I think the McCain of 2000 would have won this year's election handily regardless of who his running mate might have been.
Unfortunately for McCain/Palin, the "buzz" you're referring to didn't result in a win.
You don't call Obama's 364 electoral votes to McCain's 162 electoral votes a landslide? Obviously your definition of "landslide" differs from mine.
its a landslide to me considering that Kerry and Gore never won that many votes.