If the operative (leading) reason for U.S. Sen. John McCain's vice presidential pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was due to gender and such egalitarian reasons, then his pick is problematic. Remember, Martin Luther King, Jr., said, we "should not be judged by the color of our skin, but the content of our character."
Whether its skin or gender, either characteristics are outside of our control. What we can control, that is, the "content of our character," should be the operative factor for selection. Content of our character reflects our integrity, discipline, hard work, faithfulness leading to achievements, successful relationships and contentment. Apparently, Gov. Palin has the necessary content of character.
The question remains, did Sen. McCain pick her finally because she was the most qualified under the circumstances or because she was a woman? If she was picked for being a woman (to obtain Hillary Clinton female voters and the historic suffrage moment), then political appeasement to left-liberal egalitarian in gender affairs won out.
McCain and his close confidants only knows. Certainly, many now know that the Palin pick does change the poltical dynamics. Obama and his particular ethnicity is not the only historic moment in this race; Palin does not pale in comparison.