The Maverick Tribe

Send the dogsleds!  Minutes ago, the McCain campaign announced its selection of one-term Alaska governor Sarah Palin as its VP choice.  TV commentators are frantically checking Wikipedia and settling into the pronunciation of her name (apparently it's PAY-lin, not PAL-in).

I don't know anything more about Sarah Palin than anyone else, but she strikes me as the choice of the Elisabeth Hasselbeck generation.  Strong, young, beautiful, right-wing, pro-traditional family.  Movement conservatives will love her.  I can see Sean Hannity sycophantically flirting with her on Fox News right now.

What instantly strikes me is how this totally neuters Joe Biden in the Vice Presidential debates.  We were all ready for him to eat a Tim Pawlenty or even a Mitt Romney alive.  But a 44-year-old woman? 

Still, it's another monumental risk for McCain.  But if it spares me having to look at Romney's shit-eating grin for the next two months, I'm all for it.

If you missed Michelle Obama's speech last night at the Democratic Convention, here's an outline:

I. Me

A. Blue collar roots

B. Sick father

C. Has big brother

i. Coaches basketball

ii. Watches over me (but doesn't look down on me)

D. Just like you white folks

i.  Am I right?

ii. Really?

II.  Barack

A.  Good

B.  Romantic Husband

C.  Inspiring leader

III.  Other good things

A.  Hopes

B.  Dreams

C.  America's promise

D.  Children's future

E.  Thread (connecting A-D)

IV.  Coda

A.  Cute kids

B.  Intra-family banter via satellite

Having listened to the pundits' post-speech analysis, I've learned that Mrs. Obama really hit it "out of the park" with her speech, especially in the key areas of softened inflection, hairstyle, and dress color choice.   I also agree that having cute kids was a shrewd political choice for Obama.  Homely, untelegenic kids definitely would have undermined his message on capital gains tax policy.

But seriously, what a snooze.  I'd take Strong Black Woman Michelle - the one with a playful flip in hair and attitude - any day.

According to the current administration.