The ticket is now balanced: cool/warm; youth (relative)/experience.  Ties to PA won't hurt but not essential.

Re strategy, I think there are a couple of good ways to go.  Biden's experience really does trump McCain's.  Subject, verb, POW; plus Biden is a lot smarter than McCain.  Also, compare Biden as VP to Cheney; Biden will be a good Cheney: Someone with deep knowledge of the political system and with a view of the US in the world that is far different from Cheney's.

Unfortunately, the campaign deal with the Republican's attack on character and strength (read: manhood) directly and without qualm.  McCain's abilities, values, and political connections must be questioned, but also his character and/or state of being; it is necessary in this political climate. 

One way may be to focus on what has happened since he was savaged in 2000 by Bush, when he complained that they know no depths, to now, when he is using the same approach.  Suggests personal ambition to be president -- which he has said in a book, I believe -- willingness to sell out to achieve it, and a false sense of entitlement to that post. 

The New Nixon won election.  The New McCain should not.

Now this is more like it.  Brilliant bit of news-managing theater and the press is gobbling it up.  Who will it be? When will we know? Have the e-mails gone out yet? Two-three days of this breathless waiting, all generated by the media, while the campaign says nothing, the candidate drops a couple of hints, and gets mountains of free publicity.

This kind of thing seems more in line with the campaign's strengths and strategy.  Like the "bitch-slapping" (quoting Josh! quoting Josh!) approach of the Republicans, this also works.

Now, let's do some slapping of our own.

Why is McCain so bellicose?  He has PTSD.  Pass it on.