Personal Branding Strategist Vicki Kunkel, author of “Instant Appeal: The 8 Primal Factors that Create Blockbuster Success,” is an admitted Democrat — an admitted Democratic that calls McCain’s choice for vice president brilliant. Find out why.

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Adding Governor Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket does three things for the party, according to Kunkel:

First, Palin appeals to some women, although others may see it as an insincere gesture to lure Hillary  supporters, especially given that McCain voted against a bill to give equal  pay to women for equal work. Kunkel still thinks some former Hillary supporters are giving the McCain ticket a second, careful look now.

Second, change. “Palin has proven she is anti-establishment, and isn’t afraid to take on even her own party. That’s appealing to people who want change, because if John McCain ends up in the White House, and he does something she doesn’t agree with, she won’t be merely a mouthpiece for McCain. She’ll stand up to him. Obama says he is for change,” Kunkel says. “Palin has proven she will take on the status quo. People are looking for someone who’s not enticed by power, and Palin has proved she could care less about power.”

Third, inexperience. While Palin is young, Kunkel says, her experience slightly trumps Obama’s from a strategy standpoint. A few years of gubernatorial experience trumps a few years of senatorial experience almost any day when it comes to running for president, she explains.

“As a governor, the onus of all decisions is on you; as a senator, your votes take on less significance, as 99 other members of the Senate are also casting votes on the same issues. As a governor, you take the heat for everything. And you have more to manage as a governor,” Kunkel says.

“A governorship more closely resembles a vice-presidency role (or presidential role) than that of a senator. A governor runs an entire state; a senator votes on bills, and in some cases sponsors bills and sits on committees. Most people consider a governor as a more well-rounded person to handle the many demands of the White House, whether as a president or vice president.”

Fourth, she has an environmental stance that might appeal to some “undecided” Dem voters: Even though she has promoted oil resource development in Alaska, she is seen as independent from the influence of big oil companies, Kunkel.

“Palin, as governor, announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Alaska,” she explains. “Again, this can be appealing to some Democrats who aren’t quite on board the Obama bandwagon.”

Kunkel’s fifth reason: In this early stage, her reputation seems fairly clean. She doesn’t have the baggage of questionable affiliations, and McCain might, if the race gets closer, use that as a salvo against Obama, who has questionable associations with the likes of Rezko, Bill Ayers, and Father Phlegar, she says.

Finally, Kunkel says, Palin’s pro-life, anti-abortion stand will  resonate with conservative Republicans, who aren’t comfortable with McCain’s  more centrist position on key conservative issues.