Pawlenty was the veep.

Why did they panic?  Well, I've been digging around for some focus group data.  We know the Obama campaign did them, although we obviously can't get that data, but judging by Ras's polling on Michelle (whose net favorables went sky-high -- from about net-zero to +20 -- after her speech), I think it's a safe bet this convention went off well.  One of them out in Nevada had about one-third of undecideds going over to Obama because of his speech.

McCain's people were focus-grouping that speech.  And they were afraid the election was snapping.  The Dems were closing ranks, Obama got off one of his better speeches, and the needle was moving big-time.

Keep in mind, too, that about 50m people watched the speech (more than the Olympics, American Idol, and every other big-night event but the Super Bowl).  That's unheard of for an acceptance speech.

My hunch is that McCain did successfully slow the momentum Obama would've gotten by creating this huge distraction.  He may have saved his chances in the election.  But my guess is also that, after a few days, Palin will have simply been a brief distraction.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin