Palin Stunner: A Brilliant or Brutal Pick?

John McCain certainly turned some heads by selecting Sarah Palin as his vice president. Here’s what people are saying:  

• Given how perfectly Palin fits his needs, it’s surprising that this is so surprising, write Mark Grunwald and Jay Newton-Small of Time. McCain needed to prove he was independent, but also socially conservative, while also appealing to women. Tah-dah!
• Andrew Sullivan finds the pick revealing: McCain doesn’t think he can win without disgruntled Clinton voters.

• It’s a striking pick, but ultimately a weak one, says Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo. Palin is embroiled in scandal right now, and even less qualified than Obama.
• John Farrell of US News thinks Palin is a brilliant pick, who will make Democratic strategists “retch with worry.” But he warns that the relative unknown could turn out to be a disaster—like then-unknown Dan Quayle in 1988.

(More Sarah Palin stories.)