Interesting analysis, Dan. While we know that McCain is not nearly so clever, we know that Rove is.

Rec'd

Interesting. The Obama campaign is not taking an aggressive stance on Palin and as you point out that's a good way to go right now. It works to the Dems advantage if they don't go aggressive with it because then they can use it as a defense when McCain attacks on experience. Focusing on judgment makes calls into question the wisdom of McCain's choice and also we have to look at a history of decisions made by Palin, we do have to get a sense of what her judgment is. To say humans didn't cause global warming raises some eyebrows. Her administrative history is slim and managing an economy that is awash in an oil tax surplus poses no challenge economically beyond how to spend the excess money. The tax she put through was a good move, but it's a windfall profits tax, which is a position Obama supports and McCain is against. It will be interesting to see how the two reconcile that, but I'm sure they have a good spin for it.

There are enough people and pundits out there that are alarmed at the very real possibility of Ms. Palin as POTUS at the whim of a malignant mole. There is no need for the campaign to jump on it.

Dan, I thought you did a good job in that piece of explaining your thoughts in an entertaining fashion -- good work. I think you may have a point. Don't know if this was a 'planned' strategy or just the result of the situation but the advice stands.

My personal (cynical) analysis is this:

McCain chose Palin because the RNC didn't want to give up any Senators or Representatives, (it looks like they are going to lose too many as it is).

Palin accepted because she knows Obama is going to spank McCain in November and she jumped at the chance to put Alaska in the limelight.

If McCain goes down in flames BECAUSE of Palin - she's put the nail in her political coffin. I'm trying to see the best of intentions in that perhaps, just perhaps she is sacrificing herself for the good of Alaska?

Dwelling on the bad intentions also - I just can't understand how she justified accepting this nomination with a new baby and a new administration with a massive project (the largest in N. American history) in the works?

People here in Wasilla, Alaska think it's her ego that made her do it. All this time I thought it was envy talking when they would accuse her of ego-mania - but, I think they were right.

By the way, as a woman, I can tell you that women, in general, scrutinize other women far more than they do men.

Women are hard on other women, but high standards of ethics and women's rights demands that we are.

As a post-feminist woman raised by a feminist - we hate the sellouts more than the hypocrits.

It's why Hillary couldn't quite make it through that glass ceiling - she was seen as compromising her ethics to maintain a mutually advantageous marriage.

Hillary was also seen as an enabler of Bill's pattern of blatant sexual harassment in it's worst form - using his position of power to win sexual favors from subordinates. Bill didn't have affairs - he preyed on young women whose jobs he had control over.

Watched and enjoyed the video! God, I love your enthusiasm.

Hey Dan, that was great! I agree, she is to be the distraction that serves to highlight McCain's supposed "strength" and conversely focus attention on Obama's supposed "inexperience." Your vlog was fun to watch. The unconscious analogy they are striving for is if Palin looks insignificant next to Biden in the debates, then Obama looks similarly callow next to McCain. Fab analysis!!!

I think this video sums up what John McCain was really hoping for... he thinks Sarah Palin will be his Wonder Woman. Check out the cool spin move on the cover of vogue

don't know how to embed, but, here's the video.

note the lyrics. hilarious.

http://david-sullivan.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-john-mccain-picked-sarah-palin.html

I think your idea has merit. I think we should leave Palin out; just marginalize her and continue to go after McCain for his bad judgement, temperatment, and decision-making.