I think both the haphazard process McCain employed to pick her as well as her own general lightweightness as a national candidate, not to mention McCain's proposed trip to the Gulf Coast while local officials are trying to prepare for a freakin' hurricane.... all of this simply reinforces the reality that the modern Republican party (at least, at the national level) is far more interested in symbolism and appearances than in actually, you know, doing what they're elected to do.
Let's LOOK like I'm doing something to respond to the hurricane.
Let's LOOK like I actually vetted my potential running mate.
Let's pick someone who literally LOOKS like she could appeal to the Hilary voters.
Let's drill for oil off our shores so that we LOOK like we're doing something for high gas prices.
Let's pass a law called "No Child Left Behind" so that it LOOKS like we're not leaving any children behing.
Let's pass a law called "Clear Skies" or something so that it LOOKS like we're doing something about the environment.
The GOP is just a massive sleight of hand being perpetrated on the American populace. There's no "there" there.