Yes, she can.

So of course, I've been taking a crash-course on Sarah Palin today, along with much of the country - and I have to say, I'm pretty excited about the Republican ticket. Really excited, in fact. Of course, I'll wait to see what the media can dig up on the girl (since you know they'll be digging hard) before I go sticking a bumper sticker on the car, but Governor Palin really seems to be my kind of conservative.

She grew up with teachers for parents, became coach of her basketball team in high school (and was leader of a Christian atheletics club), was second runner-up in the Miss Alaska contest, in fact. No career politician here - though she was obviously intrigued by the shadowy world of government, as she majored in journalism and minored in political science. She went on to be a newscaster and on-air sports reporter. Worked her way up in politics by joining her city council and, essentially, building on an ethics-in-government platform that took her to Mayor, and, eventually, Governor. (She even acted as a whistle-blower against someone in her own party.)

Five kids, including one with Down's (born this year, I believe.) Active in "Feminists For Life," however that works (sounds intriguing, at least.) She's claimed to be against same-sex marriage, which is a stand that I don't know that I can support - but as governor, her very first veto was against Alaska legislation that would have barred same-sex couples from receiving benefits from their partners, so she seems to have a complex and even-handed social conscience. And she's level headed and knowledgable about oil-drilling and energy policies, coming from Alaska.

And she has a touch of executive experience, having been Governor for a couple years, which beats Obama's single term in the senate. Still, that's apples and oranges - Obama has a significant state legislative record (which is party-line liberal, and distinctly pro-government-growth.) Neither of them have a typical record of achievement for someone aiming for the White House.

So yeah, I think I'm pretty happy about this (and I didn't even mention her brilliant speech this morning, when John McCain introduced her - Wow!) Sorry, Hillary.

Don't get me wrong - I got my free Obama button from MoveOn.org (not that I'll wear it or anything), because I respect his place in history and actually admire what he has done to mark this point in time in history. But the Republicans have chosen to be inspiring as well. Let's see if they can put the first woman into the White House.