I'm going back and forth every few minutes between thinking this is an amazing pick and a terrible one. But, let's boil it down - the issue is whether her presence on the ticket will bring over enough women voters to beat out however many voters are scared off by her lack of experience.
My first reaction was that she could potentially swing a lot of women voters. On the other hand, a feminist doesn't want a woman to be VP just because she's a woman, she wants a qualified woman to be VP and be treated just as fairly as a man. Older women in particular are likely to perceive Palin as unqualified. These voters may think McCain's decision demonstrates that he thinks women will just vote for any woman, which is pretty insulting.
There's also a generational issue. Older women may be more likely to question Palin's age, inexperience, and whether she's gotten ahead in part due to her good looks. To younger women, she might be an inspiration: a lot of younger women want to be successful in their careers while also raising families and finding time to hit the gym. Palin is a mother of five, very attractive, and on her way to being VP.
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