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.
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Excuse me?! Now, this is supposed to put the OBAMA campaign on the defensive about the EXPERIENCE issue?! What about the blatant hypocrisy of McCain, the Repubs & the right-wing pundits doing their Chicken Little routine for months about how we'll all be killed by terrorists if Obama becomes commander in chief because of his inexperience, and now they're all praising this perky neophyte & claiming she's competent to be the back-up POTUS?
By all means Dems, bring this up & throw it right back in McCain's face.
They say I'm paranoid, but I know they're just out to get me.
I was just watching Washington Week in Review on PBS, where one of the panelists said that the McCain camp doesn't care about the hypocrisy of accusing Obama of not having enough experience while picking Palin who has scant experience, because they want the issue to be EXPERIENCE.
Again, the McCain camp is craven. They know they are on the losing side of the issues and conservative policies didn't work. So they have to make it one about personality.
It almost makes one wonder if McCain was planting a trap. While social conservatives are motivated, we attack Palin for not having enough experience, and the main discussion of the election is experience, not the issues. That's not a slam dunk for McCain by any means, but it is his "best" tactic to use. (Bush Sr. tried this in 1992 by making "character" the issue instead of the tanked economy, which was ultimately unsuccessf
Palin's lack of experience will show up by itself in the debates and on the campaign trail, or she'll be more likeable than we think. However, we ultimately need to keep the main focus of the campaign on ISSUES, not PERSONALITIES.
Palin is unacceptable because of her hard-right positions on the issues and that she is as big a cheerleader for George Bush's failed policies as McCain. A maverick "style" does not equal a change in "substance".
Palin is not a credible choice, but this is a bit trickier than it first appears.
If she stands for all the things you've said, I am not celebrating the potential of a woman in higher office. Really, even to a woman, some things are more important.
The more I've read about her today (because, not listening to Rush, I've never heard of her before today), the less I like her. (hearing her god-awful voice didn't help) So this country, that has suffered under Bush, is now letting Limbaugh pick its leaders? Great. How stupid are we?
Thanks, but no thanks. Electing a Vice President who is anti-choice, pro-Anwar drilling, anti-LGBT rights, basically against to every thing I believe who would imperil the safety of this nation should anything happen to McCain would be nothing to celebrate. Think I'll just keep my blinders on, but go ahead, put on those rosey glasses.
Not attacking her for lack of experience implicitly accepts that McCain is right about Obama lacking it.
Let's consider Obama, because the blogger insults the man by comparing him or suggesting it's a bad topic:
He goes to Columbia where he studies political science and international relations. Gets his BA then works as a community organizer for 3 years on the south side of Chicago. He applies to Harvard where he doesn't put race on his application, makes law review, is elected President of Law review and graduates magna cum laude in 91. He goes back to Chicago, and by 1992 is lecturing at the University of Chicago Law School on Constitutional Law and Civil Rights law(he does this for 12 years and is even offered tenure but turns it down), he's also working as a civil rights lawyer at the same time. By 1995 he publishes his acclaimed autobiography "Dreams from My Father"
By 1996 he is elected to the Illinois State Senate. He works in the legislature on progressive issues until he's elected to the US Senate in 2004. He gives one the great speeches of our generation at the 2004 Dem Convention. Once in the Senate he immediately makes a splash with ethics legislation, nuclear non-profliferation work and is urged by national figures to run for the Presidency. He does, and defeats one of the great political machines of our time.
Now, name anyone else who can compare. He's the most qualified guy in America. Period.
you are wrong.
this is a net loss for mccain.
who does she bring to the party except the people that would never vote democrat in a million years?
who in their right mind undecided will think she can run the country should 72 year old mccain not finish his term?''
i could go on and on.
relax . wait. she will fall apart soon enough.
I have a friend who lives in Alaska. He pays more than $6/gallon of gas and $800-$1000/month for heating oil in the winter. She knows nothing except what the oil companies tell her. http://www
If Palin doesnt further energized Progressives I honestly dont know what will. I think she may energize McCain's base but she is going to also further energize the progressive base. Palin must be attacked on her foreing policy she has NONE I can't wiat for the debates with Biden. I hope he is a believer in women being treated the same as men and he is not intimidated by the fact that he may come off as the big bad male. My concern is how Biden interacts with her because this is no time for being afraid that he will be seen a sexist. He has to go at her as if she was a man. I feel like she is going to play the mother card like John McCain plays the POW card but the democrats cannot fall for this crap they need to go at them hard.
Carol
Palin was a good choice in the chess game. Palin, however will not win the ticket for McCain. Hillary supporters are for the most part pro-choice. Palin does not agree with that position. Thus she will not win over Hillary supporters. The real problem is that there are a lot of racist white women out there who will get energized and vote for her and McCain. This will bring more votes but no cigar (as Bill Clinton would say). McCain is the problem and the US is in dire need of deep change. The only way that McCain could possibly win is if the racist voting base is energized. It could happen but I doubt if they will be able to carry it off. I think it will be close because many whites would not like to see Obama win. I hope Obama punches through and wins this election, I think he will.
Will someone from the media ask Palin to explain why, if she is antiabortion, does she support John McCain, whose wife, as a beer distributor, is responsible for selling a product which is the major cause of spontaneous abortion within the first two weeks of pregnancy, before a woman could reasonably know that she is pregnant.
When the alcohol label says do not drink alcohol "during" pregnancy, it is misleading, because "during" can mean "throughout the course of," or "at some point." Random House Dictionary (1978).
What the label warning does not say, although the United States' Surgeon General warned of this in an "Alcohol Alert" in February 2005, is that a woman should not drink if she is at risk of pregnancy-
Is that important? In almost half of all marriages, the bride is pregnant--which probably accounts for our divorce rate.
It would be interesting to see how she rationalizes supporting someone whose money can be traced statistically to tens of thousands (or more) spontaneous abortions.
It's true that there might be some Hillary supporters that were only supporting her because of her gender, and not because of her policies. But if they exist, then they were already defected back to the Republicans when they lost the chance to vote for a woman. So those disaffected Hillary supporters are already in his camp. Nothing gained from them.
The other disaffected Hillary supporters would support her policies but just not be happy with Obama. In this case, they were not just voting for Hillary because she was a woman... it might have helped them choose her, but it wasn't the only reason. Palin's polar-opposite positions would prevent them from seriously considering switching sides. Nothing gained from them.
I write this to point out that just because something has a reason, just because it is not total non-sequitur, doesn't mean it's "smart".
I could pretty much write similar analysis of your other points.
WELL here we are making our beef known, at least we have some way to say hey , here's my take on it'' Well, enough of the bs style of such distructive rove,rush,shannity , we need to ignore the doom and gloomer, the naysayers of the class,race dividers!!!! the Historic,memorable, fantastic speech by O will unite all of us, it's laughable and befuddling to read such rediculous comments by the wind bags like Noonan, RUSH, sham Hannity, and others of the rt wing ilk of spin, deception , not new ideas or thoughts of reason,fai
David your right about History..O
An irrational decision, made overnight with too little informatio
And picking her...wow.
I challenge anyone to think about a town of 7,000 anywhere, if they know one, and imagine the part time responsibilities of the mayor and council as they carried out their "executive" responsibilities. Multiply that by six years. That is the time she served.
Then 2 years as governor of Alaska.
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