I came to the conclusion long ago that we are, indeed, that shallow as a nation.

We always have been, it’s nothing new. VPs have always been chosen based on their ability to “shore up” the ticket, not on whether they are the next-best person in the country to be prez in case the unspeakable happens. One has to look no farther than Dan Quayle to see another recent case.

In that respect, McCain did indeed make a great strategic pick.