A Palin view from an Alaskan

This from Richard, in a Palin combox thread below. Lots to consider in this balanced consideration:

As a former Alaskan, my first reaction is purely and simply tribal. Wow. Some random thoughts.

I have met Sarah Palin (n.b. Alaska is a small state, so evereyone meets everyone else, ultimately). In a small setting, she comes across as informed, charming, and very good looking. Did I tell you she is good looking. The big question, shortly to be answered, is whether she can play in Minneapolis as well as she played in Wasilla. This is a big, big, question, and McCain has bet big on red, and is now watching the little silver ball roll around the roulette wheel. She is a walk the talk Christian, not a political Christian. Of all the various things that have been written or said about the Palin's fifth child, the one that says the most to me about their "values" (I hate the term, but it will have to serve) as a family is the quote from the Palin's oldest of four, and only son, Track, now serving in Iraq, who said simply: "I'm thrilled. I always wanted a brother".

The Palins are definitely Sam's Club Republicans. Wasilla is exurban Anchorage, the sort of place where one finds F-150s and hardly any Volvos, and where people shop at Costco and Target, and eat at Chepo's Fiesta -- when they're not barbecuing salmon they've caught themselves. The Palins fished in Bristol Bay for heaven's sake, which involves a three to four day trip around the Alaska Peninisula from a Homer or Seward home port, out of radio range, where your two or three crewmates are who you have to depend on if things go wrong. And they can go very wrong. The Bristol Bay red run is not quite "deadliest catch", but it's no walk in the park, either. And Todd Palin has won a couple of Iron Dog snowmachine races back and forth between Wasilla and Nome. McCain may have just locked away NASCAR country's votes.

The big question I have, having watched Sarah Palin's career, is can she function as a key contributor in a major and sustained political effort that is not about her? She is not an organization Republican nor, is it yet clear, an organization person necessarily ready to adapt to someone else's organization. Now, given the state of things in the republican party in Alaska, not being an organization Republican is probably a good thing. But this is now a ticket with two mavericks, one of whom will need to serve as VICE president. How will she contribute, and will she possess the management chops to take on whatever portfolio is shared with her, and add value?

Big questions. Huge learning curve ahead.

In the intimate environment Alaska presents, Sarah Palin has most usually been among the most clever people in the room. We will shortly see how she performs when she moves from Alaska Class 4A to her debate with Joe Biden. The potential for a Dan Quayle moment is not infinitesimal. On the other hand, her selection sets up the possibility of an interesting one-on-one with Barack Obama. He's had the gym floor all to himself the past few months, three point shots and all. Unlike Barack, Sarah has a championship ring, as a former Wasilla Lady Warrior.

Do not assume that because Sarah Palin has been picked, that John McCain has gone all soft on the oil industry. Spend some time googling "Palin", "Gas Line", "ExxonMobil", and "Point Thompson", and you will quicky discover enough information to squelch any thought that Gov. Palin is in any way cordial toward Big Oil. The question is whether her Administration's thumb on the scales to favor a Canadian company for the gas line project -- a company whose capital and management chops for a project of that magnitude remain uncertain -- will blow up some time during the next four years will be very interesting to watch.

For the next 48 hour news cycle, this is an inspired political pick. For the next 60 days and beyond, that little silver ball keeps rolling around the roulette wheel. I have this funny hunch that when that little ball stops, we will instantly know what McCain has risked with this pick. It's the kind of Hail Mary pass that I suppose one ought to expect from a guy who once flew jets off of carriers. McCain fans might just want to pur themselves a double before they sit down and watch CNN/Fox the next few weeks.