Update: According to the London Times, John McCain met Sarah Palin only once before offering her the opportunity to run for Vice President of the United States on the Republican ticket. She flew into Flagstaff, Arizona last Wednesday where she also met Cindy McCain before being offered the position. Palin met McCain briefly at the National Governor's Conference in February. The Republican nominee is taking an extraordinary gamble on the choice of Governor Palin, and many in his party are openly questioning the thinking behind it. Obviously his choice is an effort to capitalize on the alienation of feminist voters who wanted Hilary Clinton on the Democratic ticket. But even women appear to be divided by the selection given Ms. Palin's embarrassingly shallow experience in high elected office. Because of McCain's advanced age and past four bouts with cancer, many voters feel that McCain needs a running mate who could step into the Oval office and beginning running the country immediately should that be necessary. Democratic partisans think McCain's unusual choice of running mate demonstrates his impetuous--some critics say volatile--temperament that makes him unsuited to be president. Judging from his acceptance speech, Senator Obama intends to exploit this meme in the campaign's final days. How the consumate Washington insider, Joe Biden, will handle the novice but appealing Governor Palin during the single debate for the vice-presidential candidates will be an awkward and interesting interaction to watch. 
If you think the debate will be a walkover on national security issues, Cindy McCain reminded us all on national television that "Alaska is the closest state to Russia". Only in America. [ upper photo: AP] WHO? and WHAA? Think Obama is a cypher--what about a first term governor of Alaska who's previous elected office was serving as part-time mayor of an Alaskan village of 8,500? Still McBush's shocker pick is better than tapping Traitor Joe, and shows he is willing to go for broke. Gov. Sarah Palin, a former beauty queen and mother of five minor children, is under investigation for abuse of office. The investigation concerns whether she improperly pressured the state safety commissioner to fire a state trooper involved in a contentious divorce with her sister according to the Anchorage Daily News. ("Troopergate")
[photo: Miss Wasilla 1984, Anchorage Daily News photo archive]