In a hypothetical competition for most exciting Vice Presidential Nominee . . . the clear winner is John McCain.

I’ve decided that selecting Sarah Palin is either a brilliant or disastrous political move! It has energized the conservative evangelicals who have never been enthusiastic about McCain’s candidacy to actually canvas for him. She’s an attractive Pat Robertson. It was interesting that she seemed to get more enthusiastic cheers than did McCain from the delegates last night.

McCain excited Republican women who I’m sure never thought a woman would be on the Republican ticket in their lifetime. And I think women across America owe him something for dragging the Republican Party across that line. (Although, I doubt a woman will be on the Republican presidential ticket again for 20 or 30 years, I’d be delighted to be proven wrong!) If McCain hoped to pull in Hillary voters I think he’ll be disappointed. But that may not have been his motivation at all.

Regardless of Palin’s lack of qualifications, and however much I’d have preferred McCain to pick one of the many qualified Republican woman, I think it was an important step for the Republican Party to take.

The Republican's attempt to deny Palin's lack of experience and qualifications is amazing. I’m watching in awe and with a significant amount of horror as the Republican machine repeats over and over again the big lie that Palin has more experience than Obama.

The choice of Palin has driven an incredible amount of media attention away from the Democrats. It’s fair to say that since McCain announced that Sarah Palin as his pick I and many other engaged Americans have spent a significant amount of time thinking and reading about her. He could have done worse, she has energized the conservative evangelicals in his party and we’ll see what happens in November.