The Energy of Sarah Palin

After yesterday's surprise vice-president announcement by John McCain, Sarah Palin isn't the only one who will need to be a fast study. We will also have to get up to speed about Sarah Palin! The September 8, 2008 issue of the Weekly Standard has a number of articles about the Governor of Alaska, including How Palin Got Picked and Fred Barnes' Providential Palin: She may be the one conservatives have been waiting for. As Barnes notes: "And just to be clear about her conservatism: Palin is pro-life, pro-gun, pro-military, pro-Iraq war, pro-spending cuts, pro-tax cuts, pro-drilling for oil everywhere (including ANWR), pro-family, and pro-religion."

Was McCain's choice smart? Consider this: by 10 PM last night McCain had raised $4 million online, six times his previous one-day online record. The Pailin pick is, among the party faithful, an unqualified success. There are a lot of people out there bitterly clingling to their guns and religion, as Sen. Obama put it.

Obama's troops are tired. They have made contributions over and over again. They have travelled from state to state working for victory. Even Obama himself is beginning to look haggard, and he comes across as angry, losing both his enthusiasm and his message in the process. McCain has energized his base. These conservatives haven't yet begun to give--or fight. Rested and ready or tired troops--who would your money be on? It promises to be a very interesing fall, indeed.