This is pretty cool -- a TJR video hits the television screen, in the form of one of a Jeanne Moos unconvention convention report. (Last I checked, the video had gotten 270,000 plays on YouTube.)
In the end, Moos concludes that McCain's wandering eyes weren't "casting a backside glance" but instead were "copping a look at whatever was on the podium."
I don't think I've sounded off yet on where I thought his eyes were wandering, but I half agree with Jeanne. Based on the angle of his eyes, I never really thought he was taking a backside glance -- I always thought it was a frontside glance, if you know what I mean. And I think Palin sensed it too, given the way she pulls away from him when he goes in for the creepy hug at the end.
© Jed Lewison