying that the national security debate is now also a debate about energy security. Not "saving the planet" but eliminating our, and Germany's and Poland's and the rest of continental Europe's, vulnerability to Putin's strongest weapon, energy supplies. Again, this changes the narrative and knocks BHO and Biden off stride.

Just picture her sitting opposite Putin. Then you'll know.

Tep - this selection is less about the Cold War and more about shoring up the evangelicals. The energy as security debate is one that the Democrats win, not the Republicans (Petro dictators anyone?). I realize that you hate Obama but making the argument that the Republicans are suddenly the leaders on energy is laughable on it's face. Palin has the evangelicals excited about McCain.

True, BHL, I wouldn't vote for her. She has to hold her own against Biden or else she'll be a net drag on the ticket. We'll see.

But regardless who wins in November, this nation will-- finally -- start to get serious about discussing and resolving upon a focused energy security policy. Prius-driving Jim Woolsey was there years ago. Soon the rest of us will be. This is progress.

bsdespain - you're probably right re the bible-thumpers. As I say, she's not my cup of tea, and I wouldn't vote for her. Can't see her going up against Putin, but then again, I wouldn't want Obama to go toe to toe with that thug, either.

But you're dead wrong to say "making the argument that the Republicans are suddenly the leaders on energy is laughable on it's face." Pelosi completely botched whatever advantage the Dems had. Even she knows this, which is why she recently told Dems on Capitol Hill that they're free to chuck her off on this issue.

The nation, like Palin, supports drill drill drill. The GOP definitely has the advantage here. It's one of the reasons McCain's closed the gap with Obama recently and he and the GOP will press this advantage with everything at their disposal.

I guess one advantage of the Democrats having their convention first is people will look for the "me, too" in Republican speeches.  I certainly heard it when Palin talked about her middle class roots.

When our candidates compete on class bona fides it almost seems like Chinese class consciousness lite - the more humble the roots, the better.

Yes, post-2008 it looks like there will be two litmus tests applied to POTUS candidates: overt Christian religiosity and "humble roots."

Look for the GOP to try to rebrand itself as the party of pious, good-government Christian non-whiteboy outsiders like Jindal and Palin. I'll bet they'll try to recruit a lot more asian-american Christian striver types in the next decade.

Tep:

Far from knocking Obama-Biden off stride, I think this virtually ensures their victory. McCain's ill-advised selection of a woman who clearly doesn't have the bona fides to be a heart-beat away from the Oval Office does change the narrative, but hardly in the way you think. After the initial flush of interest, the serious questions will be asked: When would she apply the use of American power abroad? What strategy would she employ to get out of Iraq? How does she see countering the growing threat from China? Can she name even three leaders from the third world?

It will be a disaster on par with Dan Quayle. Sure she's attractive and nice and might know a thing or two about energy policy. She might even play a significant role in the future GOP, but right now she's greener than green. And her selection completely, totally, unequivocally and definitively undercuts McCain's entire argument about Obama being ready to lead.

This is a gift for Obama-Biden.

PALIN AND THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE.... John McCain's introduction of Sarah Palin as his running mate this afternoon was an interesting sight. If you watch the video carefully, and I hope you do, notice that in order to tell the...

The problem with the energy security issue is that we can't drill our way to energy security. Can't do it. The imbalance between use and production is far too large. More drilling can be a small part of the solution, but it can't be the whole thing. And don't bring up nuclear here, because most of our oil goes for transportation, not power. So if McCain continues to just talk about drilling and nuclear, he's not going to solve the problem.

But those are just facts, which don't necessarily matter in an election.