John McCain has captured the media's attention on a day, even a long weekend, that was scheduled to be "All Obama, All the Time."  Following last night's speech--which now seems like it happened a week ago--McCain announced his V.P. choice--Gov. Sarah Palin, of Alaska.

This is a bold and seemingly brilliant pick.  She has more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket.  She is very strong on both social and fiscal issues.  From the L.A. Times this morning on both her fiscal and social views:

She, like McCain, is known as a reformer who believes in curbing government spending. In her first year in office, she introduced ethics legislation and a budget with a $124-million reduction in spending...

Palin, 44, was talked about in conservative circles -- a fiscal conservative who is also a staunch opponent of abortion...

"At a time when many Republicans are still clinging to pork-barrel politics, Gov. Palin has quickly become a leader on this issue," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "She is a principled reformer who understands how badly wasteful spending has marred the Republican brand."

While I don't know her and only know about her policy positions from what I'm reading, everything seems to point in the right direction.  She's a mom from a middle-class family, with a husband who works in the oil fields.  She's played H.S. basketball and loves to hunt and fish.  Seems like someone most people can relate to.  Plus, she's no patrician.  This will also shore up the right for McCain (Rush just called it a "terrific, terrific, choice), will certainly be attractive to undecided-post-Hillary voters, and allows the ticket a unified theme of cutting government waste, corruption, and spending.  As Toomey notes, it is crucial for the GOP to restore its image by cutting spending.  She has a passion for, and a history of, doing just that.

And from a political-timing standpoint, brilliant.  While everyone was supposed to talk about the "Greatest speech since Gettysburg" at the Obamopolis last night, the NYT, LAT, and Drudge all have Palin as THE story.  Obama is on page 2 the day after his convention, and will likely stay there through the RNC's convention.

Yes, there are unknowns:  how will she debate, campaign nationally, and does she know foreign policy?  We'll see.  But from what we do know, it looks good.  She's won tough primaries in Alaska, understands oil/energy policy, and McCain's foreign-policy experience ought to be enough to reassure doubters on that front.  Plus, how much foreign-policy experience does the TOP of the Dem ticket have?  ("Well, I made a speech in Germany once, and it seemed liked they really, really liked me...")

All in all, it definitely looks like a nice move.