In 1967, Thurgood Marshall made history by becoming the first black Supreme Court judge, and a very liberal one at that.
24 years later, in 1991, Clarence Thomas, an arch-conservative black man (of meager qualifications and questionable ethics), found his way to the Supreme Court.
In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro made history by becoming the first woman chosen as a VP candidate of a major party, on the Democratic party ticket.
24 years later, in 2008, Sarah Palin, an arch-conservative woman (of meager qualifications and questionable ethics) was picked for the Republican VP ticket.
Pretty original, huh?
In 2011, 24 years after Barney Frank came out as gay, some Republican congressman (of meager qualifications and questionable ethics?) will doubtlessly do the same.
Clarence Thomas was and is a darling of the far right, and Palin looks like she's going in that direction. Rush Limbaugh is practically weeping with joy, and I remember his reaction to Clarence Thomas. At RedState every diary is ecstatically positive. Whatever the reaction of the anyone else, the hard-core base is very happy.
I have no idea if this is what the McCain team was aiming for, but what this choice did, as did that of Clarence Thomas, was to provide a talking point and a fig leaf for insecurities about racism and sexism from their worst practitioners and their enablers. I don't think very many black people got convinced back then that the Republicans were on their side, and I don't think many women will be swayed now. But the base got something to be enthusiastic about, and maybe they will go to the polls with something more than resignation.