John McCain has made his decision on a running mate, and speculation is rampant as to who it might be, with reports that Pawlenty and Romney are out of the running. It looks like it might be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Here is some background on her from Fred Barnes. I'll post my thoughts on the matter once we know one way or the other.

Well, it is Gov. Sarah Palin. I just watched her speech and, like everyone else, I am scrambling to find out more about her. The editors at National Review like the pick, as does Jay Cost at RealClearPolitics. Ramesh Ponnuru has his doubts. As for me, it's clear that McCain decided to make a splash with a bold pick. Now, no matter which ticket wins, history will be made. We'll either have the first African-American President or the first female Vice-President. But it is also clear that this pick was designed to go after one group of people first and foremost...disaffected female Hillary Clinton supporters. Generally speaking, polling data shows women aged 35 to 50 aren't breaking for Obama in the numbers one would expect, and there is anecdotal evidence to indicate that some women within that demographic (as well as outside it) are unhappy at they way they believe Hillary was treated during the process. Some even believe she was robbed of the nomination. McCain is going right after them by, in essence, saying that they can help break that glass ceiling (and it was clever of Palin to lift that reference directly from Mrs. Obama's speech during her own speech today) by voting for him. It is a gamble, as her inexperience could negate GOP attacks on Obama's own lack of experience, but the Democrats, in seeking ways to attack Palin, may find themselves throwing salt into the still-raw wounds of those women who think Hillary should be the Democratic nominee. I liked the initial introduction. Let's see how she fares on the trail.

Barack Obama's speech last night was certainly historic, and I thought it was well delivered and fairly well crafted, although it lacked some of the soaring rhetoric of past speeches. In the end, while the speech certainly helped among those who are already on board with his candidacy, I do not think it made much difference among the undecided. That will happen when the two men are paired against one another at the debates and on the trail. In the end, as undecided voters head into the last few days before the election, it will be a decision made on many levels but, at it's core, it will be a decision about who would be the better man to sit in the Oval Office during this time of war and economic uncertainty. For each voter that process is based on different life experiences and prejudices. It is generally not a slam dunk, which is why so many of these contests are fairly close in the popular vote (even when the Electoral vote is one-sided).

Dick Morris thinks the Democrats are making a mistake by trying to tie McCain to George W. Bush.

Meanwhile, Gustav swamps Jamaica and heads out into open water, with the U.S. Gulf Coast in it's cross hairs. This has led GOP officials to begin discussions on a possible delayed opening for the Republican National Convention. The last thing the GOP needs is for Americans to be riveted to their TV sets watching New Orleans getting pounded by a hurricane while Republicans are partying in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

As Arctic sea ice retreats to it's second smallest level since they began measuring the stuff, here is an opinion piece that declares we have only seven years left to save humanity. If these guys are right, then we are doomed for sure.