So it will be McCain – Palin 2008 for the GOP

Let’s get right to a round-up of blogger and pundit reactions to the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain’s vice presidential pick. (Which now seems to be a done deal.) But first I’ll offer a few “shoot from the hip” observations. While I may have been left scratching my head over Obama’s selection of Joe Biden, I’m knocked to the floor by this one. First and foremost, the entire “experience” argument in this election is completely off the table. Just three short years ago, Palin (now 44 years old and younger even than Obama) was the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. (Population around eight thousand and smaller than the bedroom community where I live.) She was launched into the Governor’s mansion amidst scandals surrounding high profile Republicans in that state following her clean-up efforts as a whistleblower, so she hasn’t even been Governor for two years. I’m sorry to be so crude as to bring this up, but John McCain is a 72 year old cancer survivor. What happens if Ms. Palin has to step across that “one heartbeat thin line” and into the Oval Office early in 2009? What in her background leads us to believe that she’s ready to face down Vladimir Putin on Day Two? The experience issue was McCain’s largest cudgel to use against Obama. It’s just been heavily muted.

She is apparently an avid hunter, a Catholic, pro-life fighter, so she will appeal to the base. She is also almost entirely unknown to the American public, and the GOP has only 67 days to introduce her to us and build that narrative. How will she fare behind the podium when put up against Joe Biden? How could we know? Most of us have no clue about her. This was certainly a “bold” choice, as many talking heads are saying this morning, but bold is not always beautiful.

To the round up! (These are just short pick points and quotes. Click through for the various full views.)

James Joyner finds her to be a bold pick, but “not plausible” as a president.

I’d never heard of Palin before the VP buzz started on the blogs a while back. She’s supposedly an excellent campaigner. And, obviously, her youth and gender make her a bold pick. Ultimately, though, I think she doesn’t make sense. If you’re running on “the country’s security is too important to be run by neophytes,” you can’t have one as next in line.

While Joe Biden was, twice, an awful presidential candidate, he’s a plausible president. Sarah Palin is not.

Fausta is clearly excited about the pick. “Welcome to the party, PUMAs!”

American Princess at BlogHer has a “girl crush” on Sarah Palin.

ThinkProgress is immediately focusing on Palin’s “anti-choice” record in terms of the abortion fight.

Town Hall is noting a strange 20 year cycle of GOP vice presidential picks. Interesting…

We’ll be back with more later. As I said, color me confused. I fail to see how this is a good move for McCain’s chances in November, but it certainly will stir the pot!

UPDATED WITH MORE:

Jeralyn at Talk Left has her first impressions for us.

My first reaction to John McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin for VP: He just gave the election to Barack Obama.

Redstate tells us that “the big sucking sound you hear” is all of the air being drawn out of the room, and that Obama won’t be able to get a word in edgewise for the next week.