It is certainly a question worth asking. Let's look at the people involved. John McCain, the Republican nominee for President,  only has a "C" rating with the National Rifle Association (NRA). He has even been described as "one of the premier flag carriers for the enemies of the Second Amendment" by the them! Not only that, McCain has earned the NRA's anger with his campaign finance reform that limits their ability to support candidates. He's on thin ice with them to say the least.

The Libertarian Party candidate for President, Bob Barr, on the other hand, was a member of the NRA's Board of Directors. He also has an A+ rating with them.

Enter Sarah Palin, a lifetime member of the NRA and now the Republican nominee for Vice President. She is well known in conservative circles for her staunch support of gun rights. Certainly selecting her is reassuring to the NRA.

While I'm not suggesting that the NRA's endorsement of a Presidential candidate was the only factor in McCain picking Palin, the mere possibility that they might have endorsed Barr very well could be a much bigger factor than the mainstream media and the Republican Party will ever admit.

Could it be that he's courting the NRA to make sure that they don't end up not endorsing anyone for President? That too is a possibility. This author can not say exactly what they were thinking. These are questions that only the McCain campaign can answer. Hopefully they will be asked and answered honestly.