Like it was McCain's decision!
She was foisted on him, and my understanding is that it was against his very strong objections.
I've always wondered what our history might have been if McCain had won the Republican nomination instead of W.
The only insider account of the Palin decision I know of is the book and later the HBO movie "Game Change," and it it McCain is seen as choosing her because she was his best shot to win the election. I am sure he never gave much thought to the possibility he would die in office, just cause he's John McCain (See also George H.W. Bush and his Veep pick) .
I think McCain would have made a better president than Bush because he is naturally curious and no doubt would have seen the famous August Al Queada memo about using airplanes to attack buildings. I also think he had a more "human" quality, and probably would have gone to the Katrina victims sooner.
As for the economy, he may not have cut taxes the way Bush did, but I think the crisis of 2008 was going to happen no matter who was in the white house. Everyone was making way too much money on the housing bubble.
