PALIN 50% MORE POPULAR AMONG REPUBLICANS THAN BIDEN IS AMONG DEMOCRATS

IN THEIR FIRST TEST OF PRESIDENTIAL DECISION-MAKING, MCCAIN MADE A BETTER PICK THAN OBAMA; RASMUSSEN:

So far John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate has Republicans far more likely to give money to his campaign than Democrats responding to Barack Obama’s selection of Joseph Biden.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of Republicans say they are more likely to give money to the McCain campaign with the Alaska governor running for vice president, while 46% of Democrats say the same with the longtime Delaware senator on the ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Only 12% of Republicans say they are less likely to give, compared to 19% of Democrats. While one-quarter of GOP voters (25%) say the Palin selection has no impact on their decision to contribute, nearly a third of Democrats (32%) feel that way (crosstabs available for Premium Members).

SHE HAS ENERGIZED THE BASE. AND TURNED ON WOMEN VOTERS.

• THE ONLY QUIBBLE: IS SHE QUALIFIED?
• BUT PALIN IS AS QUALIFIED TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT AS JOHN EDWARDS WAS IN 2004, AND AS QUALIFIED AS SIBELIUS OR KAINE WERE THIS GO ROUND.
• AND ER... UM, AS QUALIFIED AS OBAMA IS.

ERGO: PALIN WAS A GREAT PICK.