http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/08/29/DI2008082902052.html?hpid=topnews

Los Angeles, Calif.: It's clear from your responses that you don't particularly like her (I'm not speaking personally, but politically.) How do you explain her high approval ratings?

Gregg Erickson: I think she did a great job in taking on the oil industry, that has had a lock on Alaska politics since 1981 She is also stood up against the corruption in Alaska politics long before it was fashionable to do so. . I think those things resonate with many Alaskans beside myself.

Her approval ratings are high--65 percent, or so--but down from 80 percent earlier in her term. Most Alaskan's haven't watched her as closely as most reporters or legislators. If you took a poll of reporters and legislators I expect her approval rating would be down in the teens or twenties.

What kind of woman moves to vote with Palin?

They may literally be having trouble tonight. 

They did not attempt to befoul Obama's night by announcing, and that somewhat surprised me.  Although, I can see the logic of letting Obama have his day, and then you dominate the headlines the next day and deny him any more news cycles.  But now?  I literally can imagine a candidate getting cold feet. 

McCain's best selection may be a populist; change the conversation.   Meanwhile, Gustav is expected to strengthen into a "major hurricane" and the World's Worst Manager has hinted he won't go to the Convention to relive the shame of his prior catastrophic failure.

Politico.com says McCain will rally together with his pick for the losing ticket tomorrow, Friday.http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12915.html
  To do that, he'll inform the future failed candidate today.  Expect them to leak the choice during the day in a Roveian move to undermine Obama's stadium extravaganza.

Before and after the speech, the idea is for the Talking Heads to be agush over McCain's pick.  If they leak it during the speech, they can get a "BREAKING:" stripe at the bottom of the screen to distract from Obama.  Mitt will be okay to round out the losing ticket, but we can still hope it will be Traitor Joe!

Biden brings at least 4 things:

1.  Needed experience/gravitas
2.  Moves Obama toward center
3.  Supplies a toothy attack dog
4.  Shows that while Obama may fight back in his own way and time, he *will* fight back (unlike perception of Kerry).

Our readers here tell us Mitt can't stand up to Biden, while Pawlenty is skewered by Republicans on Politico.com as thoroughly outmatched.  (Maybe those things are true; maybe not.)

McCain folks must be asking selves, "Can we realistically win against Obama/Biden with the Bush coalition of religious dodos, etc., or should we try centrism?"  If they're worried, would they *dare* leave the "values" base with nothing but an IOU, and run a pro-choice populist like Rudy or even Powell (suddenly they are mentioning him) to try to match star power and heft? Potential game-changer?