McCain-Palin 2008? We'll know soon

Despite those rumors last night that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's sudden departure from Denver was because he'd been notified that John McCain had picked him to be his running mate and he had a joint appearance to make with McCain in Ohio today, Pawlenty says this morning that he's not the one McCain has picked.

Indications are that Mitt Romney, the other favorite, won't be the candidate, either.

However, a flurry of speculation has been awakened this morning by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's quiet arrival in Cincinnatti this morning by private jet. Nobody is saying anything, but she appears to be the person most likely to be standing next to McCain when he names his running mate in a few hours.

Palin- a woman (notice that, Hillary backers?), a tough politician, a fine public speaker, a McCain-esque reformer, a strongly pro-life conservative, and a choice sure to get attention- would be an excellent call by McCain. True, she lacks experience. But McCain has plenty of that.

It's would be sort of like the Democratic ticket- only with the presidential candidate being the one who's qualified to be president.

And if McCain should lose, Palin would instantly join Romney and Mike Huckabee as co-front runners for the top job in 2012, at which point she'd have more experience than Obama has now.

ADDENDUM: Contradicting numerous reports to the contrary, ABC is reporting that Palin is still in Alaska.