McCain's VP [Sarah Palin]

[sunken]

Tomorrow McCain picks his VP and I think a lot of people on both sides of aisle are curious as to who that will be. He is supposedly going to announce it in Ohio in the morning. There is rumor, based on watching the Secret Service, that it will be Romney, but there is no confirmation of that. If it were strictly up to McCain, he'd probably pick his buddy Lieberman, but the republicans would never go for that. Pawlenty is also a definite possibility, although not really one that would excite the base very much, but a pleasant enough sort.

The timing of course plays well for McCain who will try to shake some of the excitement of tonight's festivities for himself in the morning. Of course, he doesn't have much choice, given that the Republican convention starts Monday.

[Jed K]

It seems Alaska governor Sarah Palin is his choice.

• Sarah Palin, 44, has been governor of Alaska since 2006
• Before becoming governor, Palin was mayor and council member of a small town
• Palin known for backing tough ethical standards, focus on energy, natural resources
  

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/...index.html

[pallas_m]

Shows how desperate is McCain:

#1) Forget the Obama "inexperience" argument. A VP needs to be ready to be POTUS. Palin is 44 and boosted from mayor to governor due to the corruption of Alaskan oil politics (i.e. Ted Stevens). She has less experience than Obama.

#2) Palin as a net to catch Hillary supporters still hurting from the misogynist bias they perceive in the media and in the Democratic party.

[sunken]

Palin is a horrible choice, not because she's a woman, but because she is not versed in washington/international politics. I don't believe a person has to be an expert in these things to make good decisions, and as I've said before, no one is experienced in being a president until you've been one, but I do believe that basic knowledge is required. Obama is quite well studied on foreign and domestic policy and how Washington works. He picked a VP that could take over in a moment's notice should the need arise. With McCain's health being what it is and his age, you'd think he would have picked someone that is a strong entity in that arena. I just don't see Palin as being that person. If being a woman, pro-life, conservative and a creationist were the pre-requisites, I'm sure there was someone in the republican party that would fit that bill that also was knowledgable in the ways of the world and domestic stages.

It's also interesting that McCain ran an ad recently that had a woman who claimed to be a Hillary supporter, who now planned to vote for McCain. Why? Because she believed he was a closet pro-choice leader, even though his website said otherwise. Now he picks a very rabid anti-abortion advocate who is pro-life even in rape cases, and is against contraception even. Doesn't this make that woman feel used? I know the PUMAs are mad at Obama, but can they really justify voting for McCain with such a VP?

It should be interesting to see what happens at the convention and in the polls over the next few days. I think whatever he gains pandering to the Hillary holdouts, he'll lose big time in the foreign policy crowd. And like those that won't vote for someone of a different race, there are those that won't vote for a woman. It has added an interesting twist to the election. I just hope that in the end, people remember that we are trying to win as a nation and not as a party.

[Mary Catherine]

This is a very interesting choice and it seems like a risky one. I don't know a thing about her except the fact that she makes Obama look like a giant in the experience department. Not sure what he's thinking...

[Jed K]

McCain's health and age worries me now more than ever. Could Palin really handle the presidency if something were to happen to John McCain?

A good read:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/...index.html

[pallas_m]

But before I get too partisan (as a rabid Democrat who must identify Palin weaknesses on principle), there is one glorious thing that must be noted about the McCain-Palin ticket that just shows our nations greatness.

In the face of so many challenges and mistakes from the past eight years we as a nation have responded by forcing the presidential ticket on both sides to open up in its demographics in a way that it NEVER HAS.

Palin is improbable as a governor in a way that Obama is improbable and the Dem presidential nominee.

Populism and grassroots energy is infecting both parties. The Dems caught it and sneezed so many times at the GOP with it they went to Alaska and got Palin!

Love it!

[progress08]

I would agree with you, but I strongly believe that this is a GIMMICK pulled by the GOP. There are dozens of other women with a political record that makes Palin look like an infant in comparison.

While I agree the GOP was forced to open the demographics of its party, I think they did it with ill-intentions. They chose a puppet rather than choosing a woman with proven success and backbone.

[boontito]

I think it was a gamble for McCain to pick Palin, but like most gambles it could pay off. It will either go down in history as brilliant or foolish... no middle ground.

[Wes]

(09-04-2008 12:18 PM)progress08 Wrote:  I would agree with you, but I strongly believe that this is a GIMMICK pulled by the GOP. There are dozens of other women with a political record that makes Palin look like an infant in comparison.

While I agree the GOP was forced to open the demographics of its party, I think they did it with ill-intentions. They chose a puppet rather than choosing a woman with proven success and backbone.

Dozens of women? Not really. There's Senator Liddie Dole, but her connection to Bob Dole makes her iffy, plus with her as VP Republicans would lose a senate seat. Then there's Condi, who is too closely related to Bush. Not too many strong Republican women to pick from.

And what's this about a puppet without proven success and backbone? She's one of the strongest women in politics. Have you heard her speak? And she has a lot of success. She's done well as governor of Alaska, has an approval rating that hovers around 90%--making her the most popular governor in the United States--and plus, she's got great charisma.

As Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin herself have both pointed out, her experience is just as substantial--if not more substantial--than Obama's. No, she wasn't previously a national figure. But she has executive experience (something Obama lacks), and she has been very involved during her time as a politician (yet Obama has never written any single piece of major legislation).

I think it is pretty clear that this choice was brilliant. She brings out the conservatives that don't trust McCain, and she's overshadowing Obama as far as media attention goes.