While not funny and not photoshopped, I thought I’d share a possible scenario with this presidential campaign and election:
John McCain’s selection for Vice President, Sarah Palin, enjoys the spotlight for a few weeks, does the campaign thing, but eventually changes her mind and asks to be removed from the ticket, for whatever reason (kids, criticism, etc). Then, McCain selects someone with more experience, more age, and moves forward with campaign and wins the election. (Yeah, I know she just joined the campaign, but stranger things have happened!)
Why would this happen?
Her brief stint as a VP selection would serve to steal some of the media attention for a few days from Obama/Biden, following his historic speech, raise a lot of money from happy conservatives, and draw out the mean-spirited critiques of Sarah Palin, which might serve McCain’s to advantage as some may be turned off by Democratic attacks of the first Republican woman to be picked for the VP slot.
If this did happen, I don’t know if it would have been pre-planned, but it’s something to consider if one was cynical enough. I’m posting this so I can look prophetic. I am very impressed with this guy, who started a “Palin for VP” blog back in February 2007 – talk about being ahead of the pack. If Palin resigns, I want the media calling me.
UPDATED:
A portion of what I wrote in the Comments section re: this post:
When I wrote the post, I was only practicing cynicism, half-heartedly, following a phone call with a friend about why she was picked; I said it would be an unusually wild plan – to throw out bait in the form of Palin, as it were, to stir up both sides for different reasons to their advantage (ie, Obama? where’d he go? It’s all Palin, all the time now), and then pull her back and proceed with someone else. On purpose. Maybe Ashton Kutcher will hold a press conference with John McCain and yell “You’ve been punk’d!” Now, I don’t think this is true, but doing this ACCIDENTALLY isn’t out of the realm of possibilities!!
I’ll add this was posted before any of the idiotic smears showed up on the internet. I was just thinking of usual, expected political attacks that might allow for a big switch. Politics is mostly theater and this year it’s been amazing on both sides.
MORE UPDATE: Sunday evening, CNN’s Anderson Cooper blogs about a ‘what if’ Bobby Jindal had been selected – some of the comments relate to my own on this subject.
9/3/08 UPDATE: Brief article on this possibility – the Prediction Market is taking bets on Palin withdrawing.
So, it is proven: I can write a few paragraphs without obvious and silly false statements and made-up photos afterall! (it’ll happen, the serious writing, but not often). — Mark
MARK WIBERG 
You know what Mark I completely agree with you.
I will go one step further and say that I don’t think that Gustav has anything to do with postponing the convention.
Are they afraid that it will hit the Twin Cities.
As far as worrying about partying during a hurricane three years ago they never even acknowledged hardly that there had been a hurricane.
What about having a party while our country is in war time. Anyway I digress. I think they have not got the support they wanted and they are postponing nominating her.
She will gracioulsy back off saying that she didn’t know that the mean democrats would start attacking her personal life and her family and she will not subject them to this.
Then he will pick who they want him to have.
Then they will have a convention.
Well, I won’t get into the convention delay except to say they had no choice to delay, since they’d get massacred politically about partying during this week when the storm’s effects would be revealed. The Dems lucked out as they got to have a fairly typical convention, except the stadium event. Delaying the convention for the Palin decision is an interesting thought, though I think “they” do want Palin and he doesn’t so much, so it’ll go forward.
When I wrote the post, I was only practicing cynicism, half-heartedly, following a phone call with a friend about why she was picked; I said it would be an unusually wild plan – to throw out bait in the form of Palin, as it were, to stir up both sides for different reasons to their advantage (ie, Obama? where’d he go? It’s all Palin, all the time now), and then pull her back and proceed with someone else. On purpose. Maybe Ashton Kutcher will hold a press conference with John McCain and yell “You’ve been punk’d!” Now, I don’t think this is true, but doing this ACCIDENTALLY isn’t out of the realm of possibilities!!
I’m not saying I hope it happens or doesn’t happen. I like her. I think she helps John McCain’s campaign. Each side demonizes the other so it makes it easy to abandon support for a politician. Do I think she’s the best pick? No. But the best pick, whoever that would be, would still be receiving the worst criticisms from the Dems, just as Biden received from some Republicans.
Also, to be clear: I didn’t post this with any knowledge of the smears out there about her. I hadn’t yet read up on them. I was just thinking of regular political attacks (lack of experience, primarily). It is mostly theater and it’s interesting to think of the scenarios that could change it up!