Anchorage Daily News supports... Obama?

Well, you can't call the Anchorage Daily News a homer.

In endorsing Barack Obama as its preferred presidential candidate, the newspaper put aside rooting for the home team and opted to choose the ticket that does not include Sarah Palin on it.

In sports terms

You could look at it this way. If a Pennsylvania sportswriter voted Penn State No. 1 this week, you could call him a homer. Penn State played well yesterday. And against Ohio State. In Ohio. But Texas is still No. 1.

But if the Nittany Lions got a vote from their home state, you'd understand it. It's home state love.

My homies

So if the Anchorage Daily News -- Alaska's largest newspaper -- opted for the McCain-Palin ticket, you could rack it as the same type of deal.

After all, it's always good to have big friends in Washington -- especially with Ted Stevens no longer a certainty.

The scoop 

The writers of the editorial state that "the election is ... not about Sarah Palin."

Yeah, but ask anyone -- at least us outsiders anyway. We don't want to know necessarily why you chose Barack Obama over John McCain, we want to know why you didn't back your own.

The State of Wyoming, just like Alaska with just three electoral votes, liked the idea of having a high placed representative in the capital. And still does. Poll numbers for Dick Cheney may be low in the rest of the country. But not in Wyoming.

So, we'll blow past the Obama part of the endorsement (you can read the full editorial here). Let's get to the part about Palin.

About Palin

First they recognize the historic implications of Palin being on the ticket.

Alaska's founders were optimistic people, but even the most farsighted might have been stretched to imagine this scenario. No matter the outcome in November, this election will mark a signal moment in the history of the 49th state. Many Alaskans are proud to see their governor, and their state, so prominent on the national stage.

They also discuss her star-like appeal and her future.

Gov. Palin has shown the country why she has been so successful in her young political career. Passionate, charismatic and indefatigable, she draws huge crowds and sows excitement in her wake. She has made it clear she's a force to be reckoned with, and you can be sure politicians and political professionals across the country have taken note. Her future, in Alaska and on the national stage, seems certain to be played out in the limelight.

But, like Penn State, Palin's not yet ready to be the national champ.

Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range. Like picking Sen. McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time.

Just like 2004

Although the Daily News editorial team says it's not about Palin, the last line suggests it was part of the decision.

So is the editorial so powerful that it will cause Alaskans to abandon their governor in droves? Not likely. They backed Kerry-Edwards in 2004. And, in Alaska, Bush-Cheney won by a landslide.