I understand that political professionals have inside information. But I can't believe this will work. I can't believe it's not self-defeating. I can't believe it won't boomerang.

The hypocrisy and desperation of this are just too obvious. Will moderate undecideds really want to associate themselves with this? Won't even many McCain supporters find themselves embarrassed by this?

Like the previous commenters, I'm well aware of the McCain's membership in the Keating Five and Palin's marriage to an Alaskan secessionist.

The infamous commercial comparing Obama to Paris Hilton now seems like it's a million years old. And even though this strategy just went into effect today, it already seems like an artifact of a much distant time and place.

Can such a thing actually work to the benefit of anyone?

I accept that I know nothing of the way actual professionals operate politics.

But I'm still amazed.

Todd Palin, Longtime Former AIP Member – Alaskan Independence Party

“Palin's husband Todd was a member of the AIP from October 1995 through July 2002, except for a few months in 2000. He is currently undeclared”

third-party (”Alaska First — Alaska Always”) that wants Alaskans to get a vote on whether or not the state can secede from the U.S. But her husband was a long-time member, and at least two AIP officials recall her attending the 1994 convention, though she says she did not attend.

http://tinyurl.com/3s3un2

Todd Palin broke the law by not showing up to answer questions about the trooper investigation.

McCain's relationship with G. Gordon Liddy a radio host and convicted Watergate burglar?

Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in “if necessary”; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a “gangland figure” to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap “leftist guerillas” at the 1972 Republican National Convention — a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008.

McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May.

Listen to McCain on Liddy's show on 11/10/07 http://tinyurl.com/4k8f28

Check out Liddy's many radio programs that strongly support McCain

http://www.radioamerica.org/POD_ggl.htm

in November McCain praised Liddy for his adherence “to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great,” Chapman reports.

http://tinyurl.com/3nyx6o

but politics these days — especially on the Right — doesn't require facts. mud wins votes just as well, or better, even. to his credit, i think, at least post-primaries, Obama stuck largely to issues before the mud-slinging began. but with the Palin pick McCain more or less admitted his inability to win on substance, and now it's looking like a sh*tstorm on the horizon.