To bolster his right flank and attract women voters, John McCain had cynically opted for a running mate who was, by any stretch of the imagination, unqualified for a position a heartbeat away from the presidency.

John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.

I can't stand John McCain.

In choosing Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has chosen for the future.

It's a little different here. George Bush trails by a slim margin in the polls to John McCain; Bill Bradley is the leader over Al Gore. And it's interesting to see both George Bush and Al Gore paint themselves as the underdog...whereas, in the rest of the nation, that's not the case.

Sarah Palin lacked the preparation or temperament to be one heartbeat away from the presidency, but what she possessed in abundance was the ability to inflame political passions and energize the John McCain campaign with star quality.