Too little, too late, but better than the alternatives

The press is reporting (here's a St. Louis Post-Dispatch flash) that John McCain has selected Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Like I said back in February:

There's not enough bumbo in the world to get me to pull the lever for the Republican presidential ticket, but "libertarian Republicans" need something to justify their their allegiance, and Palin on the ticket as VP fits the bill.

I'm sure Eric Dondero is greatly relieved that he no longer has to try selling Mitt Romney as a "libertarian Republican" in order to have an excuse to vote for McCain. Not that there's any such thing as a "libertarian Republican." But if there was, Palin would at least vaguely resemble the description.

However, I don't think that even Palin as a running mate is enough to give McCain a fighting chance to crawl out from under the Obama steamroller. Not after That Speech last night. On the other hand, running under McCain this time puts Palin in a good spot to seek the top slot herself in 2012. She already has more executive experience than Barack Obama -- and if she holds on to her position as governor and wins re-election, that will still be true four years from now. Of the names that have been floating around, she was far and away the best pick for McCain to make.

I'm already seeing comments from Dems that their veep nominee, Joe Biden, will "bury" her in debate. Don't bet on it. This lady has repeatedly taken on her own party's establishment in Alaska and she usally whips them like red-headed stepchildren. I rather expect that Palin will mop the floor with Joe Biden in any debate encounter. She's a scrapper -- and he's a political has-been whose foreign policy line is warmed-over Bushevism and whose demeanor ... well, let's just say there are now two used car salesman types running for vice-president.