Which do you prefer if forced to make a choice, Howdy Doody or Darth Vader? I think you can guess the inference to which I allude. What has been the single best attribute of  the choice of Dick Cheney as vice-president to the presidency of George Bush? The thought of Cheney ascending to the presidency scares the hell out of you. Impeaching Bush would evoke dark consequences if Cheney would then be next in line. Bush incompetent, Cheney evil. This choice has allowed Bush and Cheney to operate with virtual impunity. A twofer impeachment would be highly unlikely. 
Is the choice of Sarah Palin as the VP nominee poor judgement on the part of John McCain, or a brilliant Karl Rove mix-and-match political strategy to ensure McCain can operate in the same imperial manner as Bush? Arrogant or incompetent? Think amongst yourselves.  

Did anyone just feel an earth quake? Seriously? 5:37 a.m. South central Indiana. Have been through quakes in N. Cal. & Mexico City, not major, but this one was bumpy and relatively long for here, worst I have experienced. No damage in this rural village. Nothing on news yet. Utilties functional. Anywhere else?

It seems the race for Indiana's 6th congressional district has heated up according to this article from the Ticker Tape of Howey Politics Indiana blog.

REPORTER, CD CANDIDATE ATTACKED: A Republican voter registration deputy faces battery charges after he tackled a newspaper reporter and hit the Democratic 6th District congressional candidate after a contentious Delaware County Election Board meeting Wednesday afternoon (Muncie Star Press). The meeting had just ended when Will Statom, GOP registration deputy and secretary of the local Republican Party, attacked Star Press reporter Nick Werner while Werner was interviewing Ball State University student Johanna Perez about hundreds of last-minute voter registrations for Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign. “He did not seem very happy that we were stating our opinions,” Perez said afterward about Statom. Werner said Statom seemed critical of his reporting, sarcastically saying to make sure he screwed up the story again. Statom had just walked past Werner when Statom turned around and pushed Werner against the wall, grabbed him and they fell to the ground, according to witnesses. Barry A. Welsh, Democratic 6th district congressional candidate, who attended the meeting, stepped in, and Statom turned around and hit Welsh in the eye. “When Nick went to the floor, I tried to break it up,” Welsh said. County sheriff’s deputies then stepped in and broke up the fight outside the commissioner’s courtroom. More deputies arrived when 911 dispatch informed police of an emergency in the county building involving a scuffle outside of the commissioners office. Statom refused to comment when he walked out of the county building. He was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies.