I find that most of the news on Slashdot comes from the commentary, don't you?

I can't pretend to know the terms of the agreement, but you are correct - it was not sold, it was given. That part of the article was completely fabricated.

The McCain camp likes the positive direction of their campaign and is keeping Palin under wraps as long as possible so that when she is finally subjected to interviews and real questions, their 'followers' won't care - they'll be mesmerized by her charm and the idea of a woman in the White House, regardless of the fact that she is not well-qualified for the job. It is a complete joke that they are trying to claim sexism all the while they are behaving in a manner that contradicts Feminism. If Palin was a man, he would be laughed off the stage as completely unqualified. If Palin was chosen simply because she is a female, it is insulting to all of the other more qualified female republicans out there. If she was chosen because she is the most qualified according to McCain, then his requirements for the position of VP are greatly lacking and have more to do with shoring up the evangelical vote and the republican base on the far right than reaching across the isle and trending this country in a positive direction of real political change in terms of conduct, policy and international standing. McCain and Palin keep talking about shaking things up in Washington and they're trying to claim the Change term simply by saying the word over and over again, 'my friends'. I just hope that come November, the American voters choose common sense and real change by not being fooled into the same ol' stunts.