The "Palin Effect" in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.

The selection of Sarah Palin by John McCain in the 2008 presidential election was perceived as one of the defining moments in the campaign. Anecdotal evidence from the McCain campaign and media commentary after the election suggests that Palin may have cost McCain support among key voting groups. This paper uses data from the 2008 American National Election Study to examine the extent of any "Palin Effect." The paper also places the findings of 2008 in context by historical comparison of the effect of vice-presidential nominees on vote choice when controlling for other variables using data from the NES Cumulative File. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]