…Sarah Palin is. As she cheerleads for him, it becomes increasingly clear she is the de facto nominee. He requires her presence at major rallies and events. There is no crowd without her. She derisively sneers and attacks Obama on McCain’s behalf. Without her, McCain is nothing. As he speaks, the roar of the crowd that she conjures when introducing him dials down to appreciative applause.

Last night, he oddly wandered about. I refer not to his excellent way of engaging people in the town hall format, but to his meandering when Obama was speaking. He lacks the vigor and vitality, the energy and verve, that Obama exudes. Without Palin by his side, he stumbles a bit. She acts as the perfect trophy wife, engaging the folk when Cindy McCain, whom I’ve never seen shake a potential voter’s hand, won’t.

As always, I think people watching the debate simply came away more surely in support of whomever they’d intended to vote for before. Unfortunately, the increasing hate speech coming from Palin will give quiet bigots the permission they require to vote against their own best interests. Race, religion, and to a lesser extent class and gender, the smokescreens utilized by the elite to solidify power in this country for about 400 years now, obscure Obama’s competency and the fact that he is the superior candidate. If Palin’s racialist language continues over the next month, she may set this country back decades. If the Republicans win and she takes a Cheney-like role in the Oval Office, assuming more responsibility and power than VP’s have historically, she will set us back even more.