Jumping sharks and the Palin pick

McCain has just shifted the goalposts in the national debate from experience to judgment, and in the process it looks like he scored a huge own goal.

Now, I don't know anything about Sarah Palin (and that's problem #1), she could be the sweetest, most capable and most decent person on the planet, and if George W Bush is qualified to be President, then Sarah Palin is certainly qualified to be Vice President (actually she might be too nice for the job).

However, she's involved in an active and ongoing scandal, and has *strong* associations with Ted Stevens.

For McCain to choose her, after Obama selected Biden, must call his judgment into serious question, and only reflects the bind he's in in trying to maintain his base while wooing disaffected Hillary supporters. It also shows that McCain is not a serious man, when it comes to the presidency, and that he's trying to win this election through the political equivalent of branding, rather than through a substantive campaign of issues.

The prospect of McCain as president now has my attention. Seriously. The guy is a lunatic, and I can't wait to see what happens.