Geez.

Actually, I'm pretty sure she is a very bright, capable woman. Still, it's just a little too bizarre if you asked me.

Geez.

Procopius, I'm fairly sure she is, too -- and I don't really think there was this amount of calculation behind the choice, at least not by McCain himself. But boy, if Karl Rove was still around... I'd believe it in second, you know?

Red, I'm not sure I count as a "true" fan of Northern Exposure, but I did watch a ton of it when it was on... and yes, I think your daughter is right! I actually thought of that show when Fred Thompson mentioned tonight that she's a skilled moose skinner.

Palin is a perfect example of the Peter Principle at work. I'm sure she is a perfectly capable governor of Alaska. But she got elevated to the national scene before her time, and it is going to kill any argument the McCain camp had about Obama's experience. Forget that she dresses like Jackie Onasis in 2008, bans books and has views on abortion sure to alienate women. Her lack of experience will make Obama look like a veteran to national politics by contrast. Bad move of a desperate man.

I completely agree, Jim -- it looks more and more like a desperation move. Even on the first day, before we knew exactly how little McCain knew about her, people were calling it a "Hail Mary" play -- and now that's precisely what it seems like.

But who knows? Maybe her speech tomorrow will make it worthwhile... or maybe she'll punch Joe Biden in the debate or something. I can't imagine.

My politics couldn't be more distant from hers, but she's going to play well in small town America, especially in Appalachia. In that sense, it was a smart and, yeah, bold move. In other ways, though...watch out. Just one example: While staging a photo op with her on an ATV in West Virginia will make 'necks everywhere tumescent, Palin ain't gonna garner McCain any defections from Jewish voters in Florida. Another thought, wonder how she would have stood up to the Meet the Press grilling she'd have received from Russert? There's no major media gauntlet out there now for poseurs, lightweights and frauds to fear running through.

Procopius: "Actually, I'm pretty sure she is a very bright, capable woman. Still, it's just a little too bizarre if you asked me. "

I think she's probably smart too. Could she possibly believe all the crap she says she believes though? Sincerely? It's hard to imagine.

Anthro sez:"I think she's probably smart too. Could she possibly believe all the crap she says she believes though? "

I doubt it. I have her pegged as the most ambitious woman since Cleopatra. She's just saying what she feels will get her to the next level.

That could backfire on her, though. At some point she'll contradict herself in her rush to say the expedient, and the Dems plus the MSM will be all over her.

We are in a war in Iraq, Islamic fundamentalists are determined to destroy us, Iran is rushing to build a nuclear weapon, Russia is once again becoming a tyrannical regime threatening it's neighbors, our economy is tanking, and John McCain, a seventy two year old man who has had four cancer operations choses as his running mate and the person who will be a heartbeat away from the Presidency a woman with zero experience in foreign relations and who was elected governor of Alaska by winning the votes of 130,000 people, about fifty thousand more than attended Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco field, a football field. The American people should be horrified and deeply frightened.

If this choice was a snide attempt to lure the Hillary Clinton supporters over to McCain, it will backfire, as Ms. Palin's positions on choice, universal healthcare, and the minimum wage are the complete antithesis of what Hillary Clinton has cared deeply about her entire life. If this was an attempt to get the evangelicals on McCain's side that will work somewhat as most were not going to vote for an African American Democrat anyway.

The pro-life movement in America has hijacked the Republican party and has caused it to lose the presidency, numerous governorships, and several senatorial races. Their single issue monopoly over the choice of who gets to run under the Republican banner is that of no choice whatsoever. You can be the most inexperienced candidate for vice president since Dan Quayle at a time our nation needs experience more than any time in our history since the second world war, but according to the Republicans, as long as you are pro-life issues like terrorism,
the economy, healthcare, the environment, and the war in Iraq all come a distant second.

The left wing feminists in the Democratic party who are whining about the fact that Barack Obama fairly, legitimately, and in every way possible defeated Hillary Clinton in caucuses and primaries nationwide and earned the nomination, and are threatening to vote for McCain to show their displeasure are people who do not care one iota about the issues Hillary Clinton devoted her life to, issues that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are agreement with almost one hundred percent. Any Clinton supporter who votes for McCain clearly cared more about Ms. Clinton celebrity status and persona than about anything Ms. Clinton fought for all her entire life.

I hope that the American people will not allow a person to become Vice President at this most dangerous time in our history who has the lack of experience Ms. Palin has and that the American voter will not vote for McCain solely because he chose a pro-life running mate. I also hope that the women that supported Ms. Clinton who are threatening to vote for McCain will think twice before voting for someone who disagrees with 98% of the positions Ms.Clinton ran for President on.

Barack Obama brings a needed change to the White House.