Sen. McCain Picking Idaho Native For VP?

It looks like Sen. McCain might be making a bold selection for Vice President in picking Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. She apparently has good conservative credentials and seems to be very pro-drilling, but the choice kind of throws out any "experience" advantage Sen. McCain might have had. (On the other hand, it didn't matter for the first President Bush in running Dan Quayle against Lloyd Bentsen.)

Gov. Palin was born in Idaho, and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1987, so this probably locks up Idaho's electoral votes for the GOP. (/sarcasm) Still, I can't help but seeing a little bit of a Geraldine Ferraro effect in her selection. I'm still backing Sen. McCain (identity politics-wise, I really have no choice, with a retired Navy officer running with someone with Idaho connections), but I think he could have made a better choice. Having someone go from former small-town mayor to being one heartbeat away from the Presidency in two years is a little extreme, IMHO.

Update 1314 29 Aug: While Gov. Palin might not be the best choice from a political standpoint, I think it's absolutely great from the perspective of looking at who would bring out the most humorous reactions from others. As someone who thinks both candidates for President are acceptable (for very different reasons), I'm not as interested in the results this time as I am in the process. I'm excited to find out many completely absurd statements can be made in the shortest time. Will it be the "social conservatives" tripping over themselves to say that they've always thought it was perfectly fine for the mother of young children to be working outside the home? Or will it be the DUmmies and KOSsacks who end up saying ridiculous things the Obama campaign will eventually have to condemn? (The best one I've seen so far: This DU thread discussing the likelihood that Gov. Palin didn't really have her 5th child, but that it's really her teenage daughter's.)

Mainstream Democrats will be trapped by their own fear of appearing to speak badly of any person belonging to a "minority" group (for fear of offending others of that minority) that Sen. Biden may end up pulling his punches in the VP debate. I look forward most, however, to Democrats who won't have any problem wondering how any woman could ever choose to have so many kids (especially those with disabilities) and making snide little jokes about "I bet McCain can't wait to drill Palin". I expect 9 weeks of absurdity galore!