The Internet campaign strategist who made Howard Dean a frontrunner in 2004 says Democrats who write off Palin as a crazy Bible-thumping prom queen will be in for a surprise: John McCain's presumptive running mate will be the centerpiece of an attack on Barack Obama's record as a change agent. "She isn't Dan Quayle," Joe Trippi writes, "and besides, Dan Quayle was elected vice president." Most of Trippi's opinion piece for CBS rehashes stuff you know, so I've excerpted his talking points:

I have seen a lot of commentary on why John McCain’s pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is a cynical and transparent ploy to bring disaffected women who supported Hillary Clinton to his cause.

But I don’t think John McCain and the people around him are that stupid.

The McCain campaign plans on making an assault on Barack Obama’s strength as a change agent. And challenge, what the McCain campaign will describe as, Obama’s weak or non-existent attacks on corruption within the Democratic Party and other institutions throughout his career.

To make this assault, McCain picked in Palin someone who has taken on the corruption in the GOP in Alaska, turned against her own party’s establishment, and fought for reform.

Palin could thrive and strongly help McCain make his case, or she could crumble and damage his candidacy. My first impression is that she is not going to crumble.

She isn’t Dan Quayle, and besides, Dan Quayle was elected vice president.

Don’t LOL. Take the McCain/Palin ticket seriously.

(Photo of Joe Trippi by Wake Up Wal-mart, Sarah Palin by AP/Stephan Savoia)

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