But something else also caused many to jump ship even though, philosophically, a leap toward Obama carried significant risk. Despite conflicts of self-interest, many conservatives shifted away for what we might call the "P Factor": Sarah Palin. It wasn't only her selection as McCain's running mate, which becomes more unbelievable each day as previously off-the-record tidbits are surfacing. More important is what the "P Factor" revealed about the party itself.