While I am a bit freaked out that McCain/Palin actually might have a shot at winning, I think that freaking out is counter-productive. One thing, and I haven't heard much about this anywhere, is that Republicans, especially those base-types, were never enthusiastic about McCain to begin with, plus they thought that basically they were going to pay for Bush's sins this election cycle. So when he brought Palin in instead of pro-choice Lieberman (if he had, you would have seen people walking out of that convention in droves), they went wild--I think a lot of the enthusiasm we're seeing is coming from these people, who think they actually might have a shot at winning now--plus, they got to spend 3+ days together doing what they do best--displaying the hate and fear that have become the hallmark of their sad party. These are the people who still approve of Bush and now they feel validated by McC's pick of Palin, since she is so much like Bush.

If you put this together with the MSM types who have always been "charmed" (as J. Alter puts it) by McC (plus he fits in so well with their corporate masters, who want a Repub in the WH to continue giving them the keys to the store) and were unwilling to criticize him and LOVE the idea of this fight continuing a la HRC and BO, you have the reasons for this Palin love fest.

But McC, so desperate to win (you can almost see him thinking "Gee, I'm one of the popular kids now" as he campaigns with Palin) can't risk having Palin exposed for who she really is--fundamentalist with scary ideas about the Rapture and end of days, an out-and-out liar about her record, ignorant on some important issues like Fannie Mae--and is pissing off some of the MSM with his refusal to have her speak. So some of them are pushing back. Plus they just can't ignore how her image is built on a pack of lies--and the blogosphere won't let them.

I do think Obama looks tired sometimes(like he did around that Hawaii vacation--I think HRC has it all over him in the stamina dept.) and he is sometimes too "talking points" for me as are some of his staff. But I think this energy thing is a cycle--and I don't think he would get much attention no matter what he did now.

But this Palin enthusiasm is, I think, in large part the result of those who have been ignored so far in this campaign cycle--the 28%s, the Bush supporters and fundamentalists who had no reason to even be cheerful before this.

Palin is a fraud as a reformer, that becomes clearer every day. She has also energized the opposition, who thought McC was basically toast. It may be close for some of the reasons 2004 was--vote theft by Repubs, a corporate media that favors McC (but does like Obama too)--but I think he will prevail. (I mean, c'mon, McC got only 75% of the vote in the Repub primary in PA when he was the only one on the ticket! Plus Palin insulted all those Catholic (many PA voters)community organizers)I find it hard to believe that a big percentage of white women will vote for a ticket that wants to reinstate the draft (where is the media attention on THAT?)or force their daughters to have coat-hanger abortions. I also find it hard to believe that Repub misogynists will actually vote for a woman who might become president, no matter how "hot" they think she is.

I don't see how humiliating yourself to bow to the Repub base means McCain can now position himself as a centrist--who would believe him? If you're going to make a demented fundamentalist your vp, then that's that. And my question about the base is: if you're a Repub and you don't have the base, who/what DO you have? And if you have THAT base, how can you appeal to anyone else? This base is lunatic, they're anathema to a lot of centrists and independents. What about the votes of horrified conservatives who are appalled by what has happened to the GOP? Why will they vote for McCain? Why, really, would any feminist vote for him? Sit it out maybe, but vote for Palin? And I don't agree about her necessarily being strong in the debates--she's poised in front of a teleprompter reading a speech others have written for her filled with snide, hateful comments in front of an audience guaranteed to eat it up. Every single day, more and more bad news for her. The latest: that general who said (in great detail and at length) that she really didn't function as a commnader in chief, has now changed his tune--and then she gave him a promotion! Gee, no abuse of power there! And those per diems?- doesn't matter if they're legal, they look bad, they make her look like the fake she is (wasting federal money to build a road to the non-existent bridge to nowhere, anyone?) She is ignorant, as her gaffe on Fannie M/ Freddie M showed. She will not be able to hold her own against Biden. Like him or not, the guy has a lot of knowledge about policy. This was a woman who didn't even have an opinion on Iraq two weeks ago!

I think this is the dispirited base reveling in their 15 minutes--and a presidential candidate who has been eaten up with jealousy at Obama's "popularity." When I thought about Palin yesterday, I flashed on all the fevered attention directed towards Ozzy O and his family, who have now faded back into relative obscurity--it's the nature of the media world we live in. This "excitement" about Palin will fade away soon enough--she doesn't really have the goods to hold on to it, for now at least, except for rabid right wingers. And it's not a good year for them.