Some of the pundits are missing the larger context of the Quayle factor.
New York Times' Elizabeth Bumiller, for example, said on the Chris Matthews Show today that the vice presidential nominee doesn't matter -- "look at Quayle."
Yeah, Bush 41 won the 1988 election despite Quayle. However, in 1988 the Republicans didn't suffer from a serious cronyism and incompetence issue. And with Katrina looming large in the rear-view mirror, the Palin decision brings a whole new and awful dimension to the notion of a weak Quayle-ish vice presidential selection... while Gustav roars its way towards the Gulf Coast.
McCain has managed to underscore how the McBush Republicans choose politics over qualifications, even in times of crisis. So while Governor Palin is clearly not an idiot like Dan Quayle, she's become a gigantic billboard advertising and reinforcing what we've all been saying about Bush incompetence.