Barack who?

[Keystone Phil]

I heard he gave a speech last night. It was a the subject of a brief segment on the news today.

[YRABNNRM]

I don't think it would be the same had McCain picked Pawlenty or Romney.

[Iosif]

Short term over long term.

Definitely country first, isn't that right John?

[Keystone Phil]

I don't think it would be the same had McCain picked Pawlenty or Romney.

I totally agree. I wanted Pawlenty but he could never match this excitment. Ever.

[Eraserhead]

I think it'll start to die down by tomorrow.

Anyway, there is still the question as to whether the real reaction to all this will be positive or negative. Perhaps it will change nothing... who knows?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

McCain's team formulated this VP pick masterfully. Pawlenty and Romney would never have commanded the coverage that Palin has done. He stole the spotlight so that the media couldn't salivate over Obama's speech last night.

[HappyWarrior]

I have to admit that McCain's VP rollout was better than Obama's, though I still think Obama made a far stronger choice.

[Brittain33]

I have to admit that McCain's VP rollout was better than Obama's, though I still think Obama made a far stronger choice.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I have to admit that McCain's VP rollout was better than Obama's, though I still think Obama made a far stronger choice.

[Lief 🗽]

So, McCain wins a day and loses his best attack against Obama. I can live with that.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Team Obama is trying to attack Palin right now on her inexperience.  That's so adorable.

Team Obama was definitely caught off guard here.

[Beet]

I heard he gave a speech last night. It was a the subject of a brief segment on the news today.

So what? It's not like this was a surprise due to the "tradition" of the out-party going first in all things.

If the Dems lose again, I don't see how they can agree with this tradition. If you're not taking public funds, move the convention to the week before election day.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Team Obama is trying to attack Palin right now on her inexperience.  That's so adorable.

Team Obama was definitely caught off guard here.

A lot of the Republican insiders were caught off guard too, Mr. President.

[Sbane]

Team Obama is trying to attack Palin right now on her inexperience.  That's so adorable.

Team Obama was definitely caught off guard here.

Well this just takes away Mccain's central theme of attack against Obama. That's pretty adorable as well.

[Alcon]

I have to admit that McCain's VP rollout was better than Obama's, though I still think Obama made a far stronger choice.

I agree, but this was hardly a Hail Mary.  She may be less of an endurance choice than Biden, but she does have long-term benefits when it comes to theme.

[elcorazon]

1.  the rollout wasn't so much better as the selection was a surprise so all the speculation and false starts led to a more interesting and entertaining selection.
2.  of course this trumps news regarding last night's speech, mostly because last night was a speech, which you either saw or you didn't (you can still see it of course) but it's not really NEWS.  We all knew in advance Obama would speak at Mile High Stadium.  Palin as veep is news because until today, we didn't know.
3.  after we all get used to the fact that Palin's veep, the news cycle will go back to the hurricane and the upcoming republican convention. 
4.  meanwhile obama's currently up 8 in the lates gallup tracking poll.  I doubt it'll hold up, although it may rise one more day since the speech really isn't even reflected at all, and it seems as though Wednesday's numbers must've been really strong for Obama.

[Keystone Phil]

So, McCain wins a day and loses his best attack against Obama. I can live with that.

If that's the case, did Obama lose his best attack of "change" when he picked a man who has served in the Senate for nearly forty years?

[12th Doctor]

So, McCain wins a day and loses his best attack against Obama. I can live with that.

No he didn't, because everytime the Obama campaign is forced into making the argument that the Republican VP choice has little experience and thus you can't attack Obama, they are forced to tacitly admit that the guy who is actually at the top of their ticket doesn't have any.

Moreover, Obama gave up his best argument for Change by picking Biden.  And now the Republicans have one upped Obama by picking someone who actually has a record of reform.

Let's pit our "small business owner" at the bottom of our ticket against your "community organizer" at the top and see who wins.

[Alcon]

No he didn't, because everytime the Obama campaign is forced into making the argument that the Republican VP choice has little experience and thus you can't attack Obama, they are forced to tacitly admit that the guy who is actually at the top of their ticket doesn't have any.

The idea isn't that Palin can be attacked for inexperience, but that it's an effective counter for Obama should the issue come up.  It increases the chance that McCain will be compelled to leave experience as a back-burner issue, allowing the voters to continue to wrap their heads around it, but not influencing it so as to risk a detailed debate on the matter.  Hell, he's already been doing that.

Moreover, Obama gave up his best argument for Change by picking Biden.  And now the Republicans have one upped Obama by picking someone who actually has a record of reform.

Let's pit our "small business owner" at the bottom of our ticket against your "community organizer" at the top and see who wins.

Palin's reform record is not headline-grabbing.  It's more biographical.  That's nice, and it's an asset, and it plays into the maverick record, but she just doesn't realistically "neutralize" Biden.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

No he didn't, because everytime the Obama campaign is forced into making the argument that the Republican VP choice has little experience and thus you can't attack Obama, they are forced to tacitly admit that the guy who is actually at the top of their ticket doesn't have any.

The idea isn't that Palin can be attacked for inexperience, but that it's an effective counter for Obama should the issue come up.  It increases the chance that McCain will be compelled to leave experience as a back-burner issue, allowing the voters to continue to wrap their heads around it, but not influencing it so as to risk a detailed debate on the matter.  Hell, he's already been doing that.

Tell this to Obama's campaign, who have already come out attacking Palin's inexperience.