In a totally unexpected move, John McCain hits one out of the park. As his running mate, Sarah Palin brings executive experience. She’s paid her dues, first as mayor of a city and then as governor of a state — Alaska. She certainly understands family issues. She’s the mother of five children — in fact, she just had her last baby within the past year. And she will bring all the disaffected conservatives back into the fold. What’s more, she’s in good with one of the most powerful political action groups in the United States — she’s a life member of the National Rifle Association.

Hillary Clinton’s supporters will have to think long and hard about the choice between breaking the race barrier with a man who is really Kenyan, not American black, and busting the glass ceiling with a true blue American woman.

She’s also something Washington desperately needs, a reformer. CNN’S Political Ticker says:

McCain picks Alaska Gov. Palin as running mate

Palin, 44, who’s in her first term as governor, is a pioneering figure in Alaska, the first woman and the youngest person to hold the state’s top political job.

She catapulted to the post with a strong reputation as a political outsider, forged during her stint in local politics. She was mayor and a council member of the small town of Wasila and was chairman of the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska’s oil and gas resources, in 2003 and 2004.

The conservative Palin defeated two so-called political insiders to win the governor’s job — incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski in the GOP primary and former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in the 2006 general election.

Palin made her name in part by backing tough ethical standards for politicians. During the first legislative session after her election, her administration passed a state ethics law overhaul….

Marc Ambinder has a series of quotes from others, including this:

A maverick with a record of reform picks a maverick with a record of reform. John McCain puts Washington on notice that there is a shake up coming.

Now there’s change we can believe in!

While the machine Democrats were gloating about the general dissatisfaction with the entrenched Republicans in Washington, what they failed to notice was a crop of effective young GOP governors quietly reforming moribund states — Bobby Jindal cutting bureaucracy in Louisianna, Tim Pawlenty changing education in Minnesota, Sarah Palin instilling ethics in Alaska. Just look at the difference in the way Louisianna is responding to the approach of Gustav as compared to the disgraceful response of former Democratic governor Kathleen Blanco to Katrina.

Ed Morrissey notes the political pros and cons:

With multiple media outlets confirming now that Governor Sarah Palin will indeed join the Republican ticket as John McCain’s running mate, McCain has clearly chosen to play offense rather than defense. Instead of a safe choice, such as closest runner-up Mitt Romney or genial Everyman Tim Pawlenty, McCain took some risk with a relative newcomer to national politics. Palin will inject risk, excitement, controversy, and an unexpected historic note to the Republican convention….

This is change you can believe in, and not change that amounts to all talk. McCain changed the trajectory of the race today by stealing Obama’s strength and turning it against him. Obama provided that opening by picking Biden as his running mate, and McCain was smart enough to take advantage of the opening.

His usual good analysis here — visit Hot Air and read all of it. Cruising around the web, so far I think Ed has done the best job of parsing all Sarah’s assets.

My personal opinion — McCain let Obama enjoy his Greek temple cum rock star moment for half a day, then cut him off at the knees. Age and experience will beat youth and good looks any day … but with Sarah, the Republican ticket now has both.