Yes We Can (Change The Topic)

Should McCain announce his VP pick this week? Let's face it, even if the next couple of days of Obama's tour are uneventful, McCain can't compete with more pics of the Dem w/military and world leaders (his photo w/Petraeus is no Dukakis in a tank). And while McCain wanted to focus this week on energy and the economy, he's spending more time responding to news from Iraq.

A few things for McCain to consider, when he's considering:

-- First, the bounce factor. A well-known/conventional pick like Romney is unlikely to generate as much or as drawn-out coverage as a longer-shot pick (Palin) or one w/less nat'l name ID (Pawlenty).

-- Second, is this the right time to try to stop Obama-palooza? With the major news media spending big bucks to send their top folks overseas, it's hard to see Obama coverage truly buried by a McCain announcement. Maybe next week - as Obama's still recovering from jet lag?

-- Respond or Reset? If McCain goes first, he has the potential to reset the terms of the debate. If he waits, esp. after Obama's been driving the train for weeks, won't his pick be cast as yet another "response" to Obama?