They're heeeere

The McCain campaign has made an announcement this morning, which (I'm guessing) they hope will be overshadowed by news from the Gulf Coast: Governor Sarah Palin is going to be a grandmother at 44 via her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, who plans to marry the father. Congratulations, Sarah!

Here's some additional reading material about the VP nominee, courtesy of the London Telegraph:

The allegations [of corruption] are bound to increase discomfort among Republicans about Mr McCain's choice of running mate. His main line of attack against his opponent Barack Obama - that Mr. Obama is not ready to lead the country - has been

undermined, by the prospect of Mrs. Palin, who has been governor for only 20 months, being forced to step in if Mr. McCain, who is 72 and has suffered several bouts of cancer, were unable to fulfil his duties.

Mrs. Palin's apparent lack of knowledge of or experience in foreign affairs has aroused particular concern. When asked in an interview for her thoughts on the "surge" of American troops, Mr. McCain's support for which is a key plank of the Republican campaign, Mrs. Palin said: "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq."

In an interview last month, when it seemed unlikely she would be offered the role by Mr. McCain, Mrs. Palin dismissed the job of vice-president, saying that she couldn't understand what it would involve day to day.

Even Mrs. Palin's mother-in-law, Faye Palin, has said she doubts her suitability. Saying that she was still thinking of voting for Mr. Obama, she said: "I'm not sure what she brings to the ticket, other than she's a woman and a conservative."

In other Republican-based news, St. Paul is rolling out the red carpet for the (micro-)RNConvention. One little perk is double-decker tour buses which are serving as free shuttles up and down Grand Avenue. Yesterday, Kidlet and I hopped on. Why not, I thought? We were the ONLY riders on the bus, both ways. It was fun, taking Kidlet up the spiral stairs and sitting in the front seat up top, getting a bird's eye view of the Avenue. We were, however, waved at with a single finger 3 times by residents. The tack I'm taking is that these good liberals confused us for being of the "R" persuasion. I love my town!

We decided to swing through downtown to see how awkward it was. It was. We did get to see a herd of St. Paul's finest on bicycle patrol.