Kevin Drum hits on a fundamental shift (via Andrew Sullivan):

Despite all the grief she’s gotten, I continue to think that the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running mate represents the breaking of a consensual cultural barrier far more fundamental than most people realize. … She was chosen purely at the level of celebrity, and an awful lot of people seemed to be just fine with that.

I fear he’s right.

Is consumerism a possible forecast of an election? There’s a new store at Reagan National Airport, aptly titled, ‘America’ in Terminal B. While waiting for my flight last week, I popped in to check out the array of fun election gadgets. While cashing out with a few Obama bobble heads and a tin of Bush administration ‘indictmint’ mints, Richard asked the cashier which candidate was selling more products. She eagerly reported that Obama was way ahead in sales, outpacing McCain and Palin by double. Here’s a small shop titled America in one the busiest airports in the nation’s capital which already swings democratic but hosts tourists from all over the country. What do you think? Are people voting with their dollar?