Forgetting Sarah Palin

Reckless.

That's the word I keep hearing from the TV pundits about John McCain's decision to pick someone he'd met just once to be his VP. James Carville, looking slack-faced and sincere for once, said he's just plain "vexed" trying make sense of it. Paul Begala said he wouldn't even make dinner plans with somebody he'd met just once.

To make sense of this, though, we need look no further than the Constitution. The Constitution doesn't mandate that a VP be a governing partner, as Gore was to Clinton. The Constitution doesn't mandate that a VP serve as the de facto president, as Cheney has so graciously done for Bush. No, the Constitution permits the VP to hold a gavel and to cast a tie-breaking vote on those rare occasions when the Senate is deadlocked. The job, in the words of FDR's first vice president, isn't "worth a pitcher of warm piss."

So John McCain could freeze his VP out of any meaningful governing role. Picking someone he'd only met once is the surest sign that McCain plans to do exactly that. If she were to succeed in serving McCain's electoral purposes, Vice President Sarah Palin would wield less power than Gov. Sarah Palin does.

That would stink for any women who get conned into thinking a vote for McCain is a vote to smash the glass ceiling. That would stink for the conservative Christians who've been placated by McCain's choice of a VP with radical views on abortion and evolution.

It might even stink for the whole U.S.A. From the brief glimpse we got Friday, Gov. Palin seems to have a better temperament for leading America than the ouchy John McCain does. And as Senator Obama has demonstrated, there actually are some extraordinary people in American public life -- people who apprentice themselves diligently to wise mentors as they swiftly haul themselves up the political ladder, people who relentlessly demand better and better and better of themselves, people who in much fewer years than we'd expect prove that they are blessed with exceptional judgment and know-how. Gov. Palin might be one of those people.

We don't know.

We can't know.

Neither does John McCain.

He chose not to know. He chose, in the many months that elapsed between meeting Palin and offering her the VP job, not to get to know Palin better. He chose to meet her just that once. That choice, in a very real way, is more dismissive than even the pettiest insults Palin will endure during this campaign. Because that choice telegraphs as clearly as can be imagined that McCain has no intention of governing with Palin.

We can add to this indignity. Or we can show some class.

The decent thing to do -- and the politically smart thing to do -- is to ignore Gov. Palin. It's dumb politics to ridicule the puniness of the town where Palin served as mayor. It's dumb politics to snicker about her past as a beauty-pageant contestant. It's dumb politics to condemn her choice to join a grueling national campaign at a time when her youngest child is still an infant. Such attacks only help John McCain. They give him a chance to impersonate a chivalrous defender of women. And they give him a chance to change the focus of this election.

Anyone who wants Senator Obama to become president needs to make sure the focus returns to where it belongs: to John McCain himself and his stubborn embrace of the Bush Administration's failures and fiascos. Don't distract the voters. Forget Sarah Palin.

Comments

[ctom]

Would the same analysis apply when Mondale nominated what's her name, Ferraro? It's just a job, I s'pose but still historic.

Nice comparison with warm bodily fluids btw.

[Kalie]

I dont know about you, but I have had jobs where they would be difficult to perform with a baby and a pregnant daughter. Is the VP job such a cinch that all that can be squeezed in? I know my house, and when mom is too busy or away from home, the family suffers. Maybe that is what has happened already in Palin's home. Why stop now?

[enemyofgod72]

This is an excellent thought but it ignores one glaring fact that makes the choice of Palin as VP so distressing to me. John McCain is 72 years old and has had skin cancer 4 or 5 times. Obama picked Biden who no one doubts is more than capable of being President if need be. McCain conversely picked Palin who would be more likely to have to fill those shoes and with each passing day proves she wouldn't know how to put them on.

[maizie]

That is the smartest and best advice I've heard this whole campaign. Thank you. Thank you. I wish everyone could read this post.

[batgirl71]

Amen! This choice is about McSame's judgment or more aptly, lack of judgment.

[hoopesaz]

I'm sure he will. It's a bit like what Clinton did to Gore. It is a lapse in judgement at best to select someone for the campaign who you don't feel is qualified to lead/contribute.

[WmC]

I couldn't disagree more strongly. McCain promised to select the running mate who was "best qualified" to step in as president. So either he broke his word or his judgement is so impulsive and poor that he is not qualified to be president. Palin is an issue: a legitimate and important one.

[jeg]

The problem is, as VP, she has an important role... no, not president of the Senate, but she WILL BE the President, any time a President McCain needs to go under anesthesia. Given his medical history, there is almost an absolute certainty that she will serve as President for a few hours, multiple times. There is the more remote, but still possible likelihood that he will not survive his term in office-- at which point, no matter how isolated she has been, she is now the President of the United States of America.

I don't think we should focus on Sarah Palin-- She's got a remarkable amount of baggage, and I almost feel sorry for her being thrown into the national fire.

It does, however, reflect on John McCain's judgment. And at the moment, it's not reflecting well.

[littlequeenie]

I don't feel sorry for her in the least. She accepted the position as running mate; no one forced her. She also thrust her pregnant daughter into the limelight to take away from the rumors that the 4month old baby was her grandson.

Maybe republican family values mean a woman should only concentrate on her family; I can't keep up with the flip flops. Women have choices these days about family, a career outside the home or both so I won't knock her for that.

But selecting her showed piss poor judgment. And one of the 1st things she said at her introduction was a lie - that she refused the bridge to nowhere.
She lied the other night at her acceptance speech - that Obama has authored 2 books but no legislation.
THAT's what we need to focus on. Her lies. And exactly what she HAS done - like leave her mayoral position with the town more than $20M in debt.

And then keep attacking McCain on the economy because he just doesn't get it!

[peterg76]

If John McCain becomes president, then, given the state of his physical health and mental faculties, it is guaranteed that Palin becomes president faster than you can say twenty-fifth amendment.

[AC500]

What happened to John McCain's "Country first"? Didn't he accuse Obama of putting winning the election before the well-being and best interests of the country? So John McCain picks a VP whose only qualification ... and the reason the office exists in the fist place ... is that s/he be qualified and able to take over as Commander and Chief should the need arise. And what does John McCain do? Does he put "Country first"? Nooooooo ... John McCain does the very thing he accused Obama of doing ... he puts his own ambitions and winning the election before the well being and best interests of the Country. RED FLAG

[Sad2CHatred]

I believe you are right. She is merely there to be a distraction. Its sad to see the Republicans compare her experience to Barack Obama's. Its an insult to say the least. It seems they believe if they keep saying she is qualified, it will make it so.

[SILVANUS]

Perhaps Bush& Co have plans to NOT leave office. Considered that?

[RRonin]

Point well made. Palin's job will be to serve as an echo, not a voice.

[unclechumley]

Thanks for your excellent analysis. Keep reminding us to stay focused on the issues.

[CamsDad]

Obama and his supporters should limit their reaction to the same response he had of the Paris/Brittney strategy... "Whatever" and maybe followed up with a simple, "We look forward to a debate of the issues upon which the American People's lives and livlihood depend."

Even the much criticized mainstream media cannot afford to be scooped on an investigation of McCain's pick, the degree to which Palin was vetted, and the judgment McCain demonstrated in this, his first critical governing decisions.