1.  Sarah Palin seen as new leader of the conservative movement.  Writing in the Washington Times, Ralph Hallow reported:

Eagle Forum President Phyllis Schlafly, conservative cause prompter Richard Viguerie, and Free Congress Foundation President Paul M. Weyrich--all considered movement founders--each gave the same two-word answer to the question about the emerging leader of the right: "Sarah Palin."

"None of the above names--(Mitt) Romney, (Newt) Gingrich, (Mike) Huckabee, (Tom) DeLay--will be the conservative movement's leader in the coming years," Mr. Viguerie said. "Governor Palin's VP nomination is huge. It changes conservative, Republican and American politics for the next 20 years."

2.  McCain-Palin ticket becoming Palin-McCain in popularity.  Jennifer Loven of the Associated Press reported in part:

"If there were any doubts that the sidekick was stealing the show, they were put to rest when Sarah Palin took off for Alaska.(John McCain's) crowds suddenly dwindled. The exuberant cheering heard day after day during two weeks of joint appearances went away. And the Republican presidential candidate's schedule began to resemble the lightness of May instead of the full throttle of September.

"Palin's arrival in Alaska, her first step away from McCain, only continued her streak of large, wildly excited crowds.

"The lesson from all of this isn't lost on McCain. Campaigns usually split up their presidential and vice presidential candidates so the ticket can cover more ground. But the McCain camp has calculated it needs to put him back with his No. 2, and probably keep them together for much of the fall campaign.

"She's proved adept at electrifying core Republicans and intriguing many independents."

3.  Palin may provide coattails for GOP congressional candidates.  The website Real Clear Politics reports that Governor Sarah Palin has dramatic increased support for Republican candidates for the House and Senate.

"The momentum has totally changed, and it's on our side," said Senator John Ensign, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

For instance, recent polls have shown that Senator John Ensign of New Hampshire, who had trailed his Democratic opponent, former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, by double-digit figures, is now behind by only two percentage points.

And in Colorado, the GOP candidate for the Senate, Bob Schaffer, who had been trailing Democrat Mark Udall, is now nearly even in the polls.

In polls on races for the House, Republicans had been trailing nationwide by 12% but are now down by only 3.6%.  Congressman Tom Cole of Oklahoma said it was "a better environment than we've faced any time since 2002."

GOP Senate and House candidates want Governor Palin to campaign for them.  "Our phones ring off the walls," Cole said. 

Ensign agreed.  "People want to be seen with her.  They think this is pretty exciting.  Everybody wants Governor Palin," he said.