see, I know i'm a tad dramatic, but I think these pics aare pretty big. Mccain hates his guts. It culd have been the other way just as easily had miss palin not been selected. obama probably sat him there to create some perception of unity, and you know mccain hates being there. plus, if that growth gets serious, this is the first chance we've had to see it at that size.
I'm seeing nixon and jfk sitting side by side begrudginly in 1961... that sort of image. they just ran and it's still not past mccain at least.