6 things the Palin pick says about McCain  —  The selection of a running mate is among the most consequential, most defining decisions a presidential nominee can make.  John McCain's pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says a lot about his decison-making — and some of it is downright breathtaking.

Obama Campaign Behind Anti-Palin Smear Site?  —  Suddenly appearing among the Google search results for “sarah palin gay,” a web site titled: Sarah Palin Supports Gay Rights. … Interesting.  There's nothing else on the page.  This sure looks like the work of the dastardly right-wing anti-gay attack machine, doesn't it?

The hostess with the moosest  —  Over in the Frumistan province of the NR caliphate, our pal David is not happy about the Palin pick.  I am - for several reasons.  —  First, Governor Palin is not merely, as Jay describes her, “all-American”, but hyper-American.

Cindy McCain tells Stephanopoulos that Obama Offended Her  —  ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reports: Democrats' attacks on her family's wealth are unfair and offensive, Cindy McCain said today in an interview airing tomorrow on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”

GOP grassroots on fire  —  I've been covering the GOP presidential race since November of 2006.  In those many months — across many states — I have never seen a crowd with the energy that I witnessed yesterday at the Erwin Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.  —  Yes, there was an inherent buzz owing to the pending veep announcement.

Palin's faked “pregnancy”?  Covering for teen daughter?  UPDATE #2!  —  Okay, I just have to diary about this, although in many ways this falls into the “none of our business category”.  —  But it appears that Pallin's last child, a baby with Down's syndrome, may not be hers.

KARL ROVE'S BRILLIANT ANALYSIS..... Looking back at Karl Rove's campaign analysis from earlier this month, this might be the single funniest thing I've read in a long time. … Yes, the real problem with Tim Kaine is that he's only been governor of a large state for three years, and before that, he was only the mayor of a mid-size city.