McCain has explained his choice of running mate, saying it will “shake
up the status quo in Washington.”

It’s time for a fact check, comparing Palin to the status quo…

Right, a proponent of oil companies in the White House.
 That’s sure to shake things up.  I’m sure she will
do a heck of a job.

About the foreign policy experience, href="http://belowthebeltway.com/2008/08/29/most-absurd-comment-ever/">Fox
News points out that Palin does have
experience, because Alaska is close to Russia.  All those
refugees swimming across the Bering Strait have taught her a thing or
two…oh, wait, those were href="http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/02/global_warming_threatens_polar.php">polar
bears.

Palin has stated that as VP, she would promote the href="http://boztopia.com/?p=284">interest of Alaskans.
 

Perhaps we should change the rules a bit, so each
State can send someone to be co-vice President, so all States would be
represented in the White House.  

SHe also has voices support for href="http://scienceblogs.com/afarensis/2006/10/27/intelligent_design_and_the_ala/">Creationsim.
 And she’s a href="http://scienceblogs.com/framing-science/2008/08/palin_is_a_skeptic_of_manmade.php">climate-change
skeptic.

In a way, this is reminiscent of the nomination of href="http://harrietmiers.blogspot.com/">Harriet Miers.
 A surprise pick, dubious qualifications, gets everyone’s
attention.  Maybe clever, more likely a cheap gimmick.
 Plus, it suggests that the person who made the pick is a tad href="http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/08/hmmmm.html">impulsive.

Seriously, the only thing the Republican establishment cares about is
oil.  They need a proponent of the Industry in the White
House.  Everything else is just a distraction.  Palin
might shake some things up a bit, but they are not
the things that the Party insiders care about.