According to the polls that I’ve read, McCain came off in the debate last night as not scoring the home run on foreign policy that he needed to score. Obama appeared to stand his ground, which is all that he needed to do. The next two debates will be on topics that favor Obama, not McCain.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is taking a beating from, of all people, Kathleen Parker. After the interviews Sarah Palin has had with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric, many people are saying that Ms. Palin is well-meaning but is in over her head.

So what happens next? Does she resign from the ticket and return to Alaska with a suitable explanation or does she stick it out? My guess is, regardless of the outcome of the Vice Presidential debate on October 2, that she will stick it out. She has energized the religious right like no other candidate possibly could.

But, and here is the important part that folks may not be thinking about: If the McCain/Palin ticket wins on November 4, what happens then? Does Palin resign then and McCain gets to pick the Vice President that he wanted to pick from the beginning? Who would that person be? Leiberman?

It is apparent to any thinking person that Gov. Palin was selected by Karl Rove in a blatant attempt to secure the votes of the religious right. McCain has already shown us what he will do regarding the financial crisis that is facing the country. And we know his stand on Iraq, Iran, and Israel.

Gerald Ford was our last unelected Vice President. He took office on October 10, 1973, upon the resignation of Spiro Agnew. He then was elevated to the Presidency when Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. Could this scenario play out again?

Do not underestimate the power and influence of the elite that runs this country.