It's Palin

Multiple sources are claiming this is true, and that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is John McCain's pick for vice president. CNBC was the first to call it, backed up by the Chicago Tribune, and now NBC is confirming it. John McCain should be making it official shortly. Even Mark Levin is on board and few have been as critical of John McCain than "the Great One."

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of this choice.

Cons:

She is an experienced politician, but not as experienced in the chief executive role as Romney or T-Paw (Tim Pawlenty). This could kill the "Barack is inexperienced" attack that the McCain camp has cultivated. There is also a rumor of a scandal she's involved in revolving around the dismissal of a commissioner who refused to fire a state trooper that was connected to her sister, and was in the middle of a divorce from her sister. Governor Palin has repeatedly stated it had nothing to do with her sister, and given her reform minded approach, she doesn't seem to be the sort to play "Chicago Way" politics.

Pros:

She's a reformer. She's done her damnedest to clean up Alaska, and the corruption that was going on in the state. (Wish she could have done something to ensure that Ted Stevens was out.) She's down to earth, and she's all for drilling. Picking her also adds speculation to John McCain mulling the idea of drilling in ANWR which Governor Palin has been wholly in favor of. She's young, at 44, and will certainly ease those conservatives who were worried about John McCain's longevity. She's a mom with five kids. She is a conservative's conservative. She will be a lightning rod for the base that it can get behind.

From Mark Levin:

Palin is by all accounts a principled conservative and government reformer who can contribute mightily to the decision-making that occurs in the White House. She has more executive experience in her two years as governor than Obama, Biden, and McCain combined. She is a mother of five in what appears to be a loving and functioning family. And she is someone Republicans, conservatives, and others can rally behind in the future.

From a purely tactical aspect, Palin would knock the legs out from under Obama's monopoly hold on "change." And attacks on her "inexperience" will only highlight one of Obama's greatest vulnerabilities — and he's at the top of the Democrat ticket. And because Hillary Clinton spent months telling women voters that they are being dissed by Obama, some percentage of women who normally would not vote for McCain will take a second look if Palin's on the ticket. There is no question that a Palin selection would cause the Obama camp headaches.

From Jonah Goldberg:

The way she talks. She has something of a native Alaskan's accent/speaking style. When I heard her speak last month, I was stunned by how parochial she sounds, not substantively, but stylistically. She refers to herself not as a mom or mother but as a "mama." If she's the pick —and it sounds like she— I think this could be both an advantage and disadvantage. The disadvantage is that the press will make fun of her for it. The folks at Slate and New York magazine will titter at the rube from the provinces. Look at what sophisticated talkers Biden and Obama are compared to this bumpkin! (You'll get a similar but more shrill line of argument from feminists who will immediately claim she's not a real woman for whatever b.s. reason). This in turn could be a great advantage for her and the ticket because she'll play well in Peoria as an authentic American woman (and man, oh, man will the Nascar crowd love her husband). The cosmopolitanism of the Democratic ticket will stand out in even starker relief. But remember: at the end of the day all of the scorn and ridicule visited upon Bush for his cowboyish way of talking probably helped him.

What about the debates? The immediate response from lots of folks is, "Can she stand up to Biden?" I think this is an open question. She will certainly have to do a lot of homework on foreign policy. However, it's entirely possible Biden would go into a debate even cockier than usual and, like Hillary Clinton in her debate with Rick Lazio, she could make things far more difficult for him than a man would. She'd have to seem very confident and know her stuff, but Biden would all of a sudden have to be very wary of seeming condescending.

Quick, and provisional bottom line: The upside: She's the best of the dark horses because she's an exciting, exotic (yet heartlandish) female pick. The base will love her. She's a true outsider and the only person in the race with serious executive experience. This will have to mean McCain's flipping on ANWR, which will make gas prices a central issue.

We know that a lot of people wanted Romney or T-Paw. We would've liked either one, but she brings a couple things to the table that they don't. The one thing she lacks that both the men brought was that they could flip some much-needed states. But she's a down-home woman that just screams "Heartland America." For more on her, I suggest this post that my lovely and talented wife put up back in June. It has the link to the Weekly Standard bio piece on her written by Fred Barnes, and her thoughts about Governor Palin. In short folks, this is one we can get behind, and this ticket is going to rock Obama's little world.

Geraghty the Indispensable weighs in with a few thoughts that are spot-on:

Five quick thoughts on Sarah Palin, probably the only pick McCain could make who could simultaneously appeal to Hillary supporters who think sexism cost her the nomination, and consolidate large swaths of the conservative base.

1. As mentioned below, Palin killed the Bridge to Nowhere. This is a reform ticket, and the "more of the same" charge looks even less plausible now. [Ed. note -- ahem, she fits perfectly with McCain's reform ideas]

2. She doesn’t just talk the pro-life line; she lives it by choosing to carry to term her child with Downs' Syndrome. Consider the social conservative base consolidated. [Ed. note -- This fulfills McCain's promise to have a pro-life ticket, and it'll kill the pro-choice idiots that have sparked an intense rebuke to Pelosi's damage control around Obama and Biden.]

3. The Democrats want to question her experience? She’s spent more time running and managing a bigger institution than anybody on their ticket has. No party ticket offered an all-experience ticket. The question is, if you think experience is important, would you rather have it as at the top of the ticket or at the bottom? [Ed. note -- The Dems have it at the bottom of the ticket in Biden. The GOP has it on both ends. Trump that, Barry.]

4. In the debate, guns will come up. Biden thought the guy who called his gun “his baby” has problems. She’s an NRA favorite. [Ed. note -- Since Heller guns have fallen off the radar. That will change as other suits are filed against Chicago and San Francisco.]

5. Do I have to be the first to say it? She’s gorgeous. Stunning. A jaw-dropping knockout. This will inevitably cause some Democrat to call her a bimbo (remember how Jeri Thompson was treated by those jerks at MSNBC). That will backfire enormously. In some places in this world, women still encounter sexism and condescension. ("Hold on a second, sweetie.") Attractive women encounter it and sometimes get it even worse, the idea that if you look good, you can't have a brain in your head. The Democrats will be playing with fire every time one of their surrogates or friendly commentators go on the cable news shows...

For what it’s worth, most of my readers are going bonkers. They love the pick.

Captain Ed has received the official word:

U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.

Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us – Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

The energy thing is key, and that backs up the idea that McCain is definitely considering ANWR. And here's something to tickle readers -- the Left doesn't have her on their veep attack sheet. That means Team Barry is going to have to start from scratch, and given his team's ineptitude, they're going to screw up just about any attack they launch on her.

Publius II