Now that the blizzard of CYA leaks from anonymous McCain campaign staffers has slowed, it is possible to assess Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in a dispassionate manner. First, some facts, beginning with the positive affect of her selection as the Republican vice-presidential nominee on John McCain’s 2008 presidential effort. As The Wall Street Journal’s Blake Dvorak pointed out earlier this week, exit polling showed that 60 percent of voters said Palin was a factor in their decision, with 56 percent of them opting for McCain. On the other hand, 60 percent said she wasn’t qualified to be president. Normally, vice-presidential candidates barely make the needle move either way, but Palin’s selection undoubtedly injected an enthusiasm that McCain’s campaign desperately needed, fueling a three-point mid-September lead over Democrat Barack Obama just as the Wall Street economic crisis broke.