http://www.slate.com/id/2198949/

John McCain has had a problem lately. His "maverick" brand is really limping. It's clear that he's about as much of a "maverick" as Hillary Clinton - he votes with his party a whole bunch (like 90+ %). So what to do?

Do something OUT OF THE BOX and say "See?? I am a maverick".

That's what he did. That's the whole point here. The pick is a "maverick" pick but it is also REALLY REALLY CONVENTIONAL, since this bimbette is pretty much right at the core of the Family Values Wacko part of the GOP.

So, McCain thinks it's a two-fer - it's mavericky, and it's conventional in a mavericky way.

But sometimes you can be too clever, and this is one of those cases. Sometimes people are not considered serious picks because they .... are not serious picks.

That's Sarah Palin.

Did McCain really just pick someone who is under an active investigation in an ethics probe.

Wow.

Biden-Palin Debate.

'nuf said.

On a day that we should still be buzzing about Obama's masterful speech, the only thing anyone wants to talk about is Sarah Palin. Score one for the Republicans.

we have a bush/cheney redux with this ticket: anti-science, pro-oil/drilling, and under ethics investigation.

dems don't have to touch the experience factor, mccain just picked a vp that echoes the dems tagline: 8 years is enough.

LA LA LA LA LA HAY LA LA LA LA LA HAY! LA LA LA LALA, HAY!

Thank you John McCain,I guess Harriot Mayers turned you down

I'm 100% sure this pick represents a bald and misguided attempt to sway Hillary Clinton voters to the McCain ticket, on the flawed assumption her voters simply wanted a WOMAN in the White House. No, they wanted Hillary Clinton, a credible candidate with real experience on the national and international level.

As if I needed another reason to oppose McCain (and now to oppose McCain/Palin), here's a doozy. If John McCain's judgment is so flawed that he could pick a person as totally unqualified as Palin, and if HER judgment is so flawed that SHE believes she's qualified to be President, then neither one deserves a single vote in November. Both of them have miserably failed the most important test to face them prior to the Republican convention.

Parting shot at National Review's Jack Fowler -- gee, Gov. Palin's BEST quality is her likeability, huh? Guess that means we'd all like to kick back and have a beer with her, right? THAT sure worked out well the last time the country used that as a deciding factor, didn't it? Eight long, long years of Dubya (regardless of the fact that he's been off the juice for a long time).

I respect McCain's decision to go full force after female voters, but is this the best he can do?

Is the GOP so thin with woman that a 20 month Governor is the best bet? Condi Rice and Kay Bailey Hutchison have a lot of baggage and after that you fall to Alaska's 1st half of 1st term Governor.

I would think that picking an under qualified woman would upset Hillary's base not entice them. Seems like really obvious pandering.

It does not speak well of American's if this ploy works.

Once voters start thinking about the implications of this choice, it's all over for McCain:

President Palin

The Palin Administration

A Palin appointee

The Palin Doctrine

I didn't realize what a true disaster the McCain campaign was until today.

Has anybody mentioned that the odds of having a child with Down syndrome increase with age? At forty-four, Ms. Palin was at the upper reach of her childbearing years, and might have weighed not just the selfishness of adding to her family's massive Alaskan carbon footprint, but also the increased possibility that the child would be born with birth defects. In her favor, it is commendable that she didn't terminate the pregnancy when she found out that the child would be impaired.

Leaving Sarah Palin's readiness to serve as vice president, there is a nearer-term question about whether she's ready to run for that office.

Whatever her accomplishments in Juneau, she has never experienced anything like the gauntlet of media scrutiny she's about to undergo.

She got off to a good start this morning, but I can't see her getting through the next sixty-odd days without committing some newbie gaffes, episodes that would reinforce the image of her as a featherweight.

It's a massive gamble, but the McCain campaign believes (correctly, in my view) that a Hail Mary pass is the only chance they've got.

DO: Be wary of the following meme, Joe Biden: "The bar is so low for this unknown Alaska Governor, that all she has to do is..."

DON'T: Be scared to hammer her.

DO: Point out that McCain's "experience" blather has been just that.

DON'T: Just point out her inexperience.

DO: Point out that - given how old he is having someone who recently wondered "just what it is the VP does all day" a heartbeat away from the Presidency is...curious.

DO: Turn the inevitable debate on drilling the ANWR into a "Future vs. Past" argument.

DON'T: Pretend you know the minds of Alaskans.

DO: Keep the investigation she's currently under in the news 24/7, and tie her to Ted Stevens whenever possible.

VERY interesting....a college sophomore named Brickley. Could it be?

and Elephantboy just lost the election for the GOP...

Our Elephantman is an imbecile who can barely string 3 words together without lying. A scholar? I find it hard to believe he's the same person.

Maybe our flat footed friend will show up to clear it all up for us.

So much analysis, so much over thinking.

This was a desperate pick from a desperate candidate.

"Has anybody mentioned that the odds of having a child with Down syndrome increase with age?"

Actually, somebody did in an earlier post and I confess I missed the point of that one, too. Are you suggesting that she's selfish for bringing another kid into the world after she turned 40? She most likely knew the risks -- is there a parent that doesn't know there are increased risks after 40? I guess you reach a point when it should be somebody else's business whether you have a kid or not. I don't know what that number is... 50 years old, 60? I know it's not 40, though.

I also miss the point of why she's a hero because she didn't have an abortion when she found out her child had Down Syndrome. That's what being pro life is, isn't it? There's no exception for an abortion -- rape, incest, whatever. Have we gotten so jaded that it's a big deal when someone isn't a hypocrite?