Giddy about Palin while Obama's bounce appears

I expected that John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin might flatten any post-convention bounce for Barack Obama.

With the latest tracking poll results now coming in, it is apparent that Obama is enjoying a marked advantage following the Democratic National Convention, and subsequent to the addition of Palin to the GOP ticket.

The manner in which the Obama bounce manifested itself suggests that elite opinions, as usual, direct public opinion generally. The Democratic National Convention received limited viewership but was reviewed positively in terms of its overall presentation. The Dems put on a slick presentation, even if it included an inaccurate portrayal of John McCain's relationship to the policies of President Bush.

Smears can work regardless of truth value.

The buzz surrounding Palin, I suppose, has been primarily conducted among political geeks. The reaction among the general public will occur as the elite opinions get disseminated. Thus it remains to be seen if analysis praising McCain's insight in tabbing Palin stacks up well against attacks on Palin such as that presented in the editorial pages of The St. Petersburg Times.