On Thursday night, after hearing Obama’s amazing speech, I said to someone at the convention watch party that regardless of party or who people supported in the primaries, Obama’s acceptance of the nomination was a historic moment that every American should be proud of, whether or not they were voting for him. By that same logic, Sarah Palin’s selection as the first woman on a Republican ticket and potentially the first female VP is also historic, and she should be congratulated for that.

I take exception, however, to those in the press and elsewhere who say that Palin’s selection was courageous or reinforces McCain’s image as a “maverick”. In fact, I would argue that selecting Palin instead of several better known, more experienced Republican women who happen to be pro-choice proves how beholden he has become to the Christian Right he once stood up against. Rather than reinforcing his image as a maverick, McCain’s decision only proves that John Kerry was right the other night when he talked about the difference between Senator McCain and Candidate McCain.