McCain picks Sarah Palin - interesting but very risky. Conservatives are gonna love her: pro-life, long time member of NRA, as a school girl used to go out moose hunting with her father, son in the military etc etc. Also has good reformer credentials, reform and cleaning up government basically forming the backbone of her brief career - this obviously counters nicely Obama's claim to doing things a new way, especially since Obama has virtually no achievements in reforming anything - Palin at least has done something relevant there. Also obviously appeals to wounded Hillary supporters and, possibly just as important, draws attention to the way Obama snubbed Hillary - the MSM is essentially turning a blind eye to that snub so if this brings attention to it that's a plus.
The quite apparent huge downside is the issue of 'ready to lead' - her resume is thiner than Obama's when it comes to the big questions and since that is where you want to attack Obama picking her creates a disconnect with the message. She does have chief executive experience, which is good - but Alaska? That could be a very hard sell. My guess is it will all depend on what she's like on the stump and how she comes across on TV - if she's engaging, appealing, and appears at least that she's not in over her head - well, who knows? Real gamble on McCain's part.
Certainly does divert attention from Obama's big speech - but, nice as that is, will quite obviously be a bad pick if that's all it does. She's gonna need to perform, to sell a message, to evince an attitude and a point of view that resonates.
Then again, no one votes for the Vice President.
[sidebar: Obama camp saying this takes experience off the table as an issue - ah, sorry, but that contradicts the point of his own VP pick which was that experience matters - interesting to see how that plays out]
[so, just watched her acceptance speech - not bad, definitely something there to work with. She exudes a down to earth, confident, can do attitude. I think I'm somewhat impressed]
