Polls this week suggest that, for the Republicans, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a brilliant choice for running mate. She has not only neutralized Barack Obama’s bounce from the Democratic convention – as well as dominated the political discussions for the past week – but given John McCain a lift.

A Gallup poll finds the McCain ticket now leading Obama 49 percent to 44 percent. Just a few weeks earlier, the same poll found Obama leading 47 percent to 43 percent.

However, a CNN Poll shows the candidates are tied at 48 percent apiece, but even that is a turnaround from earlier polls that had Obama leading.

Where has the shift occurred? Apparently among white female voters. A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll that came out Tuesday shows that McCain is winning among white women 52 percent to 41 percent. Just weeks ago, white women were divided between Obama and McCain.

The challenge for Obama and Joe Biden (has anyone talked about him in a few days?), is how to go after Palin without distancing themselves from women voters. As one political strategist noted, they need to be “very careful not to turn Sarah Palin into a working-class heroine.” She is Teflon right now. But there’s a long time before the election . . .

– Paul Gullixson

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