From the Dept. of Curb Your Enthusiasm

As good as Palin's speech was, and I thought it was great (if light on substance), it's important to remember that Sarah Palin will be John McCain's VP if elected, not vice-versa. As I said in my post on the speech, Palin doesn't make McCain any less odious a candidate. Everything bad about him will still be there if he's president, and Palin will become complicit in assisting him do things that conservatives have revolted against in the past (like "campaign finance reform" legislation that actually mangles free speech, and "comprehensive immigration reform" legislation that actually seeks to radically alter America without Americans' approval).

Daniel Larison (at The American Conservative) brings this fact into focus for all those Republicans and Conservatives (the two aren't necessarily synonymous) breathless over Sarah Palin:

Practically everything that ... the average conservative, [likes] about Sarah Palin is opposed and negated by what John McCain stands for and has represented for pretty much his entire career, but still conservatives are reacting deliriously to a speech whose ultimate purpose is to co-opt them into backing a presidential candidate whose policies on vital national questions are antithetical to everything they value. Does her small-town ethos impress you and inspire some identification with her? McCain embraces the policies promoting globalization and mass immigration that are gradually transforming your small towns beyond recognition. Does her hostility to Washington elites please you? McCain serves and always has served the interests of those elites, and his immigration legislation was just the most recent and egregious form of this. Like the undead creature it resembles, the GOP establishment will feed off of every bit of the energy, vivacity and authenticity that Palin possesses in its bid to keep conservatives serving their goals.