There was certainly speculation that Obama needed to choose a woman - or one women in particular, Hillary Clinton. But the get-out-the-vote effort among those under 30 and women was so well honed that almost all of even the most disgruntled Clinton supporters were swayed by election day.

It was the youth vote from the outset that marked this election as different. Every four years we hear of a politician who is firing up college students and first-time voters. But no one has been this successful. No one has reached out person-to-person as effectively. Even in solidly Republican states like South Carolina, Obama took the youth vote. Some of this is because Obama conducted a ridiculously youth-friendly campaign, using web-based social networking and text-messaging get out the vote.

Oh, but it did work.
McCain didn't even have the support of his conservative base before his selection of Palin.
Palin pulled in more people at her rallies than anyone on either of the tickets with the exception of Obama.