On the other hand, if Palin exceeds expectations, and her selection ends up looking both bold and wise, McCain could win.<\/p>\n
The Palin pick already, as Noemie Emery wrote, \u201cWipes out the image of McCain as the crotchety elder and brings back that of the fly-boy and gambler, which is much more appealing, and the genuine person.\u201d\u009d But of course McCain needs Palin to do well to prove he\u2019s a shrewd and prescient gambler.<\/p>\n
I spent an afternoon with Palin a little over a year ago in Juneau, and have followed her career pretty closely ever since. I think she can pull it off. I\u2019m not the only one. The day after the V.P. announcement, I spoke with an old friend, James Muller, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. He said that Palin \u201chas been underestimated over and over again. She took on the party and state establishments here in Alaska, and left them reeling. She\u2019s a very good campaigner, a quick study and a fighter.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Muller called particular attention to her successes in passing an increase to the oil production tax and facilitating the future construction of a huge natural gas pipeline. \u201cAt first the oil companies thought she was na\u00c3\u00afve, and they\u2019d have their way. Instead she faced them down and forced them to compromise on her terms.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n