Fired up and Ready to lose

The pick of Sarah Palin has been analysed from a thousand perspectives by the blogosphere and media, from choosing a woman, to choosing a social conservative, to choosing someone he only recently met.

But what hasn't been pointed out, is that in choosing Palin, and directing her to be an agent of change, McCain is endorsing Obama's claim that this elections key point is about change. Indeed almost all the republicans are doing the same thing, railing against the rise in big government, debt and irrational policy, without ever noting that they were in charge when all this occured!.

Whilst it gives McCain a few wins of the daily news cycle, it ends up presenting the public with an obvious choice: The real deal, or the new immitators.

The 2008 election has always been a referendum on Obama, he's too intriguing, polarising and celebratory a figure to simply be a participant. And for a while McCain seemed to realise this, seeking to tear down Obama, as a way to try falling over the line himself.

But Palin and the rhetoric her choice has introduced to the Republican campaign, abandons this to argue that they instead are the ones who can bring change. The public may not have access to the latest factcheck.org posts, or care for the ins and outs of troopergate, babygate & porkgate, but they can always tell you who was the first to advocate an approach, and those on the other ballot who merely parrot the language in the hope of winning. Its almost as expected in losing campaigns as the 'anonomous source' recriminations, first they fight yout, then they adopt your language, then they lose.

In a bid to please the base, (did he have any other choice) in a bid to shape up the election, in a bid to give some energy back to his campaign, McCain just ended up accepting Obama's entire argument about what this election is about: Change.

He can still win*, but not like this.


* I currently rate Obama at an 80% chance of victory. I'm not ready to call it yet, but its slipping out of McCains grasp.