DEEP THOUGHT

Karl Rove, Peggy Noonan, Mark Halperin, and all the other Very Smart People say it doesn't matter that Sarah Palin has given John McCain a significant boost in the polls -- Obama shouldn't even think of going after her.

So, I guess if Barack Obama had picked Hillary Clinton as his running mate and she'd given him a big boost in the polls -- which I don't think would have happened, but let's assume it did -- then John McCain and the Republicans would be saying absolutely nothing to tarnish her image. They'd focus exclusively on Obama and ignore Hillary altogether. They'd say, "We're not running again her," and just let her attack McCain and fire up her base at will.

Show of hands: Anyone believe that's how it would go?