I think McCain's choice of Governor Sarah Palin was brilliant.
First off, the Obama people can no longer spout their mantra of "change" being that their man selected Washington old timer Joe Biden as his running mate. Also, Obama will no longer be the fresh faced new kid on the block. For the next few days, at least, the focus will be on Palin. And all this has taken place right after the Democratic Convention, where Obama was hoping to keep his press coverage going.
Also, the Democrats will have to basically walk on eggshells in going after Palin. After all, they're the last group that wants to come across as sexists.
Finally, we should remember that Queen Victoria had nine children, and ruled England when that country was at its most powerful.