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What a political week this was… starting with the Democrats still fretting over what, if anything, the most ardent Hillary Clinton supporters might do to disrupt Barack Obama’s coronation and ending with the dramatic news that John McCain had picked as his running mate a woman from Alaska with zero national political experience.

From conversations with political wise sages in Denver yesterday to a chat with my neighbor Ray over the fence back home in L.A. this morning, the question was: what do you think of McCain’s choice of freshman Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his #2.

Yes, John McCain, who argues with a straight face that Barack Obama's 12 years in the Illinois legislature and U.S. Senate aren't enough to qualify him to run for president, has picked a running mate who just two years ago was serving as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 5,470.

In short, the presumptive Republican nominee, an Old Soldier in all senses of that term, drafted the political equivalent of the Unknown Soldier as his co-pilot.

McCain's pick of Palin jettisons his attack that Obama isn't ready to lead and looks more like a desperate "Hail Mary" campaign tactic aimed at female voters. A “Hail Sarah” as a Democrat told me in Denver yesterday.

Governors can be grand on presidential tickets… just look how well these former state chief executives excelled on the national stage: Presidents Clinton, Reagan and both Roosevelts.   Each had extensive executive experience in running a state – which like a company had a complex budget. But Sarah Palin has been in office for less than two years and remains a neophyte in her own statehouse, let alone in the national arena.

Worse, the Alaska Legislature voted last month to investigate allegations that Palin dismissed the state's public safety commissioner after that official resisted pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a contentious divorce from Palin's sister.

The legislature has hired a former district attorney to investigate the troubling allegations and report by Oct. 31 — just before the Nov. 4 general election.

Talk about an October surprise. Has McCain harnessed himself to a political time bomb?

Clearly her selection is a desperate effort to court the still irritated Clinton voters. But if McCain intends his running mate to be a bridge to supporters of the superbly qualified New York senator, Palin's lack of credentials and her hard-line anti-abortion stance will be tremendous roadblocks.

So bottom line in my view… McCain shines in timing, introducing his surprise VP choice the morning after Obama’s big stadium show in Denver… quickly changing the court of the political conversation.   But his age – 72 yesterday -- is a major issue and his choice of such an inexperienced #2 can easily come back to bite him.

Speaking of timing, Hurricane Gustav – now at Category 3 as it roars over western Cuba and takes aim at the Gulf Coast – has the potential of being a convention killer for the Republicans. What’s the GOP’s plan B, C or D? Will George W. Bush skip St. Paul to actually pay attention to the hurricane’s potential victims this time… instead of his gigantic Katrina fumble?

It should be a great news week… and Fox 11’s reporter Phil Shuman, photographer-editor Greg Montemurro and producer John Simerson will be in St. Paul, starting today, to blog and broadcast it all.

Of course, I was on our team that spent the week covering the Democrats in Denver. So some final thoughts on Obamarama, since I didn’t get the chance to blog yesterday.

As Barack Obama took the stage on the 50-yard line to a blinding flicker of flashbulbs, there was an 84-thousand fan roar befitting a Denver Broncos touchdown. Invesco Field was literally rocked by that. I can tell you… I was underneath the stands, working on John Schwada’s lead story for that night and the whole metal framework rattled.

The thunder above my head was the culmination of a marathon political carnival that bore little resemblance to any convention finale that had come before.

The night sky brought an air of majesty to replace the summery festival feel of the late afternoon. Earlier, I was topside in the stadium when singer/songwriter Michael McDonald sang America the Beautiful.   Tens of thousands of American flags waved… thousands sang. I found it very emotional, enough to bring a tear. It was, for me, the golden moment of the Democratic Convention – a salute to our country that transcended political lines. I am grateful to have been there.

Personal thanks to John Schwada and rapid-fire photographer-editor Darryl Kim for a great week of hard work and much accomplishment.

Finally, a word of appreciation to law enforcement in Denver, federal and local. The Secret Service agents who had their hands full guarding their “protectees” and screening all the rest of us were unfailingly courteous, even in the hot sun of Sunday when we were dragging our heavy equipment cases in a long line to pass the dog sniff test.

And then there was Sergeant Mike O’Donnell from the Denver Police Gang Bureau. He was just outside Invesco Field when our long day and night wrapped up at 12:30AM Friday. We had no easy way to get back to our Pepsi Center workspace from the Stadium, about a mile and a half away. No cabs, no private cars. We had to be back there in just few hours for Good Day L.A. live shots. Would we have roll all our stuff through a dark and rough Denver neighborhood? Sergeant O’Donnell saved the day… bundling us all into his unmarked police car, helping us stack all the broadcast gear onto our laps, then getting us to where we needed to go.

That’s the four of us after our ride. Sergeant Mike (second from left) you’re the man!

Bob_Tarlau

Bob_Tarlau's Blog

THIS POLITICAL WEEK

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