Kotzebue-The national McCain campaign is trying to run out the clock on Gov. Sarah Palin's growing "Troopergate" investigation in Alaska. They figure it's their best strategy to dodge a bullet before Election Day on Nov. 4.

We agree. Go Sarah!

In July Palin fired her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, for reasons that seem to change about as often as Palin changes outfits. After Aug. 29 the governor's explanations turned aggressive and nasty toward Monegan, the same day Palin became John McCain's vice presidential running mate.

Back in July Monegan at first remained circumspect about his departure from the Palin administration. Eventually, though, he said he got fired after resisting pressure from the governor, her aides and husband Todd to sack the governor's ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, a state trooper.

All sides are now battling it out in the press.

Meanwhile, the McCain campaign has parachuted heavy hitters into Alaska to make sure the Palinistas know how to stall, delay and spin. Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg, a Palin appointee, said he's the one who advised Palin aides to defy Troopergate legislative subpoenas. Right, and if you believe the McCain campaign's not in charge up here now, we've got a bridge to nowhere we wanna sell ya.

In an attempt to project that soft, reassuring hue that grown-ups are supervising this metastasizing mess, the McCain people have planted a well-known, pretty Alaskan face before the media - Meg Stapleton, a former flack from Palin's administration and ex-KTUU television reporter.

Excellent move, guys. One pretty face begets another. Indeed, this is not the first time good looks have factored into a national election.

In 1988 some pundits intimated that Bush the Elder was dumb for picking fellow Republican Dan Quayle as his vice presidential running mate. But Bush Sr. figured the ladies just might vote in droves for this handsome young senator from Indiana.

For his part, Quayle looked great on camera while ultimately proving an embarrassment. Astounding gaffes left his lips for years, from "I stand by all the misstatements I've made" to "If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure" to misspelling "potato" in front of school kids. To this day, even members of his own party consider J. Danforth Quayle a little goofy.

During the vice presidential debate in 1988, Quayle suffered one the most humiliating putdowns in American political history. It involved questions about his qualifications to be president should something happen to his boss. (Sound familiar?)

Debating Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, Quayle claimed as much experience as John Kennedy before he became president. Bentsen, chomping at the bit as Quayle spoke, famously replied: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

But who won the election? Bush the Elder and Pretty Boy Dan going away.

Twenty years later, the lovely Sarah is drawing hottie compliments these days about as often as cold winds blow up here on Alaska's Northwest Arctic coast. She too faces serious questions about her qualifications to become the leader of the free world or even be trusted to pinch hit when McCain gets into a tight spot.

For example, last week McCain canceled a scheduled appearance on David Letterman's late-night talk show. McCain blew Letterman off because, McCain told Letterman, he was suspending his campaign amid a tanking economy.

A clearly miffed Letterman unloaded on McCain that night, with subtle sarcasm wondering why the senator didn't just send Sarah to take his place on Letterman, implying that the McCain campaign been shielding Palin from the media.

"You let your campaign go on, shouldered by your vice presidential nominee," said Letterman. "Where is she? Why isn't she doing that?"

"She is a good-looking babe, you gotta admit that," injected Letterman's sidekick, Paul Schaeffer.

"Exactly," said Letterman, laughing. "That's the point I'm trying to make."

Letterman might have savaged Palin had she appeared on his show, of course. But McCain might also have canceled for fear of a Letterman drubbing about his campaign in general and his lame VP pick in particular.