McCain will win his base and the 30% of whackos who still support President Bush, but Sarah Palin’s selection as VP candidiate will do nothing to capture the great divide of independents and moderates who will ultimately decide this election.

It is ironic that the motto emblazoned on the podium at the McCain-Palin rally in Ohio read “Country First,” when McCain’s pick had little to do with what is best for his country and more to do with what is best for his campaign.

Any detailed discussion about campaign finance – while important and fundamental to the health of our democracy – comes with it the curious side effects of drowsiness, restlessness, and unbearable ennui. The conversation about campaign finance is wonkish and arcane, and unforunately not exactly an issue that drives voters to the polls. If the McCain campaign thinks for one minute that Americans will suddenly forget that it now costs $75 to fill up their car, or that they can’t afford a medical procedure, or that a loved one (for the third time) is on their way back for another 15 months in Iraq, because Obama made a decision to eschew limited public financing for the “unlimited” funds available to him through his 1.5 million small donors, then it is really McCain’s judgment that should be called into question here.

Nothing about this election season so far has been predictable or ordinary, and certainly the Vice Presidential choices of both Barack Obama and John McCain will be riveting, strategic, and consequencial.

I am not of the camp believing that John McCain can count on states that went GOP back in 2004 and 2000 to continue to do so without extreme effort and resources. I talk about this two other posts of here and here. There is an element of Obama’s candidacy that is recognized but not talked about in a serious way. He is a charismatic persona like no other in recent memory and will move people to vote in ways that opinion polls and punditry cannot accurately gauge.

For this reason, John McCain’s VP choice will be extremely important as it will be his opportunity to counter the vigor, charisma, and quite frankly, the ethnic background of his opponent.

Today I continue with Part II of my series, Who Should I Vote For?, in which I provide an analysis of the field of presidential hopefuls from a progressive, constitutionalist, Independent standpoint.
Thursday’s news of Governor …