As something of a Palin booster, I’m having some flop sweats at the idea it’s actually happening. You’ve heard all the usual pros and cons, here are a few added thoughts off the top of my head.
The way she talks. She has something of a native Alaskan’s accent/speaking style. When I heard her speak last month, I was stunned by how parochial she sounds, not substantively, but stylistically. She refers to herself not as a mom or mother but as a “mama.” If she’s the pick –and it sounds like she– I think this could be both an advantage and disadvantage. The disadvantage is that the press will make fun of her for it. The folks at Slate and New York magazine will titter at the rube from the provinces. Look at what sophisticated talkers Biden and Obama are compared to this bumpkin! (You’ll get a similar but more shrill line of argument from feminists who will immediately claim she’s not a real woman for whatever b.s. reason). This in turn could be a great advantage for her and the ticket because she’ll play well in Peoria as an authentic American woman (and man, oh, man will the Nascar crowd love her husband). The cosmopolitanism of the Democratic ticket will stand out in even starker relief. But remember: at the end of the day all of the scorn and ridicule visited upon Bush for his cowboyish way of talking probably helped him.
What about the debates? The immediate response from lots of folks is, “Can she stand up to Biden?” I think this is an open question. She will certainly have to do a lot of homework on foreign policy. However, it’s entirely possible Biden would go into a debate even cockier than usual and, like Hillary Clinton in her debate with Rick Lazio, she could make things far more difficult for him than a man would. She’d have to seem very confident and know her stuff, but Biden would all of a sudden have to be very wary of seeming condescending.
Quick, and provisional bottom line: The upside: She’s the best of the dark horses because she’s an exciting, exotic (yet heartlandish) female pick. The base will love her. She’s a true outsider and the only person in the race with serious executive experience. This will have to mean McCain’s flipping on ANWR, which will make gas prices a central issue.
Downside: She may not be ready for primetime. The heartbeat-from-the-presidency issue is a real one.
Trivia Bonus: My wife used to play basketball against her!