This election has already been touted as the most important election of perhaps the last 50 years (though, of course, we could debate that all day and night), but the pot has now been stirred yet again as McCain has announced his running mate, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, to stand beside him as the GOP Vice President.

The pick comes somewhat as a surprise to the political analysts, wizards, and 24 hour punditry who might of expected (and tossed around the names of) Joe Lieberman or Ridge (or some even mentioned Powell {?}).

The pick has a lot of potential to dig a bigger wedge into the gap created by the Obama/Hillary split in the Democratic Party (which, I'd be willing to bet, is still a festering wound despite what the networks and James Carville might have you believe) as the election now takes its turn into the straightaway to November.

But, as strategic as the Palin choice may seem, I don't see how she compliments McCain other than that she's a woman and may gain some support from fiscally conservative voters from both sides of the partisan divide. She has disqualified the GOP attack against Obama's "lack of experience" as I would think it very difficult for McCain to continue that jab with a VP who has but two years of prominent political experience.

Joe Biden seems to compliment Obama as a VP running mate more than Palin does McCain as he has six and a half terms under his belt in the Senate (to address Obama's experience issue); he's a chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and has a son serving in Iraq (to address questions of Obama's angle towards national security and fighting the war on terror); and he's a well-respected and notably moderate Democrat with significant pull among blue-collar voters (to address Obama's lack of connection to middle America.)

While both VP choices are refreshing in their consideration of the respective Presidential candidates' shortcomings, Biden is the stronger pick and (I believe) will strengthen the Obama campaign as we move into debate season more than Palin.