Palin was why they lost 08 tho
Not that it matters, but I think that's a really incorrect reading of the 2008 election. 2008 was the epitome of the prototypical "change election" scenario, where people were furious with a historically unpopular president in George W. Bush and Obama uniquely tapped into the desire for Americans to feel hopeful as the economy collapsed around them. It wasn't close in the polls from the get go.
Sarah Palin was a hail Mary specifically calculated to try to tap into that desire for change, only it was a bit too strategic because she wasn't properly vetted. It backfired spectacularly sure and she became a weight around McCain's neck by the end, but he was already polling behind (the only attack that had any effect was those "Obama is a celebrity" ad) and knew the only shot he had at winning was to get the attention back from this transformational candidate.
He would have lost either way. Combination of the economy collapsing (remember McCain's ill fated "I'm going to take a break from my campaign to deal with this" only for Obama's memorably snappy come back "presidents have to deal with more than one thing at a time"?) with Obama being a specifically astonishing campaigner combined with a true disdain for GWB as president. Poor McCain had no shot.