Foresight Is 20/20

Josh Goodman wrote on April 9, 2008 (i.e. way before Palin was chosen):

Palin's emphasis on ethics has earned her high approval ratings in Alaska and flattery from Republicans nationally. The logic behind her as a running mate seems to be that she's a youthful, likeable outsider who would help John McCain attract female voters (she's due to give birth to her fifth child in May).

But really, John McCain is going to pick someone who has presided over a state of 683,000 people for a mere 16 months as the potential leader of the world's lone superpower? The most popular mayor in the history of Austin, TX (population 710,000) wouldn't even warrant a mention in the veepstakes. (In fairness to Palin, she does have additional executive experience as the former mayor of Wasilla, population 9,236.)

Palin's qualifications would be the subject of intense scrutiny. Any kind of foreign policy flub, such as mixing up the Shiites and the Sunnis, would cause serious problems for the ticket.