I know that we had a lot of fun with it, but can we now please, please, please put to rest the myth that Intrade is such a big deal?

Shouldn’t the fact that Romney, Pawlenty, Hutchison, Ridge, and Lieberman all reached higher peaks than Palin ever did reveal something about our site-wide obsession?

Just a thought…

Next time she gets knocked for experience or whatever, just hold up a pocket card of this:

Hey, it’s better than this:

Sorry, been trying to think of a way to use these two in the same post.

Some quick thoughts this evening…

• An interesting contrast from Obama’s rallies (including his speech yesterday) and Palin’s speech today: at Obama rallies, folks in the crowd regularly chant “O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!” Today during Palin’s speech, people in the audience kept chanting “USA! USA!” I’ll take that compare and contrast any time. (And yet, Obama has the audacity to keep telling us his campaign isn’t about him… it’s about all of us… sure, Barry. Whatever you say. The only thing your campaign was ever about was you. You and your cultlike followers.)
• In a purely political sense, I like that Sarah Palin also has a son going to Iraq - it levels the playing field a bit between her and Biden and denies him some sort of imagined high moral ground on the issue when they debate. I also highly respect her son’s volunteer service to this country.
• So now the race has come down to this: two tickets. On both, we have an old, white haired boring guy who’s been a creature of Washington his whole life and is strong on foreign policy issues coupled with a young, energetic reform-minded Washington outsider with less than a term’s worth of political experience. Yes, the two tickets generally cancel one another out now. The only difference is who’s on top (insert Michael Scott Office joke here).
• It’s interesting that for all the talk about McCain possibly choosing someone who would not be the GOP heir apparent, it is now Obama who chose someone who won’t run for President next time. Palin, if McCain wins, could be a powerful force in the GOP for years to come. If McCain loses, it sets up another wide open primary in four or eight years and her stardom will have been a flash in the pan.
• I really like the rollout of team McCain today - this was impressive politics. Hardly anyone is talking about Obama’s speech now - any political conversations I’ve had with friends and coworkers today has been about Palin, not Obama - so this ought to negate a lot of the positive bump Obama is receiving from his convention. I also like the fact that it was in a demonstrably Democratic portion of Ohio, showing McCain is not afraid to take on the “enemy” on their own turf. And I like that Palin keeps getting described as a “surprise pick” and a “gamechanger”. In a political world where secrets are impossible to keep, McCain’s team did a remarkable job today.

America’s future lies in space. Today our economy is strengthened by the vast commercial economy based in Earth orbit.

Use anything with GPS?

Ever make a long-distance phone call?

Ever watch cable TV or satellite TV?

Even vast parts of the internet are relayed through satellites. Over 80% of the satellites in space are commercial non-government.

Our national security depends on our military assets in space. In the second Iraq War we are using 8 times as many space based assets as we did in the 1st Iraq war. Our intelligence depends on our eyes in the sky. Our soldiers depend on satellites to receive their up-to-the-minute intelligence and orders.

Our Army, Navy and Air Force all depend on assets based in space. This is why I want to hear McCain articulate a broad vision for space besides exploration to Mars or the Moon.

We need to patrol the Earth orbit just as we would patrol the open seas. Our commercial and our military assets in space are open to attack from Russia (who leads us in space) and from China (who’s expanding into space).

Our defense against nuclear weapons ultimately will depend on anti-missile assets in space. Unfortunately we’re using treaties with a nation that no longer exists (USSR) to prevent the Star Wars vision of Reagan.

I want to hear from McCain if he’ll consider abrogating our treaties with the USSR now that Russia is suddenly aggressive. We need to defend our assets in space and defend against Russia’s strong position in space. The ABM treaty needs to go into the shredder.

I think McCain could go further. He could promote the idea of a new uniformed military service:

The Space Corps.

Just like the Marine Corps, the Space Corps would be a smaller service that operates inside another service but with independence and separate funding. Just as the Marine Corps is part of the Navy, the Space Corps would be part of the Air Force.

The War on Terrorism, also depends on rapid and reliable communications and intelligence. Without our assets in space we’d have no ability to fight the shadowy and fleetfooted terrorists.

I want McCain to emphasize the importance of space to our security, economy, and freedom. You wouldn’t want to live in a future where Russia and China ruled the air and threatened our freedom.

OK, here you go, McCain campaign. Use these, since, at least according to MetroRepublican, you haven’t yet made up the list yourself. This is what you want to say, Mike DuHaime:

1. She’s too inexperienced.

Wait a second — Barack Obama supporters are going to make the argument that Sarah Palin doesn’t have the experience to lead? Sarah Palin’s two years of executive experience is more than Obama’s and Biden’s put together, and she, unlike Senator Obama, has actually accomplished something during her short term in office. Palin has spent her time rooting out corruption and advocating for advancements in energy. Obama has spent his time running for president. Either way, Sarah Palin’s running for vice-president. Barack Obama is running for president. Their ticket is upside-down. Does Barack Obama really want to get into a debate about experience?

2. Where’s her foreign policy credentials?

Hasn’t Barack Obama already conceded — by virtue of how his ticket is shaped — that, for foreign policy, half a ticket is enough? Where’s Barack Obama’s foreign policy experience? And again: Sarah Palin’s running for vice-president. Barack Obama is running for president. Does Barack Obama really want to get into a debate about foreign policy credentials?

3. This is clearly just a gimmicky pick designed to lure in women!

Oh? Is there something wrong with acknowledging the fact that accomplished women have been passed over for high office for too long? Is there something wrong with wanting to ’shatter the glass ceiling’? It’s quite pathetic that a main line of attack against Sarah Palin is over her gender.

4. The woman is an extremist on abortion!

Sarah Palin has gone far and beyond the typical social conservative by actually putting her money where her mouth is. She has shown her commitment to life by choosing to mother a child with disabilities. When it comes to abortion policy, which is shaped by the court, Governor Palin shares Senator McCain’s commitment to federalism and strict constructionist judges. The two of them both support judges that will overturn Roe v. Wade and restore abortion rights to the states — where they belong.

5. She’s under investigation for abuse of power!

It’s nothing. The ‘fired’ officer was offered another job, which he refused. If Palin really wanted to “punish” him, why would she offer him another job? It’s clear that she’s telling the truth when she said that she just wanted to shake things up. It’s absolutely preposterous to state that Mrs. Palin, who has built her career on fighting corruption, would engage in such behavior. If we want to talk about corruption and shady dealings, let’s start with Senator Obama’s connections with people such as Tony Rezko and William Ayers. Does the Obama campaign really want to get into a debate about sleazy connections?

I’ve thought alot about a potential Palin pick; now that it’s finally here, I want to hit upon what strike me as the best talking points for the McCain campaign.

1. Palin has 8 years of executive experience. The Vice Presidency is an executive position. This almost inherently makes her more qualified then a someone with a similar level of legislative experience (Obama anyone?).

2. Charlie Crist and Tim Kaine were floated as potential running mates, and almost no one asked “are they qualified”, despite the fact that neither has completed as Governor. Double standard anyone?

3. Alaska borders two countries including Russia; Alaskan Governors are among the only Governors who have continual foreign interactions.  Most presidents are Governors.

4. Governing a state is as much about geographic size as population size. The complexities of Governing a state as large as Alaska are not insignificant.

5. Palin is running for Vice President, not President. Obama, with a comparable level of experience, on the other hand, is running for President. You folks think that’s just hunky-dory. Double standard anyone?

6. By attacking Palin on inexperience, Democrats are really attacking the heartland; they’re saying Alaska just isn’t important enough to produce a Vice President. It’s not a glitzy industrial state; it’s not on either coast where all the cultural elites reside (this tactic worked to great effect for Clinton in 92′).

7. Use all of the above points to reinforce the “Obama is an arrogant elitist disdainful of the folks in Middle America” meme.

Get on the ball folks. Palin’s an excellent pick if the GOP is attentive, and provided she can avoid any major blunders. But, if they’re grasping, and don’t find a consistent message, she could easily be pigeonholed.

John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate was an inspired choice that may turn out to be the deciding factor in this election. Instead of picking a running mate who would have pleased the right while offending the center, or one who would have moved the party leftward and alienated the right, McCain took the party not right or left but forward with the Alaska governor who represents the best of the next generation of conservatives and Republicans. I’ll weigh in with more thoughts on this monumental choice over the holiday weekend. Until then, let me leave you with this anecdote. I work in a large office with dozens of coworkers. A fair number of them are middle aged suburban women. Today, more than a few who had previously been prepared to vote for Obama had moved into the undecided column after hearing about McCain’s choice. If this same dynamic is currently at work throughout the country, we’re looking at a major bounce for McCain that could put him into the lead. I will not mince words: millions of women may change their vote because of Sarah Palin. And that means that John McCain may defy the odds and become the nation’s 44th president.

McCain/Palin ‘08. Now more than ever.

Everyone that lives 35 years has 35 years of experience. The U.S. Constitution requires same for anyone that would serve as President of the United States Therefore; we always choose among adults with at least that much life experience.

I have never used experience as an argument for or against a Democrat and Republican. What matters most is what they believe, i.e. their world view and what policies they advocate. I would choose a so-called inexperienced conservative that is right on the issues over an “experienced” liberal any day.

And what passes for “experience” anyway? Serving on a committee in Washington? Please don’t insult my intelligence.

In fact, that Joe Biden remains a liberal after 30+ years on Washington committees and requisite reality muggings, speaks very poorly for him. Liberal policies on all fronts are proven failures, whether it be peace in our time appeasement; blaming society for crime; and not recognizing that “the rich” are the ones that create jobs and don’t have to invest in same if taxes are raised and regulations enhanced.

John F. Kennedy and Sarah Palin came to the right conclusions on these basics at earlier ages than most.

We elect Presidents to make the right decisions, not spout inanities on Meet the Press that passes for good diplomatic lies. Reagan was ridiculed for calling the USSR an “evil empire.” Lack of experience was cited for the presumed fopah. After being freed from tyranny, Poland’s Lech Walesa and many Soviet dissidents along with many Soviet leaders admitted that Reagan stripped the USSR bare, undermining them for the world to see and giving hope to the enslaved.

Oftentimes this good and evil matter is best seen from outside the beltway. Lincoln and Reagan saw it from outside the beltway. Knowing how wealth is created is also best seen from there.

Palin has stared across the Bering Strait at evil her whole life; participated in local government like a Jeffersonian; quit a government job over principle; partnered with a husband that creates wealth; and brought life into this world and nurtured it. She has run a state government.

She has actual accomplishments that others can testify to.

Attorney Obama has never tried, much less won, a case. No organized members of communities spoke on his behalf this week. It seems that all of his witnesses to past hope/change accomplishments must be hidden in Church basements; locked away in university foundation safes or protected by court order; or locked up as felons.

McCain doesn’t own the experience issue because of age. He owns it because of what he learned from it.

But the dirty little secret is that “experience” divorced from substance means nothing. For many, it is a deceit of elitists inside the beltway.

For me? Are you 35? Ok, we can talk.

And when We the People talk to these post 34ers, we don’t choose leftists.

____________________________________________________________________

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns Legal Editor for The Minority and HinzSight Reports “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 “One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

Now that we’ve all had a few hours to cheer Gov. Sarah Palin’s selection as John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee, it’s time to sit down and weigh the actual costs and benefits. Suffce it to say, she is hardly the slam-dunk choice that some have been proclaiming her to be: the way some people are talking about it — paging Kavon and Michael, both of whom are “on cloud nine”, as they said — it’s like it was obvious all along that Palin was the perfect choice.

She’s not. She’s a Hail Mary choice that we didn’t, by any measure, need. She’s been in elected office for a shorter period of time than Barack Obama, and although she’s actually accomplished something in her short time in office, it sort of undercuts the argument that Obama isn’t ready to lead, doesn’t it? A 44-year-old, two-year governor without a scrap of foreign policy experience to her name is to be a heartbeat away from the presidency? Haven’t we just conceded that Obama’s experience, in fact, does make him ready to lead? There goes the ad campaign.

And can she really pull in Hillary women? Not only did Mrs. Clinton make a fairly convincing cry for unity at the convention, but it seems that her supporters have mostly fallen in line. Palin’s extremist stance on abortion won’t be much help, either, although she’ll probably moderate it.

Expect to see mostly positive ads from here on out. The ticket is now officially a reform-minded one, the Good Government ticket that could potentially spark a landslide. Palin’s short time in office has already given her a fantastic story: she doesn’t just talk about rooting out corruption — she’s done it. She’s taken on the establishment and has shown that she’s beholden to no one. If America’s looking for fresh new leadership, it should look no further.

Better yet, she’s fantastic bait. Is the Obama campaign really going to try to make this campaign about experience? The first statement by an Obama aide this morning was an attack on Palin for her lack of foreign policy experience — oops! This is the potential brilliance of a Palin nomination. They can’t attack Palin for her singular weakness without drawing attention to Obama’s as well! Nothing is left for them to attack her on. She quite possibly could be electoral gold.

To sum, then: what we have here is a double-edged sword. McCain has now partially conceded that Obama does indeed have the experience to lead, but he’s drawing him into attacking his own credentials. An utterly fascinating strategy.

So rejoice, but be cautious. Obama’s shortcomings have allowed us to get away with Palin. We’ll see where this goes.

Just ran into the Beltway Boys — Fred Barnes and Mort Kondracke — in front of the Xcel.

Thanks for indulging me.

By Mike DeVine, Legal Editor for The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report

___________________________________________________________________

Fellow baseball lover, George Will made a great point about the real proof that white racism had ceased to be a major factor in American life. It was not so much when Frank Robinson was hired as the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball. Rather, it was when he was fired on the same terms as white managers were fired all the time.

The same test obtains with respect to Barack Obama.

I have known for at least eight years and probably much longer that white racism no longer held back blacks from achieving the American Dream, and I would admit that Obama’s nomination is further proof of same. However, Larry Elder and Dave Hinz point out quite well much earlier proofs.

Forty-five years after the Rev Martin Luther King, Jr made that speech, that promissory note of which he spoke has come due. The little children of his time now attend Harvard Law School. The little children of his time have risen to become Cabinet Level Secretaries.The child of his time is running for the highest office in this land.

Paid In Full!

The US Constitution, and that wonderful speech of 45 years ago, did not demand equality of outcome — merely equality of opportunity. The opportunity is now — the opportunity is equal. The time is now, to move beyond the dream, and to focus, on substance.

Sen. Barack Obama has been given a great gift. Doors have been opened to him that were not available a few short decades ago. It is not necessary that he be elected President of the United States, in order for America to pass beyond this veil of latent racism that the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party demands we accept.

MLK’s dream did not require that a Black man be elected President for it to be fulfilled. One day a Black man will be elected President, but it won’t be this year. Why? Because Obama is going to lose for the same reason most Democrats lose in Presidential elections. They are leftists unfavorably judged by the lack of content of character.

Judged by the content of his character, I see a dangerous leftist, and have since February 2007. And like all such previous known leftists, I see a Presidential election loser. Eighteen months ago I said:

Barack Obama is an Out of the Mainstream Liberal McGoverniteBarack Obama is racing to beat Hillary for the McGovern mantle on the war. His voting record is as far left as any Democrat in the Congress. Yet, Biden calls him mainstream. In fact Biden calls him the first mainstream Black to seek the Presidency. Yet, one would be hard pressed to find any policy differences between him, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find any Democrats beyond one standard deviation of Ted Kennedy.

Based on voting records and policy statements, (which are what matters), there are ZERO elected Democrats in DC save maybe Nelson in Nebraska and Lieberman on the war. Yet, the MSM is hard at work trying to make the lie that Obama is “mainstream” a Known Fact, due to his “tone.” Tone and a quarter will get you the same failed liberal policies that un-tone will. Tone, good looks and soothing rhetoric count for nothing unless they are employed for the right policies.

Obama didn’t stand a chance being elected in February of 2007, February of 2008 and especially not since we heard the din of the 20-year pew-parked butt in a hate whitey America Church who has to hide all the pals that could vouch for him in Church basements, university archives behind lock and key and/or federal prisons.

The American people vote on substance. His substance is far left, way outside the mainstream of American values.

I wrote months ago that the pathologies of the left, especially including those that look the other way and make Black kooks mainstream would not survive given that this thin reed wants the nukes. The pathologies of Southern whites had to be culled after King’s speech as well.

That is why he will lose, and in that process fulfill King’s dream rather than the leftist politically correct white guilt identity politics dream of the left.

____________________________________________________________________________

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns Legal Editor for The Minority and HinzSight Reports “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 “One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

I just want to say how happy I am with Sen. McCain’s new choice for running mate. Truly a great choice, and really gills a lot of the needs of the campaign at this point. I think during the primaries I can claim the fact that Palin was my top choice for Romney, should he have won, and I am glad to see her on the ticket.

McCain, in my mind, has proved him self to being a shrewd politician. In the primaries my opinion was that he was a bit sophomoric, but as the generals have worn on, I am very impressed by many of the things McCain has done and said.

Today’s Palin speech was no exception, Palin herself was very smart in congratulating Ferraro who has been very tepid to Obama on talk shows, and even more strategic in claiming ownership to the “18,000,000 cracks.” Palin’s story is a great story: PTA mom to VP. A mother of five and husband who is a member of the steelworkers union. That’s a tough one to beat. And she exudes (from what I can tell) an aura of humility as a woman who cares deeply for her causes.

Palin is not with out her obstacles. No candidate is. What will be interesting is how the campaign handles the following:

1. Feminist groups who will undoubtedly work overtime to keep from having their carpet pulled from under them.

2. A perceived lack of experience. The Obama campaign gaffed on this with their attack of her being a mayor of a town of 9,000 seemingly ignoring her tenure as governor- leaving themselves unprotected from attacks from McCain over Obama despising small town America. None the less, the possibility exists, and I am sure the campaign already is spinning it’s wheels.

3. I would not be surprised if she is attacked for leaving a newborn baby to go campaign.

4. We really have no idea how she will survive in National Politics.

All these being said, I think Palin is the lady of the day, and frankly gives this campaign the shot in the arm it needs to inoculate themselves from the Dem Convention bounce and the old-rich-white-guy image the Obama campaign was sure to hold against them.

…someone called for this path months ago.

So what’s a winning strategy? Well, it’s not to beef up the ticket with the Most Beloved By the Base superlative winners…What John McCain needs is a message of reform and competence, tied to issues of energy, national security, health care, and the economy, bolstered by a co-headliner with a record that shows that the team is serious about changing its path, in order to attract…Hillary supporters…Count me on the list of those that would be more than satisfied with a Palin vice-presidential nomination…

This is high-risk, high-reward, yes. But this is the path that he needs to take: advocating reform, not just change. The possible brilliance of this pick, too, is that the Obama camp may be baited into attacking her for her inexperience. Think about that: The Obama camp? Attacking Palin for inexperience? Hah! Clever as hell, if you ask me.

Also, the response to Palin so far has been positive — plus (yes, this is anecdotal evidence, but bear with me), the Hillary supporters I know are all tempted to vote for McCain-Palin. We’ll see…

Gallup Daily General Election Tracking (8/29)

• Barack Obama 49%
• John McCain 41%

Survey of 2,727 registered voters was conducted August 26-28. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points.

Consider this your McCain/Palin ‘08 Open Thread.

Allow me to offer the first comment: Best. Vice. Presidential. Pick. Ever.

An astute reader linked to a discussion thread for Hillary supporters.  It is a must read.

Palin is being greated with near universal acclaim — at least in this forum.

Meanwhile, an ardent Hillary supporter in the office next to me is telling her Democrat husband on the phone that they will be “cancelling each other out.”

Brilliant pick. 

The Politico is reporting just a second ago.

The Chicago Tribune and Bill Kristol are confirming.

Wow!

UPDATE: CNN’s Dana Bash just said that she got off the phone with a “senior McCain aide” who confirmed that it will be Sarah Palin. Wow Wow Wow!

Rasmussen Daily General Election Tracking (8/29)

• Barack Obama 46%
• John McCain 43%

With Leaners

• Barack Obama 49%
• John McCain 45%

Favorable / Unfavorable (Net)

• Barack Obama 56% / 42% (+14%)
• John McCain 53% / 45% (+8%)

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 1,000 likely voters per night and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The margin of sampling error—for the full sample of 3,000 Likely Voters–is +/- 2 percentage points.

According to ABC (via Jonathan Martin), Sarah Palin will be watching the Veep rollout from her home in Alaska. Later today, she’ll be making an appearance at the Alaska state fair.

That brings the total to four confirmed absences at the event so far: Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Tim Pawlenty. Kudos to the McCain camp for keeping this thing so tightly under wraps. I’m really anxious to know who it’s going to be now.

Duh.

For the ninety-first time: it was never Romney.

It appears, based on Politico’s reporting, that Tim Pawlenty will not be the choice.

I voted for Mitt in the MN caucus and would be delighted if he is the pick.  I have been intrigued by Sarah Palin for months and think she would likewise make a fantastic veep — even if this current mini-scandal concerns me just a bit.

Hats off to the McCain camp for doing a great job in keeping us all guessing.

According to Ben Stein on Larry King, just a few minutes ago, Rove has said that it will be Tim Pawlenty. Just the latest buzz in a wild ride.

UPDATE: For all of those who made us sit through the constant references to Intrade (which I am in the camp of believing to be totally irrelevent) here is today’s closing number

Pawlenty 61%
Romney 19%
F.D. Thompson 6%
Palin 5.1%
Lieberman 5.0
Ridge 3.2
M. Whitman 2.7
Portman 2.5
K.B. Hutchinson 1.9
Giuliani 1.5
Huckabee 1

UPDATE #2: About that guy currently in 3rd place on intrade. It ain’t happening, although as Geraghty points out, it would be priceless:

I’m told by a reliable source there’s no sign that Fred Thompson is the pick.

Wouldn’t a Biden-Thompson debate be worth the price of admission? “Joe, if you could stop your lips from flappin’ for just one minute, I could set you straight on the freight train of bull you just unleashed on everybody here.”

That would be rekindle my flame!

The local ABC affiliate has some interesting video of Gov. Pawlenty arriving at the airport alone, without staff and without security. 

Meanwhile, the local media has encamped around the Pawlenty “compound” in the modest first ring suburb of Eagan — probably from the much smaller South St. Paul airport on a private charter.

I am told the Governor attended his daughter’s volleyball game this evening.  If he’s going to Ohio, he will have to be wisked away under the cover of darkness — probably on a private charter from the much smaller South St. Paul airport.

I have to disagree with the majority of our readership here at R4′08 over the likely impact of Obama’s address to the DNC tonight. With his speech, Barack Obama began to lay the groundwork for what I’ve been fearing the most since Iowa — the conflation of a hapless incumbent party, tough economic times at home, confusion about America’s role abroad, and the power of a charismatic messenger producing a refurbished, revitalized, unapologetic American liberalism. The threat of Obama always lied more in his ability to make liberalism cool again than in any sort of Clintonian move to the center, something he wouldn’t be particularly good at due to his liberal cultural cues. But most Americans aren’t policy wonks, and very few Americans remember what real liberalism does to the nation. Add a little Bush hatred to all of that and it’s not particularly difficult for someone with the communicative abilities of Obama to make liberalism sound reasonable. The question is whether McCain and the Republicans will be effective over the next two months at explaining why Obama’s policies are not particularly reasonable and why McCain’s change is actually that which we can believe in. McCain’s status as an American hero can only take him so far. To get over the hump, he’ll need to articulate to the average middle class Middle American voter why he or she shouldn’t vote for a middle class tax cut from Barack Obama.

I know that this has been assumed by most of Race42008 for some time, but some others held out hope.

Well, time to break it - It is not Mike Huckabee for VP. Mike posted a blog tonight explaining that he was never contacted and he doesn’t expect to be. He was not being coy, and he wants his supporters to move on and support John McCain regardless of the VP choice. Time for some lovin’. Can we get a group hug?

Here is the blog.

Please be polite and courteous in the comments.

Most. Hyped. Speech. Ever.

Can Obama’s deliver on the most anticipated speech in a generation?

Anyone who thinks that Tim Pawlenty is Quayle Part II needs to put down the crack pipe:

For those who are unfamilar with Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Erick Erickson’s profile over at Redstate is  an absolute must read.

The evidence abounds. From Politico by way of Hot Air:

In a strong sign that John McCain has not selected Joe Lieberman to be his running mate, Republican members of Congress were told today by McCain’s campaign that the Arizona senator would tap a traditional number two, according to a GOP source.

Allah Pundit opines:

“Traditional” has a lovely connotation vis-a-vis Joementum and a not so lovely one vis-a-vis Gingrich’s warning to McCain last month about boring white guys. Drudge, conspicuously, is teasing a link to a weeks-old Journal profile of Pawlenty as I write this, and a reader e-mails to say that David Gregory was dropping heavy hints on MSNBC a little while ago about McCain’s VP possibly appearing on talk shows this Sunday (Pawlenty’s booked for “Meet the Press”). I can’t believe they’d be holding back if the pick had leaked, but clearly everything they’re hearing is pointing them towards Pawlenty.

I’m fine with this selection, and I think most McCain supporters will be, even if T-Paw wasn’t their first choice. That said, I’ll always wonder why Rep. Heather Wilson wasn’t vetted. She checked all of Pawlenty’s boxes, and a few more. Ah well. McCain/Pawlenty ‘08!

My own question from the other night (’Where’s Albert hiding?’) in the comments section has been answered tonight.

DNC Speaking Schedule for Thursday evening:
8:30 pm Gov. Bill Richardson
8:45 pm Former Vice President Albert Gore Jr.

For all the “if they elected Hillary, she’d be running away with this election” talk that has appeared on this site recently, all I have to say is: if Fat Albert, the bearded bard, had decided to run, they would all be dinner for the Goreminater.

I hope we get Angry Albert and he does that thing with the fire…