At First Glance, Palin Is A Smart Choice

I can't say I'm all that surprised by John McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as his runningmate. At first glance - and this will be negated if bad scandals come out - the choice is a very smart one, so smart, in fact, that, as an Obama supporter, it scares me.

Here's four reasons why this is a pretty smart choice - and for progressives, I think its a good idea that we look at these factors as we head into the final stretch of the campaign:

1. Putting a woman on the ticket is McCain's best hope to peel off some disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters. I'm not saying it's going to work all that well, as I don't think most women simply vote for women, regardless of their positions on issues. But if McCain really does have a chance to win over Clinton supporters, picking Palin is as good a shot as any to try to do that.

2. Palin comes from an energy state, and specifically, an oil and gas state. With Democrats' pathetically (yet predictably) tepid behavior on the drilling issue, the GOP senses an opportunity to exploit it, and you can bet Palin will be making the drilling case, with first-person narratives and anecdotes.

3. It will be difficult - though not impossible - for the Obama campaign to make an experience argument against Palin. Even though Palin is probably the most inexperienced candidate for vice president in contemporary American history, the Republicans have spent months attacking Obama's supposed lack of experience. So when gnats like Rahm Emanuel issue silly, over-the-top press releases about Palin's career, they re-open an experience debate that John McCain probably wants to have with Obama.

4. As the Nation's Chris Hayes reports, Palin is a die-hard right-winger who could help McCain solidify the Republican base.

Again, all of these assets could be negated by things that come out about Palin's career and/or gaffes she makes on the campaign trail. I'm sure hoping that's what happens, and we'll need to really help examine and publicize the most odious parts of her record, as well as make the case that the experience of a 72-year-old candidate's VP choice is especially important. But we underestimate her - and the McCain operation - at our peril.

Finally, let's step back a moment, take off the partisan blinders, and celebrate. Palin's nomination all but guarantees that the United States will either have its first African American president or its first female vice-president. I desperately hope its the former, and not the latter - but the historic nature of either is something to be pretty happy about.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate

Comments

[certainot]

palin is limbaugh in a skirt. limbaugh was immediately on board, calling it a brilliant move and now he's behind mccain, saying america cant afford obama. she's going to be reinforcing the talk radio talking points and swiftboating and bringing the base together. teh talk radio machine has been essential to anything GOP and now it is solid for mccain.

[momof3inGA]

I wish people would stop treating American women like they're stupid.

Hillary supporters, whom are passionate about issues like Universal Health Care and Choice, wouldn't support Palin on their life. You can't just "change skirts" and think women will blindly follow.

The "points" you make are the same ones that the media is lamely attempting to make in order to "sell" Palin just like they sold us the war in Iraq.

I speak for many conservative women when I say -- I'm not that stupid.

[DC]

She is the GOP Stooge. A vote for McCain is a vote for Palin for President. Which means the dark forces behind her will be running the country.

[MasterPok]

" Palin's nomination ... guarantees that the United States will either have its first African American president or its first female vice-president ... the historic nature of either is something to be pretty happy about."

Ok, Sirota is a smart guy, but this is a really asinine statement. We have just had 7 years of seeing the results of a seriously unqualified individual running the white house. Basically, they become nothing but a puppet for the power elite to use at will, to the detriment of the masses.

Were she to be elected VP and to become president, a very real possibility at McCain’s age, given the stress of the job, it would be nothing to celebrate, in fact it would most likely be a disaster. She, like Bush, would be nothing more than a puppet with the same dangerous people ultimately pulling the strings.

The quality of candidates the republicans offer up for office is appalling and is truly disgraceful, but speaks to the vacuity of their principles, i.e., they really have none other than making mo’ money, as the others, such as gun control, anti-abortion, etc, are just there as a red herring to appease the sheeple.

I see nothing to celebrate simply because a human being with a vagina may, for the first time, get to occupy a high office. When an at least semi-qualified individual is in that position, then I will celebrate. Until then I will simply laugh and cry.

[vietveter]

SOUR GRAPES

I would vote for her before McBu$h

She is a plus for that ticket

I am a O - 08 man

I think 'we' had better take her

seriously

[NightOwlCafe]

Mc Cain's VP pick is a "election win before country move". It is outrageous to consider Ms. Palin can lead this country at a moments notice at a time when we face dire consequences from climate change, a failing econmomy and precarious standing throughout the world. Mc Cain and his handlers have put all of us at risk in hopes of winning an election. I give the intelligence of Hillary supporters much more credit than Mc Cain does. For the voter's of god, gays and guns this is the dream ticket.

[confuseddemocrat]

But what about the so called "low information" voters in of rural Pennsylvania, Michigan, western part of Virginia and certain parts of NC and Colorado? Her union ties may actually benefit McCain, since Obama is having problems making inroads with this group.

[syllepsis]

The Republican primaries were composed exclusively of white men, some so superannuated they could barely announce their candidacy (Fred Thompson) before snoozing off.
Going for Palin, in this circumstance, is the best McCain could do. And we know that when it comes to VP candidates, there is simply no bar low enough for a Republican to stumble over (Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle) and not get elected.
And to look on the bright side- If Palin wins, not only will a female be a heartbeat away from being Head of State, but it might wake up the slumbering Democrats in Congress, too.

[SpectCon]

Disagree with this post. It's defensive, weak, and appears to lack a basic understanding of Obama's biography as it seems to concede Obama's inexperience argument. Let's compare resumes:

Palin: Beauty queen, sports-caste, U Idaho Journalism degree, council woman than mayor of a tiny village/town, now 18 months into the Governorship of Alaska (basically a P/T job).

Obama: Studied at Columbia, graduating with a BA in International Relations and Poli-Sci. Works next 3 years as a community organizer. Attends Harvard Law, makes Law Review and elected first black President, received national write-ups (89-91 ). Graduates magna cum, returns to Chicago and works as a Civil Rights attorney and begins what will be 12 years as lecturer at the University of Chicago--teaching Con Law and Civil Right--turns down offer of tenure.

1995 Obama pens his acclaimed autobiography "Dreams From My Father." 1996 wins his IL Senate Seat. For next 7 years works as a state legislator until he is elected to the US Senate in 2004. At the 2004 Dem Convention Obama gives what's regarded as the best political speech in recent history. In the Senate he launches into ethics reform and nuclear proliferation issues.

His Pres. campaign draws more donors, money, volunteers and votes than any candidate from either party in history. He becomes a worldwide phenomenon. At his convention he gives what is immediately referred to as the best convention speech in the history of American politics.

[Yasmine]

if she is ready for VP then i am ready too.
BUT we should never INDERESTIMATE anyone until VICTORY ON nov 4.

[SpectCon]

She may be a smart lady, in fact she appears to be. And we shouldn't underestimate her. She isn't Dan Quayle (although there that "I'm not really sure what the VP does everyday" quote gives you pause) but Quayle at least knew what the job was.

My problem with this article was really with that point, #3 I believe, that we shouldn't get into questioning her inexperience and lack of qualification for the job because it exposes Obama. (I'm paraphrasi­ng...and that Talk Left lady Jane Harman? makes the same asinine argument.)

I'm 32, have a BA, MA and JD all from better schools than Idaho. I know more about the VP: sits on the National Security Council, has an office in the West Wing, is President of the Senate--casting tie-breaking votes--and, is first inline if the President becomes incapacitated. Because I'm not 35, I couldn't be VP.

My point is like yours. I'm not ready to be VP (even if I were 35). But my credentials at age 32 certainly exceed Ms. Palin's prior to her taking office 18 months ago. *I'll concede being Gov. of any State is some experience and makes her better qualified than me. But I KNOW more about the VP than she does...she was on the record saying that stuff. Now surly I'm not in the same universe compared to Mr. Obama.

Why in the heck should Ms. Palin's insanely thin resume not be a MAJOR topic?

[tbone99]

We should also not underestimate the ability and talents it takes to to be a working mom of five kids. Believe me it could make most presidents jobs look like vacations!

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

David, you're totally off on this one. You're playing into media narratives here. This is a disasterous pick, the worst in American history. Worse than Eagleton (McGovern's pick), Quayle, and Stockdale. This woman has absolutely no business being vice president, much less president.

And if you think Hillary supporters are going to support a ticket strictly because there's a woman on it, then you yourself show condescension of the highest order towards them.

This reminds me of Mondale's pick of Ferraro in 1984. Mondale knew he had a really tough road ahead, so he wanted to do something very "bold". After the novelty of picking a woman wore off, Mondale got his ass kicked., and the "boldness" of the pick didn't matter.

[mhutch47]

When I first learned of McCain's choice, it scared me as an Obama supporter. Palin has a lot of positives going for her as a whistleblowing Maverick who isn't afraid to break from party lines. It all sounds good. So why am I not shaking in my boots?
First, both embittered Hillary supporters and conservatives recognize this as a political ploy. Despite what you hear on FOX, many conservatives are unhappy. They know it undercuts McCain's "inexperienced" offensive, but worse, it indicates his campaign is still meandering.
Obama's greatest strength (an emblem of substantial change) is also his greatest weakness. Despite how bad the status-quo is, change still scares people. McCain's supporters have are mostly people who think we should just ride out the storm rather than jump ship.
But with McCain's choice of Gov. Palin, conservatives who have embraced the inexperienced argument against Obama will be forced to wonder what would happen if the septuagenarian man with a history of cancer were to pass away while in office. The average life expectancy of a white male in America is 76 and McCain just turned 72. Gov. Palin, for all her good qualities, simply isn't prepared to take on the position as leader of the free world.
McCain decided to take a risk here and while it might make those of us on the left nervous, the right has much more to fear.

[Irisdavenport]

I strongly disagree with you. Palin undercuts McCain credibility. McCain is the one who said, experience counts. McCain said, Obama's resume was too thin. How does McCain have any credibility regarding Ms. Palin.

It was McCain who plastered the airwaves with campaign ads showing Biden and Hillary saying how they thought Obama was not ready to lead (due to his lack of experience).

Obama does not have to say a word, the issue speaks for itself.

Obama's people can, without hesitation, go out and proudly campaign as the ticket with good judgment and sound reasoning.

[OneLiberalLady]

Palin is against stem cell research, abortion even in cases of rape and incest, has limited education, does not believe in environmental policies that many Dems hold dear. It is hard to call her a pick that will siphon off Hillary supporters. She has been governor of a state with a tiny population, and for only 18 months. I don't accept Sirota's argument and I think this is the scariest choice any candidate for president has made in my lifetime.

[jennbeez]

Sirota's argument is that this inexperienced twinkie is a smart choice for a repuglican win in November. Not that Palin is a smart choice for the position. He's correct, too. Unfortunately.

McCain is being crazy like a fox. Let's hope the nation is too smart to fall for it.

[FatherKindly]

The nation is not smart. It elected gorge W. Bush twice. 'Nuff said.

[columbiagal]

Jennbeez:
Don't count on it.

[FatherKindly]

Palin's anti-science biases are truly disturbing. Coupled with her distaste for environmentalism and the horrible possibility that she could become President she could, in a very short spell, wreak havoc not only on our research efforts, our space exploration, and our planet. I am truly frightened by this selection and what it tells us about McCain.

[mikekev58]

Although I think Palin is a poor choice when you consider she could be running the country should McCain keel over, what concerns me is the picture perfect family bio that the press - as evidenced by the People magazine photo on HuffPo's homepage - will be averse to besmirching that image with any real facts relevant to Palin's character and ability to lead the US, should she ascend to the Presidency.

And, no, I won't celebrate the election of the first female vice president if McCain wins, as I consider Sarah Palin unfit to hold that office, a heartbeat away from the Presidency. She may be a great mom, and a decent governor (pending the outcome of the current investigation into her role in firing the man who wouldn't do her bidding to fire her ex-brother in law from the state police) but I don"t see her as ready and able to step into Presidency. And while I know Republicans and PUMAs will try to throw that back as being Obama's Achilles heal, I think that the public performance during the campaign will demonstrate that he has the judgement, character and requisite toughness to be the President.

[iczlite]

There's one more thing: She will make Joe Biden look like a bully in a debate. It's a no-win situation - if Joe Biden defeats all of Palin's half-baked arguments, people will only see the "macho-man" beating a woman to submission and if he tries to act gently, people will perceive her as the stronger candidate.

[martinchill]

don't be so simplistic about it.

biden will answer questions thoughtfully and from experience.

palin will bomb terrifically with no help from joe.

[MossyOak]

No way. Joe doesn't have to bully her, and Obama's advisers are too smart to let this happen. All Joe has to do is answer the debate questions using his years of experience and savvy. She will be coached by McCain's team of losers for sure, but she's got such a huge learning curve on international issues and she doesn't come across as a genius, (yup, yup) so once she starts getting the hard ball questions, she's going to flame out. Moms are great, but that doesn't make them good presidents. Joe won't break a sweat.

[MHR55]

There's nothing to be gained and everything to lose by attacking her. I say just ignore her and continue to attack McCain on his record of poor judgment and continuation of Bush economic policies. That's the winning argument in the battleground states. Let the media chew her up.

[Judyisacutie]

Right on the money.