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A host of online odds makers have begun offering betting on whether Republican Presidential candidate John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, will come off the ticket following a series of scandals.
The smart money is that Palin will be dumped from the ticket by McCain, according to a Bloomberg News report.
Many of Great Britain's odds makers had Palin dropping off the ticket set at 20-1 odds, paying 20 pounds for every 1 pound bet. Now that payout would be closer to 8 pounds.
``While it is rare that a VP candidate gets dropped, it's not completely impossible,'' said Ken Robertson, political betting analyst at Paddy Power Plc, a Dublin-based gambling company. ``Lots of our punters are betting `Shocking' Sarah's days are numbered,'' he added, using a nickname he came up with for the first-term Alaska governor.
Paddy Power now puts the odds of Palin leaving the ticket at 14-1, compared to 28-1 before yesterday's disclosure about Bristol Palin, the daughter.
Since Sunday night, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been holed up in her suite in the Hilton Minneapolis while a parade of Sen. John McCain's top advisers have briefed her on the nuances of his policy positions, national politics and, above all, how to introduce herself to the national audience she will address Wednesday night at the Republican convention, reports Juliet Eilperin and Robert Barnes of the Washington Post.
By all accounts Palin has thrown herself enthusiastically into preparations for her prime-time debut as well as for her first campaign trip without McCain, expected to be next week. On Tuesday afternoon, she practiced her first run-through of the speech before an audience that included strategists Steve Schmidt, Nicolle Wallace and Mark Salter, who all offered suggestions.
"She's very engaged, she's very enthusiastic," said Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella, who has attended some of the briefing and speechwriting sessions. "She clearly wants to absorb as much information as possible."
Palin was also likely to draw bigger ratings for the Republican Convention, which after two days has been thrown off by a hurricane and rather lifeless speeches on Tuesday, mainly the results of what is now being touted as a "low key" affair. In essence, nobody wants to be celebrating so soon after Hurricane Gustov ravaged the New Orleans Gulf Coast, albeit has a less formidable Category 2 storm.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
