Sarah Palin?

John McCain surely pulled a big surprise by this pick. But will it succeed?

First of all, he has the throw out his arguement about Obama's lack of experience. With Palin just 'a heartbeat away', it puts the experience theme that McCain has been pushing right on the back burner. How can he consider it an issue when he has picked a complete outsider with virtually no experience for VP. To me it looks like an outright pander to women voters and the initial comments I've read on blog threads don't seem to support that.

For some background information on Palin, this blog (via Andrew Sullivan) gives some excellent background, especially the 'Trooper-gate' affair which TPM has been following for the past few months.

A couple of obvious questions are raised - would she have been picked, with her experience and background, if she were not a woman to which the answer is blatantly 'No'. Will it work? I think this depends on how she handles herself over the next couple of months. If she comes across as knowledgeable and statesmanlike then it may be a brilliant pick. However, from whjat I have read, it doesn't look likely.