The Night After The Morning After Obama's speech was great. His rhetorical skills are amazing. His ideas are inspiring. Now, can he pull it off? My Magic 8 Ball says "Probably." Will he be able and willing to push his agenda? I don't know.....

And the other big news of the last 24 hours - Sarah Palin.

At first glance I don't like her policy views one bit, but I doubt I would like the beliefs of any of the right-wing Christians whose names were being floated.

On a more practical level, the politics of the pick, it strikes me as deeply flawed. Between her trooper scandal, support for teaching creationism in public schools and the fact that she totally diminishes the one argument that McCain had used successfully against Obama, his lack of experience, I think that John McCain just lost the election (of course, pictures surfacing of Obama and a goat or something to that effect could change the equation.)

I am left asking why McCain picked Palin. At best it is simple pandering to the supposedly disaffected "women's vote" and the Fundie base of the GOP. At worst, it was a from-the-hip move that was meant to show his Maverickiness by poking his finger in the eye of the party elders and pundits.

Neither one of those motives, nor anything in between, makes me trust his judgment one bit.  ¶ 8:20 PM