McCain's pick for VP is actually Governor Palin.

That would be Sarah Palin of:

• executive experience (however brief);
• youth and energy to balance McCain's age;
• first-hand knowledge of the importance of developing more domestic energy production;
• two—count 'em, two—X chromosomes.

Happy Friday, Barack. Hope you enjoyed yourself last night.

P.S. CalTech Girl informs me that Palin's nickname is "Barracuda." (And, yes: that's from her days as a hockey player.)

UPDATE: Morrissey has a great analysis over at Hot Air, which you must read at once. Money quote:

First, though, letÂ’s assess the risk. Palin has served less than two years as Governor of Alaska, which tends to eat into the experience message on which McCain has relied thus far. At 44, sheÂ’s younger than Barack Obama by three years. She has served as a mayor and as the Ethics Commissioner on the state board regulating oil and naturalk gas, for a total of eight years political experience before her election as governor. ThatÂ’s also less than Obama has, with seven years in the Illinois legislature and three in the US Senate.

However, the nature of the experience couldn’t be more different. Palin spent her entire political career crusading against the political machine that rules Alaska — which exists in her own Republican party. She blew the whistle on the state GOP chair, who had abused his power on the same commission to conduct party business. Obama, in contrast, talked a great deal about reform in Chicago but never challenged the party machine, preferring to take an easy ride as a protegé of Richard Daley instead.

Palin has no formal foreign-policy experience, which puts her at a disadvantage to Joe Biden. However, in nineteen months as governor, she certainly has had more practical experience in diplomacy than Biden or Obama have ever seen. She runs the only American state bordered only by two foreign countries, one of which has increasingly grown hostile to the US again, Russia.

And let’s face it — Team Obama can hardly attack Palin for a lack of foreign-policy experience. Obama has none at all, and neither Obama or Biden have any executive experience. Palin has almost over seven years of executive experience.

Politically, this puts Obama in a very tough position. The Democrats had prepared to launch a full assault on McCainÂ’s running mate, but having Palin as a target creates one large headache. If they go after her like they went after Hillary Clinton, Obama risks alienating women all over again. If they donÂ’t go after her like they went after Hillary, he risks alienating Hillary supporters, who will see this as a sign of disrespect for Hillary.

So. We're bothering to hold the election this fall . . . why?

UPDATE 2: While the female side of the rightosphere exchanges high-fives, James Joyner seems underwhelmed:

WeÂ’ll see what the reaction turns out to be. IÂ’m certainly not the target audience. But McCainÂ’s first big decision is, in my mind, a truly awful one. Obama went traditional but steady in Biden. It wasnÂ’t a bold pick but it was one that butressed his claim that he has judgment even though he lacks experience. McCain has done the opposite here.

Joyner's usually dead-on right about this kind of thing. He happens to be wrong this time. I love Joyner: he's the guy who got me to accept McCain as our nominee, and why that choice wasn't the compromise I initially felt it to be, given McCain's real, heartfelt commitment to the War on Terror, which is the major challenge of our age.

Brilliant guy. Doesn't "get" it yet. But he will.

UPDATE 3: The announcement is being made right now; I'm listening live.

UPDATE 4: The Wall Street Journal:

A native of Idaho who grew up in Alaska hunting and fishing, Gov. Palin gained a reputation for political purity early on. In 2004, she resigned as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission over ethical grounds. Among her concerns: That Mr. Murkowski had appointed Randy Ruedrich, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, to a seat on her commission while Mr. Ruedrich got to keep his partisan post. Mr. Ruedrich ended up resigning from the body after Gov. Palin, among others, disclosed he was conducting Republican business in his state job. Mr. Ruedrich said he had, and agreed to pay a $12,000 state fine.

"Someone has to take a stand and change some things," Gov. Palin said in an interview in June in her office in downtown Anchorage, which is adorned with Alaskan knick knacks including the skin of a brown bear killed by her father.

In 2006, when she was running to unseat Mr. Murkowski, Gov. Palin says she got a call from Ben Stevens, then president of the Republican-run Alaska Senate and son of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, the powerful Alaska Republican. "He told me, 'You're not just running against Murkowski. You're running against me, my dad, the whole state Republican party'," Gov. Palin says.

The younger Mr. Stevens did not return calls for comment. He opted not to seek re-election after his was one of six legislative offices raided by federal agents in 2006. Four other state legislators have been sent to prison or are awaiting prosecution in the case, which has focused on bribery and other influence by oilfield contractor VECO Corp., whose chairman and a top lieutenant have pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. Sen. Stevens, who handily won the Republican primary this week to face re-election in November, was indicted in the case and has pleaded not guilty.

In office, Gov. Palin -- whose husband, Todd, works as an oilfield worker and fisherman -- has set an earthier style than her predecessors. For one thing, she sold the private jet Mr. Murkowski used to get around Alaska, relying instead on commercial airlines and her family's Jetta and a state-issued black Suburban. "I love to drive," she says. She also waved off a security escort, driving herself to and from work every day from the Anchorage suburb of Wasilla, about 45 miles away.

I don't know if I mentioned that I'm a bit stoked about this babe.

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