Sarah Palin may have support among conservatives. But what’s the real impact of the McCain pick?

There’s little question about the wisdom of Senator John McCain’s pick of Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate. For conservatives wary of McCain’s maverick image, the governor packs enough conservative credentials to excite the base of the Republican party. Problems with her daughter and her “lack of experience” notwithstanding, McCain’s pick was a strategic master stroke.

Unfortunately for the newly rallied conservatives, Palin is not in fact much more than a figurehead. As the first vice-president put it, “My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived; and as I can do neither good nor evil, I must be borne away by others and meet the common fate.”

While this “most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived” may indeed be well filled, there’s very little on the policy side to go along with the political brilliance. Conservatives should indeed be pleased with McCain’s pick, but those who expect more than a token to appeal to the party base may be disappointed.?

So, while Palin is indeed a symbol, her status prevents her from making an essential change in the political landscape.

Samuel’s comments: Josh here takes the position of the outside commentator, while I look more at from why McCain chose Palin as his running mate. Both views differ slightly from their perspective, but gives a good examination of the vice presidential candidate.