"Clean" McCain Taps Vindictive Two-Bit Hack for VP

Of all the reasons not to pick Governor Palin for Veep (inexperience, her admission that she doesn't know what a VP even does, her endorsement of Obama's energy plan), the worst of the reasons is that it undercuts the long-lived perception that John McCain is "clean."

I know, I know. Keating Five. Campaign bus that allows lobbyists to do work on it. Ridiculous money from oil interests. None of that much dented the perception that John McCain is "clean" and the guy who has his name on "McCain-Feingold."

Enter Sarah Palin. Senator McCain really, REALLY has no problem with putting someone on the ticket who is under an investigation for coming down on law enforcement officials, using her official office, to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his job as a state trooper, after he divorced Palin's sister? And not only that, but when the Public Safety Commissioner wouldn't do her hackery, she fired him?

Goodness. Sounds like she's someone who was part-time Mayor of a 6000 person town a few years ago, and got handed the keys to the Governor's office, and promptly became drunk with power that she was all too eager to abuse. Oh wait, it sounds like that, because it IS like that.

You think Dick Cheney abused his power? Just think of what Sarah Palin will do when she is handed they keys from "Darth Vader."

All of this severely undercuts the image of McCain as a maverick reformer. As much as the Republicans talk about Palin being some kind of reformer, she's anything but. She's a two-bit hack who felt drunk with power, with the little power she had as Governor as Alaska. And now you're going to put her a heartbeat away from controlling the FBI, CIA, and Justice Department?

Richard Nixon, somewhere, is smiling.

Yes, this pick seals it for McCain. He's McClean no more.

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

Comments

[BigMike75]

I'm still scratching my head at this utter lack of judgement on the part of John McCain, who has turned out to be nothing but a pandering hypocrite. For months, we've heard from the McCain led GOP that Obama's resume is thin, and it would be dangerous to put the nation in the hands of someone so inexperienced, then he does a 360 and insults our intelligence with this grand pander move, choosing someone with an even thinner resume. Then we've had to listen to the utter garbage that are Republican talking points being regurgitated for the last 48 hrs, trying to defend this pick. Like the classic "she's got more executive experience than Obama", please huh, by that logic she's got more experience than McCain too. This is about credentials as well, and she has none. Obama has been vetted by the American people for 18 months, has earned millions of votes, built the most robust political operation in history, broken every fundraising record, took down the vaunted Clinton machine, and managed it all at the same time, don't talk to me about executive execution. We'll see how she does on the national stage under the most intense scrutiny, the Rove/Rush handlers will regret this move.

[hipocampelofantocame]

Mrs.Palin is a pretty woman, but a poor intellectual choice for federal government
office. Let her remain governor of Alaska. I do have some serious questions about
her ethics and judgement. She was a poor choice for VP, which reflects on Mr.McCain.

[Johnnn]

"Vindictive two-bit hack"? Try tough and brave reformer. My dear Obama friends, you need to be careful how you attack Palin. The Hillary women are crazy mad, and disparaging Palin will only make them madder. All McCain has to do now is win enough of a percentage of Hillary supporters in Michigan and Ohio, and he has 286 electoral votes.

[misterz]

You are right about one thing, Johnnn. We "Hillary women are crazy mad" but not because we think a "tough and brave reformer" is being disparaged. We are "crazy mad" because McCain shamelessly pandered to us in the worst way and added insult to injury by chosing a woman for his ticket who is so obvioiusly unqualified for the office of VP, who is obviously vindictive and ruthless, and who is one huge hypocrite. I thought I was going to throw up when she had the gall to bleat about Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro with her slim credentials. This whole fiasco is an insult to women....and she is making herself a laughingstock...not to mention what she is doing to her poor daughter. Any woman who claims to care about women would NEVER have put her daughter and her family in this position. The last straw...she preaches abstinence and does not want young girls and boys who are old enough to become sexually active - and obviously do so - to be learning about birth control. One can only hope that all these women who are denying their daughters and sons this basic knowledge about protecting themselves from unwanted pregnancies learn something from this -look long and hard at what is happening to this young girl and her family. It makes McCain look absolutely incompetent for not vetting this candidate better and not being honest with his staff and fellow Republicans. I wouldn't trust this man to water my plants.

[cassidynj]

Just what are Primaries for, anyway?

"Is Free Pass" McCain, benefiting over and over from free passes in his life, lending a Primary "free pass" to Palin?

That's how it feels. It was the Primaries that demonstrated John Edwards wasn't suitable. Palin has not been vetted, not been tested, has not had to compete at this level.

[chiefeditor]

Ouch headline! And yet, not inaccurate, as these Sarah Palin audio clips demonstrate: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2654/Sarah-Palin

[noamjunior]

The GOP is hoping that hillary supporters are stupid and bitter enough to vote against their best interest to elect this former beauty queen,

[anelder]

some are some aren't. Just like men who couldn't see Hilary as top dog, and those others who can't see a black man in the role. Ignorance comes in all shapes, sizes, and sexes.

[Boikin]

Her sister was being abused by an ass. Palin asked her aide to call the cops. So that's the best hit on this woman? Or will it be qualification arguments that are laughable with Obama as the background. Or will it be general, sexist, elitist characterizations from sexist elitists who think you're not smart unless you're from a big city?

[teacheng]

That's not what happened at all, Boikin. Nice try to rewrite the story to sound like she's noble.

[Bulldoglover]

WRONG. She fired one of the state workers when he refused to fire the brother in law who had divorced her sister THEN had one of her aids call and insinuate that the brother in law be fired.
ALL a matter of court record including the tapes of the phone calls so it will be VERY hard for the GOP to lie/spin their way with this one!
A present from McCain and it's not even December yet!

[Boikin]

The allegation is that the brother in law drank on the job, made death threats and tased his kid for fun. Enjoy defending that.

[abigail1]

She didn't just ask her aide to call the cops she fired the Public Safety Commissioner who is one of the few people in government in Alaska with a stellar reputation. and then she lied about it until audio tapes came out.
a bipartisan committee decided that Palin's conduct was suspicious enough to warrant further investigation and spend $100,000 doing so. They decided this even though she has a 65% approval rating in Alaska so it is not for political gain.
It is not sexist to point out the utter lack of judgement and qualifications of a woman, in fact it is sexist not to. And the problem is not where she is from, but what she has done and what she knows.

[Liberoservative]

Don't forget that she's on the PTA!!!


That adds oodles to her credibility

[GOP4MoreTears]

Eric, On top of what you've expressed, John McCain has shown a clear lack of judgement and tolal disrespect for We the People and our beloved Republic.

[Twentylaws]

This is so indictive of John McCain's backwards thinking! Joe Biden will rip her inexperience, power abusing self apart in the VP debate. How absurb of a choice! Assuming Hillary supporter's would flock to them just because she is a WOMAN! McCain just help Bush put yet another "nail on the coffin" for the Republican party that should keep them out of the White House for decades to come!

President Obama get used to saying it!

[NorVaGal]

I'm not so sure that Biden will pick her inexperience to shreds. Why? Because the GOP-owned corporate media will lower expectations for her performance to the point where if she just walks out onto the debate stage and smiles, SHE WILL HAVE WON THE DEBATE. She never even has to answer a question because she will be in "a bubble of silence."

Anyone who legitimately goes after her lack of experience will be labeled as being MEAN to that pretty little filly. Questioning her ability to lead, in any way, will be "a slap in the face to women everywhere."

It's kinda like questioning John McCain on his judgment and temperament for POTUS when he was a POW-- a POW, for crying out loud. There IS no other requirement to be president!

[lisakaz2]

I wondered too about how much he can and will go after her but also how much competence really matters when the msm is in the tank.

[DixieMelody]

One good thing to come from this is that the press and bloggers are calling a 44-year-old woman "young."

[JennyJay]

What is it with Republicans? I am sure they all will vote for this laughable ticket. I think America
is full of stupidity and ignorance. We better do something - FAST - to make our schools a lot better.
Because half the country (Republicans) are proving to be nincompoops.

[Camel54]

Schmeltzer is exaggerating just a bit here. Let's say for the sake of argument that she did try to use her power to get the guy fired. What if the quote below is true? Who wouldn't try to get this cop off the force if he was really doing these things? Does that make her as bad as Cheney? Not even close. Make the argument she's a beauty queen over her head, her husband works for big oil, she's not ready to step in if the aged McCain checks out, but to try to paint her as evil b/c of this incident is kind of stupid.

"The Palins have accused Wooten of drunken driving, illegal hunting and firing a Taser at his 11-year-old stepson, Palin's nephew. These allegations led to an internal investigation, which occurred before she ran for governor.

"Todd Palin has said the family was concerned about the governor's safety, claiming Wooten threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father and made vague threats to her."

[Skepticat]

I didn't know anything about Ms Pawlin
I do however remember Nixon's enemies list and the revealed tapes of how government power could be used to get back at people Nixon didn't like. The very first thing I see on this lady's slim resume is attempts to get an ex brother in law fired - then firing the boss that wouldn't do it and replacing him with another guy now under investigation for sexual harrassment. No doubt other presidential talents will be revealed in due course.

[RobChattaTN]

"Yes, this pick seals it for McCain."
Indeed: there's much less chance he'll be elected now . . . for so many reasons....