If you are a feminist, womanist, or a liberal/progressive who thinks women should cast their votes based solely or primarily on "woman's issues" then you cannot rightfully criticize any woman who casts her vote in order to help a woman break the glass ceiling and become the first female Vice President.

If you have argued or agreed with the idea that there is nothing wrong with African Americans voting for for an African American candidate over a white candidate, even if the white candidate has a longer record of working to advance the interests of African Americans and advocates policies that are more beneficial to the African American community, then you are a hypocrite if you criticize a woman who votes for another woman based on gender, even if the male candidate advocates policies that a more beneficial to women.

As a white male, I don't have a dog in this fight.  I have never criticized the overwhelming support given to Barack Obama by the African American community.  I think it is perfectly logical and reasonable for them to support an African American candidate in the hope of seeing him become the first African American President of the United States.  I also understand why so many women supported Hillary Clinton.

My issues with Barack Obama have nothing to do with the color of his skin, and my support of Hillary Clinton has nothing to do with her gender.  But anyone who supported Barack Obama in whole or in part because of his race, cannot criticize anyone who supports Sarah Palin in whole or in part because of her gender.  Fair is fair.

The primary campaign was historic because it saw one of the two major political parties select a Presidential nominee who is African American.  It would have been just as historic if Hillary was selected as the nominee, because she would have been the first woman to reach that milestone.

This election continues to be historic because the glass ceiling that has kept women and minorities from either of the two highest offices in the country will be shattered regardless of who wins in November.  If the person who shatters that glass ceiling is Sarah Palin, I will have mixed emotions.

I will be happy and proud to see a woman reach the second highest office.  I will be sad because that woman is a Republican, and because Hillary Clinton deserves the honor of shattering that barrier.

If the Democratic leadership had not been infected with CDS, they would have given Hillary the Presidential nomination that she both deserved and rightfully earned, and had he run a clean campaign they could have selected Barack Obama as her running mate. 

Had the Democratic leadership done so, both candidates would have blasted the glass ceiling to smithereens in November, and a more experienced Barack Obama would be perfectly positioned to follow Hillary into the Presidency eight years from now.  That would be sixteen straight years that the Oval Office was not occupied by a white man.

But the Democratic leadership was too full of hatred for the Clintons, and Barack Obama too arrogant and impatient to wait or to allow a woman to go first, so John McCain and the GOP have seized the golden opportunity presented to them.  Until this morning I thought John McCain would more likely than not defeat Barack Obama in November.  Barring any unseen developments, I am now certain of it.

Four years from now, the Democratic party will have a final opportunity to ensure that the first woman President of the United States is a Democrat.  They can nominate Hillary Clinton, and watch her beat either McCain (if he runs for reelection) or Palin (if she is nominated to replace him.) 

She would also beat the stuffing out of any other Republican the GOP could nominate.

So if you supported Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination, don't come whining to me about "McSame" or "4 more years of Bush" when McCain and Palin open a big can of "Whoop-Ass" on Obama and Biden this November. 

If you do, this will be my response:

"I TOLD YOU SO!"

1. She is presently under investigation in Alaska for abuse of power
2. She strongly supports big oil (her husband even works for an oil company)
3. She stands for everything that Hillary Clinton stood against
4. She is adamantly opposed to reproductive rights for women
5. She has no federal or international experience & has only been mayor of a small town and a beauty pageant winner.
6. She believes global warming is a farce
7. She believes creationism should be taught in public schools
8. She supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and anywhere else big oil wants
9. She supports Pebble Mine which will destroy the richest salmon run in the world
10. She supports aerial shooting of bears and wolves in Alaska and is a lifetime member of the NRA
11. She is pro-war

]]> http://zsuzso.wordpress.com/?p=14 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:18:33 +0000 zsuzso http://zsuzso.wordpress.com/?p=14 [/caption]

I think Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States but I don't like him. He looks like all image and and a lot less substance to me. He is like a popstar of politics. I'm European and I won't vote in the elections but I have an opinion. I think it's always crazy and dangerous when politicians are handled like popstars by the public and the media. I was shocked to see that when Obama was in Berlin.

Politicians are no popstars. To be "fans" of politicians is dangerous. More dangerous than to be fans of popstars because popstars don't have the power that politicians have. You have to look at politicians with a healthy amount of scepticsm and criticism.

But Obama seems to get away with many things without being criticized. Why is that? Because he is young, dinamic and good-looking? Because he is the perfect screen-guy? Or maybe because people get carried away by the idea of the first "black" president?

BTW, I think to vote for him just because he is black is just as racist as to vote against him for the same reason. I don't care about his colour - exactly because I am not a racist, that's a non-issue to me, just like I don't vote for anyone just because he has blue or brown or green eyes, blond or brown hair etc.

I only care about his poistion on issues those are important to me. Obviously as a non-US citizen I don't care much about domestic issues, like health care and so on. What I care is his position on foreign policy and moral issues. Morally I'm conservative, so against abortion and gay-marriage. Obama is pro abortion and gay-marriage, so I strongly disagree with him on these issues.

As for foreign policy, I'm simply not convinced that Obama is strong and insightful enough to captain the US ' ship in such troubled times (Middle East, Russia etc.). He has made some strange comments on Iran which makes me question his judgement. And if he lacks good judgement on these issues that potentially could be very dangerous not only for the US, but also the Western world. Guys like Ahmedinedjad are no slouch, you have to be clever and strong to deal with them and you cannot afford to be naive and lenient. Not just the US but Western democracy is at stake.

That's why I would be happier with John McCain as the new US president. I know that's not the usual European line. Most people here are getting carried away by the Obama-hype. I tell you I also find Obama a handsome and dinamic guy, but when I peel off all the image stuff I feel McCain would be better.

“Is this a joke?”  That seemed to be the question du jour when my phone started ringing off the hook at 6:45am here in Alaska.  I mean, we’re sort of excited that our humble state has gotten some kind of national ‘nod’….but seriously?  Sarah Palin for Vice President?  Yes, she’s a popular governor.  Her all time high approval rating hovered around 90% at one point.  But bear in mind that the 90% approval rating came from one of the most conservative, and reddest-of-the-red states out there.  And that approval rating came before a series of events that have lead many Alaskans to question the governor’s once pristine image.

There is no doubt in my mind that many Alaskans are feeling pretty excited about this.  But we live in our own little bubble up here, and most of the attention we get is because of The Bridge to Nowhere, polar bears, the indictment of Ted Stevens, and the ongoing investigation and conviction of the string of legislators and oil executives who literally called themselves “The Corrupt Bastards Club”.

So seeing our governor out there in the national spotlight accepting the nomination for Vice Presidential candidate is just downright surreal.  Just months ago, when rumors surfaced that she was on the long version of the short list, she was questioned if she’d be interested in the position.  She said she couldn’t answer  “until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day. I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here….”

There is no doubt that Palin has fierce territorial loyalties.  When elected governor there was much concern because she came right out and said she would favor her own home town of Wasilla (where she was mayor) and its surrounding environs collectively known as “the Valley” while leading the state.  And it’s obvious from her statement that Alaska was on her mind when accepting the VP nod (see my emphasis above).

So what is it that we’re “trying to accomplish up here”?

• Palin is currently in the middle of a controversial gas pipeline project in Alaska.  She’s favored the ‘Trans Canada’ proposal that will run the pipeline through Canada, in effect shipping US jobs over the border.  Many Alaskans, including former governors, have favored the “All Alaska Route”.
• She is also sueing the federal government over listing the polar bears as a threatened species.  The science was even compelling enough to convince the Secretery of the Interior that the bears needed to be listed.  But acknowlegement of this issue, and the potential disruption to development on Alaska’s oil-rich north slope spurred Palin to attempt to stop the listing.
• Does she want to open ANWR?  Yes.  Every politician in Alaska wants to open ANWR.  It’s basically a requirement if you ever hope to get elected for anything.  Even Mark Begich, the progressive Democrat running against the indicted Senator and Alaskan institution Ted Stevens, is pro-drilling.  That’s the sea we swim in up here.  There are a few anti-drilling folks, but you have to look hard to find them, and work hard to have them admit it.

Will all this wash with voters in the ‘Lower 48′?  Time will tell.

18 Million Cracks in the Glass Ceiling

It was obvious anyway, but became beat-you-over-the-head-with-a-two-by-four obvious when Palin referenced the ‘glass ceiling’ line, that this choice is a blatant pander to women.  I would like to believe that women will actually feel insulted by this.  Yes, it would have been historic if Hillary had gotten the nomination.  It was historic that she made it as far as she did.  Yes, it would be great to have a woman in the oval office, or in the VP slot if they are the right woman…a woman who got there with her own drive, grit, determination, intelligence, skill and merits.  When you’re hand-picked by a man to win votes simply because you are a woman, that doesn’t count, and it doesn’t break any kind of ceiling.  Would we have had a Stan Palin as our VP pick?  No.  So choosing a woman because you think her gender will get votes is insulting.

Governor “Squeakyclean”….or not.

Another focus of Palin’s introduction today was her reform image.  Listen to John McCain and you’ll hear about a maverick reformer who took on big oil, took on corrupt Alaska politicians, and whose ethics are unquestioned.

Alaskans really want to like Sarah Palin.  In a state where corruption is the rule, and the same faces keep recycling over and over and over again like a bad dream, a new face, with a promise of reform seemed like a breath of fresh air.  Palin defeated incumbent governor Frank Murkowski (father of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski who he appointed to his own Senate seat when he was elected governor) because he was such an obnoxious, bloviating, downright BAD politician.  This staunchly republican state voted with relief, not having to cross over and vote Democratic, but still able to get Murkowski the hell out of office.  In the general election Palin swept into office running against a former Democratic governor, Tony Knowles, who was capable but came with baggage.  And he represented to Alaskans more of the same, tired old-style politics, and special interests that we have come to loathe.

So, if McCain had made his selection six months ago, the squeaky-clean governor meme would have made a little more sense.  But, Sarah Palin is currently under an ethics investigation by the Alaska state legislature.  The details of this investigation read like a trashy novel, and I suspect that the players will soon have newfound celebrity on the national stage.  I’ll try to explain for all you non-Alaskans who suddenly have good reason to want to know more about Sarah Palin.  For those of you not interested in trashy novels, feel free to skip ahead.  Here it is…what we in Alaska call “TrooperGate”.

Sarah Palin’s sister Molly married a guy named Mike Wooten who is an Alaska State Trooper.  Mike and Molly had a rocky marriage.  When the marriage broke up, there was a bitter custody fight that is still ongoing.  During the custody investigation, all sorts of things were brought up about Wooten including the fact that he had illegally shot a moose (yes folks this is Alaska), driven drunk, and used a taser (on the test setting, he reminds us) on his 11-year old stepson, who supposedly had asked to see what it felt like.  While Wooten has turned out to be a less than stellar figure, the fact that Palin’s father accompanied him on the infamous moose hunt, and that many of the dozens of charges brought up by the Palin family happened long before they were ever reported smacked of desperate custody fight.  Wooten’s story is that he was basically stalked by the family.

After all this, Wooten was investigated and disciplined on two counts and allowed to kept his position with the troopers.  Enter Walt Monegan, Palin’s appointed new chief of the Department of Public Safety and head of the troopers.  Monegan was beloved by the troopers, did a bang-up job with minimal funding and suddenly got axed.  Palin was out of town and Monegan got “offered another job” (aka fired) with no explanation to Alaskans.  Pressure was put on the governor to give details, because rumors started to swirl around the fact that the highly respected Monegan was fired because he refused to fire the aforementioned Mike Wooten.  Palin vehemently denied ever talking to Monegan or pressuring Monegan in any way to fire Wooten, or that anyone on her staff did.  Over the weeks it has come out that not only was pressure applied, there were literally dozens of conversations in which pressure was applied to fire him.  Monegan has testified to this fact, spurring an ongoing investigation by the Alaska state legislature.  But, before this investigation got underway, Palin sent the Alaska State Attorney General out to do some investigative work of his own so she could find out in advance what the real investigation was going to find.  (No, I’m not making this up).  The AG interviewed several people, unbeknownst to the actual appointed investigator or the Legislature! Palin’s investigation of herself uncovered a recorded phone call retained by the Alaska State Troopers from Frank Bailey, a Palin underling, putting pressure on a trooper about the Wooten non-firing.  Todd Palin (governor’s husband) even talked to Monegan himself in Palin’s office while she was away.  Bailey is now on paid administrative leave.

As if this weren’t enough, Monegan’s appointed replacement Chuck Kopp, turns out to have been the center of his own little scandal.  He received a letter of reprimand and was reassigned after sexual harrassment allegations by a former coworker who didn’t like all the unwanted kissing and hugging in the office.  Was he vetted?  Obviously not.  When he was questioned about all this, his comment was that no one had asked him and he thought they all knew.  Kopp, defiant, still claimed to have done nothing wrong and said to the press that there was no way he was stepping down from his new position.  Twenty four hours later, he stepped down.  Later it was uncovered that he received a $10,000 severance package for his two weeks on the job from Palin.  Monegan got nothing.

After extensive news coverage about all this nasty behind-the-scenes scandal, which is definitely NOT squeaky clean, Palin’s approval ratings fell to 67%, still high, but a far cry from the 90% number that’s being thrown around so glibly by the Republicans today.  Alaskans are quickly becoming disillusioned once again.

“Executive Experience”

Before her meteoric rise to political success as governor, just two short years ago Sarah Palin was the mayor of Wasilla.  I had a good chuckle at MSN.com’s claim that she had been the mayor of “Wasilla City”.  It is not a city.  Just Wasilla.  Wasilla is the heart of the Alaska “Bible belt” and Sarah was raised amongst the tribe that believes creationism should be taught in our public schools, homosexuality is a sin, and life begins at conception.  She’s a gun-toting, hang ‘em high conservative.  Remember…this is where her approval ratings come from.  There is no doubt that McCain again is making a strategic choice to appeal to a particular demographic - fundamentalist right-wing gun-owning Christians.  And Republican bloggers are already gushing about how she has ‘more executive experience’ than Obama does!  Above is a picture of lovely downtown Wasilla, for those of you unfamiliar with the area.  Behind the Mug-Shot Saloon (the first bar I visited when I moved to Alaska long ago) is a little strip mall.  There are street signs in Wasilla with bullet holes in them.  Wasilla has a population of about 5500 people, and 1979 occupied housing units.  This is where your potential Vice President was two short years ago.  Can you imagine her negotiating a nuclear non-proliferation treaty?  Discussing foreign policy?  Understanding non-Alaskan issues?  Frankly, I don’t even know if she’s ever been out of the country.  She may ‘get’ Alaska, but there are only a half a million people here.  Don’t get me wrong….I love Alaska with all my heart.  I’m just saying.

I, and all Alaskans will be interested to see how this whole process unfolds.  This is definitely a gamble for McCain, and in my humble opinion, a gift to Obama and to Joe Biden who just got thrown a big hunk of red meat for the vice presidential debate.

To get this point across, Planned Parenthood is passing out probably the most clever anti-McCain ad I've ever seen: condoms. Yes, dear folks, condoms.

The front of the condom cleverly says "Protect Yourself Against John McCain (in this election)" while the back features 10 facts about why you need protection (though I feel as though they left out the most important one: he's gonna screw us over real good if he makes it to office).

Instead the back features gems like this:

In his 25 years in Washington, DC, McCain has voted against women's reproductive rights and privacy rights 125 times.

He's one of those guys who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. Also, he doesn't think we should teach kids about contraceptives (as if we didn't have enough Juno's already) nor does he think that condoms help to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS to your partner. In fact, here is a transcript of an interview where he shows just how ignorant he is on the issue. Not only does he not have a position or his own opinion but he doesn't actually know whether or not condoms will help to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Let me guess, prayer will?

"Yeah, I'll just do whatever Bush did. I'm sure I had a position on this issue before. I'll get back to you." I love it when men have such strong opinions about what a woman should do with her body.

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund gave McCain the lowest approval rating that I've actually ever seen. Like you needed yet another example as to why Obama is better than McCain.

During the primaries, John McCain proved to all of us how far he is willing to go in order to win his party’s nomination.  By insulting Mitt Romney with a plethora of unprofessional and immoral tactics and teaming up with Mike Huckabee during individual state primaries (in order to beat Mitt Romney), McCain proved that he is willing to do and say just about anything in order to win in politics.  He rivals the Machiavellian style of Bill and Hillary Clinton, but without all of the baggage and scandals.  Now, after he has all but secured the nomination for the republican party, John McCain choose to win the election rather than put America first.  He had every opportunity to grab Mitt Romney as his running mate and to use his economic and leadership genius to keep America strong, successful, and full of hope for the future.  Instead, he decided to use a gimmick and select a “woman” running mate in order to appease the disgruntled Hillary supporters who claim to feel left out by Obama’s decision not to vet Hillary Clinton as his running mate.

Yes, there is no mistake with this one…this is a total and absolute gimmick designed to give patronage to “Reagan democrats” rather than extend an olive branch to his party’s core constituency.  A gimmick that rivals nothing else ever attempted in political history due to the recent developments between Obama and Clinton.  A gimmick designed to trick feminists, moderate democrats, and Hillary supporters into crossing party lines and voting for him in November rather than cast a vote for Obama.  This is something that isn’t terribly surprising considering the source.  McCain has labeled himself via a smooth marketing campaign as the “Maverick” who drives the “Straight Talk Express”.  If anyone in the history of politics has outperformed McCain in self-marketing and tricky political maneuverings then that person is yet to be identified.  It could be argued that the Clintons have created and written the book on modern-day political Machiavellianism, but John McCain has perfected it by relying on his background as a P.O.W. during the Vietnam War.  Who would dare criticize McCain’s intentions as anything other than pure and sensible?  Who besides his democratic opponents, of course?!

Romney is the absolute most accomplished and tenured candidate to run for president since the days of Eisenhower (who was running as president due to his popularity as a tremendously successful military commander).  Everything Mitt Romney has touched has turned into gold, yet Americans (and more specifically, Mike Huckabee and his army of religious bigots) chose to hang their hats on the media-created fear of Mormonism as their reasoning not to vote for him.  While the state of Massachussetts was able to look past it and enjoy four years of the most successful state politics in history (for MA), the rest of America was too easily swayed by Huckabee’s crowd of home-schooled religious bigots as they smeared Romney and made him appear as something or someone to question and fear rather than to support and endorse.  There has never been a scandal in the life of Mitt Romney nor will there ever be.  Failure has never been a part of Romney’s resume, which is something that is quite impressive considering the venues he has thrown himself into (see: Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City as a perfect example of throwing himself into a complete mess and turning the situation into a raving unparalleled success).  I defy anyone to name another person more qualified, complete, talented, or perfect to run for president than Mitt Romney!

So, with the “Golden Boy” sitting in the bleachers just waiting for McCain to grab, he is once again ignored via a vast effort of political expediency by John McCain.  A political party that has never enshrouded itself into identity politics, class warfare, gender politics, or racial politics, seems to be heading down that road.  There’s not much good that can come from this and the only proof needed is to look at the modern-day democratic party.  They have carved out an identity of their entire party that is enveloped by individualism, class, religion, race, and pseudo-collectivism.  They have endorsed the handbook of Karl Marx (The Communist Manifesto) as their guide and the results have been catastrophic.  With congress enjoying approval ratings in the single digits (yes, that’s right…SINGLE DIGITS…) do we really need any more proof that the leaders of the democratic party are all in it for themselves?  Case in point: the thirteen wealthiest congressmen (or congresswomen) are ALL democrats!  That’s right…not one single republican pushes through the top thirteen in accumulative wealth!  This seems odd especially when one considers the mantra of the Left: we are our brother’s keeper.  The perfect example of their selfish political meanderings is the recent decision to go on vacation without creating a new energy policy.  It seems that Nancy Pelosi was more concerned with selling 5,000 copies of her book than she was with helping the country resolve their failed energy policies of the past.  By the way, when someone sells 5,000 copies of their book it is NOT something to brag about.  In fact, it would be very safe to say that such a showing indicates a complete failure.  I couldn’t be happier about her failures as a woman, a writer, or as the Speaker of the House.  Everyone on the Right warned the country of what would happen if Pelosi were given the keys to the Capital Building…and no one listened.  Since the democrats took over in 2006 (campaigning on a platform of “change” just like Obama is), the economy has been crushed, inflation has increased at record levels, the US currency has been slapped around like a little orphan girl, and unemployment has inched above the 5% threshold for the first time in years!  Yes, that is definitely “change”.  It’s a change from good to bad…so it looks like no one can claim that the democrats weren’t being honest when they ran on a platform (marketing campaign) of “change”!

John McCain has followed their political handbook in lockstep since day one.  He has never hidden the fact that core conservative values don’t agree with him.  Whether it’s his endorsement of Al Gore’s multi-billion dollar global warming initiative, cap and trade carbon taxes, amnesty for illegal aliens, a vocal dissention of appointing Supreme Court Justices in the mold of Alito and Roberts, or campaign finance reform, John McCain has been upfront and honest about who he is all about.  We (all conservative Americans) are the ones to blame for putting our country in this position!  I can’t blame John McCain one single bit because he let all of us know (through is track record) just how much of a “Maverick” he really is, yet we fell for his P.O.W. sob story…hook, line, and sinker.  When we could have had the most incredible individual to run for president in over 100 years (not counting Reagan, of course) we instead allowed ourselves to be tricked into thinking that Mormons were scary people who couldn’t be trusted.  We allowed Mike Huckabee to derail the primary process from the very beginning (Iowa).  We allowed independent voters who have no intention to vote for a republican in November decide who we would nominate as our “guy” (New Hampshire).  Even with this underhanded approach towards manipulating the process (Huckabee and McCain) we still had an opportunity to have access to Romney’s unfettered talents as an unrivaled leader.  That opportunity was laid to rest on August 29^th when McCain decided to “play politics” and employ a gimmick with his decision of a running mate.  A gimmick that will probably win him the election in November, but a gimmick that will most certainly leave the American people a little bit worse off than we could have been under the leadership of Romney.  McCain teased us during the past few months as his campaign leaked information that he was leaning towards tapping Lieberman, Ridge, or Crist as his running mate.  He teased us with his vetting of Mitt Romney and leaking to the press that his choice would more than likely include the former governor of Massachussetts.  But, when the day came, he stuck his finger in the eyes of all conservatives.  He reminded us all that his number one ambition is to go down in the history books as an American President…bar none.  He reminded us all…again…that he literally is ready and willing to say or do just about anything in order to win at politics.  Whether it be by cheating on his handicapped wife in order to secure a second marriage to a woman worth tens of millions of dollars (seems to be a rather popular tactic among America’s career politicians), or by flat-out lying to the faces of all Americans about Mitt Romney’s political intentions (regarding the war and having secret timetables of withdrawl), or by teaming up with liberals to create some of the most offensive legislations in modern times…John McCain is a very good career politician.  I don’t know about you, but I find it very hard to put my trust in a career politician…regardless of political party affiliation.

Now, I don’t have anything against Sarah Palin.  In fact, from what I’ve read about her and from what I’ve heard from her, I think she is a rather remarkable woman.  She certainly possesses the core values that every conservative wishes to see in their leaders, but is she the right person for this particular time?  No, she is not.  She is a mere pawn in the grand scheme of John McCain’s political ambitions.  She can’t be dumb enough not to realize that the only reason she was chosen was because of the fact that she sits down to pee, right?!  She can’t honestly think that she was chosen in front of Mitt Romney because she’s inherently more qualified, right?!  I can’t blame her for accepting the challenge as it would be an honor to serve as America’s “number two”, but I’d like to think that in the back room discussions that she must have had with Senator McCain she at least made it known to him that she recognized why she was being vetted and why she was actually being chosen.  If I somehow knew that she had initial reservations about McCain’s decision or that she somehow made it known to McCain that what he was trying to do was ridiculous and low then I would be able to hold my head up high as a conservative and proudly cast my vote against Obama.  I would, in fact, be voting against Obama rather than for McCain because there’s no way in hell I could ever bring myself to vote for a man such as John McCain! 

Since I don’t know Palin’s intentions or reservations, I can’t allow myself to assume.  Therefore, I am still 100% at peace with my decision to NOT vote for John McCain.  I’d much rather waste my vote on Bob Barr or vote for a write-in candidate (Mitt Romney, of course) than pull the lever for a man whom I have no respect for.  I don’t care that he was a P.O.W. and that he was tortured!  I’m not afraid to say that, either!  Thousands of men were tortured by their captors, but you don’t see any of those men riding the wave of sympathy from Americans into a life of politics, money, and power!  I CAN NOT BRING MYSELF TO VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN!  If America is so enthralled by the “change politics” of Obama then I think we deserve him!  That’s right…I think we deserve the politics of Barack Obama!  Sometimes, we need to taste the bitter in order to appreciate the sweet.

Just remember that we have brought all of this upon ourselves!  It is our fault that the two people we are stuck with (Obama and McCain) are as enticing as hemorrhoids!  It’s completely our fault that we’ve become fixated on identity politics and whether or not we elect a woman or a minority rather than focusing on who is the best!  We will reap what we sow and unfortunately we have sown a disease infested crop. 

Scoopit!

Some thoughts from Gerard Baker at The Times on McCain selecting Sarah Palin.

Adam thinks she is an interesting choice and susepcts that many will see her as complementing McCain.

Thanks to Marty 1035 for this comment at Huffington Post!

1. John McCain: Do you think all women are brain dead? Do you think they are all dumb as hell like your bimbo wife? It sure as hell seems like it. You think that just because you pick someone with a vagina that all the feminists who wanted to see Hillary in the White House will just automatically line up to vote for you? Seriously, this is the most disrespectful thing I've ever seen from a Presidential nominee. To choose someone who has NO federal political experience, who you have met only ONCE before, and who has less experience than my 14 year old sister when it comes to foreign policy is a slap in the face to educated, politically savvy women around the country. How scary would it be if McCain kicked the bucket while in office. Yeah, God forbid, but it could happen, people! He is 72 and he's had four bouts with cancer! This isn't some young, healthy dude. So great, imagine that. Sarah Palin taking the oath of office to be our Commander and Chief. Well, at least we know she could go to the front lines and hunt some....moose for the troops.Just because your plastic Barbie doll wife and Sarah Palin share in common the winning of beauty pageants (which still blows my mind, by the way. How did THAT happen?!) doesn't make her fit to be the Vice President of the United States of America. And just because she is a woman, does not mean that she is Hillary. For the love of God, I can't believe I even have to write about these two women in the same sentence. Hillary Clinton is a trailblazer, a progressive, a thinker, a stateswoman, one of the top minds in our country. Sarah Palin is Rush Limbaugh with a uterus. Sarah Palin can't hold a candle to Hillary Clinton. So John McCain, thanks. Thanks for proving to the world that you are a f*cking moron, once again.
2. Sarah Palin: For this woman to accept the nomination for Vice Presidential Candidate for the United States of America is egoism on 157 levels. She has no experience that makes her qualified for this job. She has never dealt with foreign policy. She governs the most detached and isolated state in the US besides Hawaii. She is only in her first term as governor and her only other political experience was serving as the Mayor of an Alaskan town of about 5,000 people. I'm sorry Sarah, but I was the President of my University that had more people than that. And the budget that I oversaw was probably bigger than yours. But I'm not accepting the Republican nomination for VP of the US.She is pro-guns, pro-creationism being taught in our schools, and pro-drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. She is a mother of five children, but chooses policies to adopt as her own that will harm her children's future immeasurably. Plus, this is just a personal pet peeve of mine, but the chick can't speak the English language properly. Is anyone else irritated that every -ing word that she says she abbreviates? Huntin', winnin', speakin', tourin', challengin', fightin', flyin', votin'....Sarah Palin, I have an abbreviation for you....you are a F*CKIN' MORON!
3. P.U.M.A.: Ok seriously, I love progressives. I love people that think long-term. I love people with vision and determination to make the world a better place. I feel an affinity for the progressive agenda and its policies. Therefore, I usually vote Democrat. I don't vote Democrat on party lines but because of issues. I don't vote for candidates because they are pretty or handsome, ugly or too fat, too skinny, or balding. I don't vote for candidates because of their age or their gender. I try, with all my human capacity, to vote for issues and for candidates who will lead us into the future with positive goals and inspiration. Ok, so during the Democratic Primaries, I voted for HilHil. I thought she was the best candidate for the job, but this didn't mean that I was anti-Barack Obama. In February, on that particular Super Tuesday, I supported the candidate that I felt was the total package. I still think HilHIl would make an awesome President. But, as time went on and I learned more about the candidates, I realized that there really wasn't much difference in the candidates in terms of their policy choices, and some of Barack Obama's ideas really resonated with me. I was disappointed because I felt that HilHil was kind of railroaded by her own campaign. I thought her managers and staff made some really stupid decisions that probably cost her the nomination. I mean, if HilHil would have spoken and looked and acted like she did on Tuesday night of the DNC, I think she probably would have won. But c'est la vie, Barack Obama took the nomination.So I riveted myself to the tv this past week and really watched the DNC. And you know what I saw? I saw happiness, I saw hope, I saw a microcosm of America really believing that they could partake in the democratic process and look to a future where their voice would be heard and heeded. And HilHil gave an amazing speech, telling us all of her commonalities with Barack Obama and how we MUST vote a progressive candidate into office, for the safety, security and sanctity of our nation.It's not about party unity. Screw the political parties. That's stuff of the past. Even Barack Obama doesn't give a crap about political parties. It's about issues. It's about our future. It's about our children and their children. It's about the rest of the world. It's about your health and your retirement and your financial security and your personal safety and your fundamental rights as a citizen of this country.

   It's NOT about gender. And I am SICK AND TIRED of these dumbass PUMA's or whatever the hell they want to call themselves, threatening that they are going to vote for John McCain to "teach the DNC a lesson." Cry me a f*ckin' river you idiots. You think that this primary was rigged? Are you serious? Ok, even if it was, so what are you going to do? Give your vote to the party that made caging lists of Florida democrats in 2000 and stole the election in the Supreme Court? You're going to give your vote to the party who again made a mockery of our democracy in 2004 by disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of voters in Ohio who would have changed the course of our history? Yeah, that's a great idea! Go for it girls.

   You women who call yourselves PUMA's (Party Unity My Ass) are an embarrassment to women, especially to educated women who actually use their brains to make decisions. You are just as sexist and just as bigoted as the men who wouldn't think of voting for Hillary because she is a woman. So you're going to throw your support behind John McCain simply because he chose a person with the correct anatomical structure for you? Are you kidding me?! This has seriously got to be some sick joke that the Republicans are pulling on us. I swear, I think that the PUMA's really are Republican women who are trying to confuse and conspire against us. I just cannot conceive of a woman dumb enough to throw her support behind a man (John McCain) and a woman (Sarah Palin) who are anti-choice, anti-gay rights, pro-guns, pro-drilling in ANWR, pro-war, pro-nukes, anti-Islam (and any other weird religion with "brown" people in it), anti-middle class, anti-public education, anti-Social Security, pro-torture....do I need to keep going? If you want to vote for a woman, and that's alllll you care about, fine, write in Hillary's name if it helps you sleep at night. But for God's sake, don't let me read another blog on your idiotic website about how McCain is going to get your vote. PUMA's you are f*cking morons!

John McCain committed the ultimate political error and what will be known as the "great blunder" in selecting Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. This choice certainly shocked the political world.

Transpose the letters "a and l" in Palin's last name and you have "Governor Sarah Plain" or as I like to say, "Plain Sarah." There is no question that she has a compelling and interesting personal story. One major problem with this choice is her lack of visibility. A Presidential campaign is not the time to introduce someone to the American people. There is a little over two months left to the General Election and if the focus will be on "Plain Sarah," that is an unnecessary distraction for the Republicans. If McCain wanted to name an unknown such as Governor Plain Sarah, he should have done it several months ago to give the American people time to get to know her. The word is that McCain made a snap decision on Thursday night and that is not advisable for such a major decision. That is a preview of how a President McCain will make his decisions. Snap, last-minute decisions that will affect the fate of the country and the world on an impulse and without thought.

McCain's selection of "Governor Plain Sarah" will go down with such memorable selections as Dan Quayle who likely stopped George H.W. Bush from a second term. There was Geraldine Ferraro who was selected as Walter Mondale's selection, although I am not sure any selection would have defeated Ronald Reagan for a second term. House member are generally poor choices because of their low-profiles. Another such example was in 1964 when Barry Goldwater selected Congressman William Miller.

What is truly amazing about McCain's choice were the people he didn't select. The strongest and most threatening candidate to the Democrats would have been formhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifer Governor and Homeland Security czar, Tom Ridge, would have been a candidate that would have given Obama/Biden a run for the Presidency. Mitt Romney would have been interesting, although it is a good idea not to select someone you don't personally like or get along with (we are told McCain cannot stand the sight of Romney). My God, if McCain really wanted to name a women to negate some of this Hillary Clinton stuff, he really missed his chance by not selecting Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. No one can question Hutchinon's experience or qualifications. She has great experience and is highly qualified for the job. And she is a strong Southerner.

As a strong, Barack Obama partisan, I say to John McCain: thank you and good luck. Reading on Walden Bookstore.

With fanfare from those renowned moderates at the Democratic Underground, no less.

Bravo, Mr. Gandelman. Nice stable you've put together over there, really.

*sigh*

What the hell is wrong with people?

I just happened to come across a blog by an Alaskan resident who has decided to share the inside story. He offers some insight to help us answer the question, "Who is Sarah Palin?" Check out the article, "'What is McCain Tinking? One Alaskan's Perspective," posted by akmuckraker.

1. Solidify the far-right base.

2. Peel off Hillary supporters who remain on the fence, due to disappointment with the outcome of the primary.

The first is a given; the second shows such extraordinary contempt for the process by which people make these kinds of choices that I can't imagine it will succeed (I should note that my wife is utterly furious with the presumption that women will automatically vote for another woman).

I've read numerous analyses of McCain's choice today, but the most succinct and cogent so far has to be that of Jeff Fecke at Alas, a blog.

From The Atlantic

By Andrew Sullivan

Sarah Palin and Hugh Hewitt are both enraged at the decision to list polar bears as an endangered species. I've followed Hewitt's bizarre Colbertian horror at protecting polar bears the way I usually follow him, with morbid amusement and fascination. Here's a classic column from May. Palin's opposition to protecting the species brought her into conflict with the Bush administration's Interior secretary:

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne last week made the listing decision and said it was based on three findings. "First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear's sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future," he said...

Polar bear researchers fear recent effects of the loss of sea ice on Alaska polar bear populations. A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that far fewer polar bear cubs in the Beaufort Sea were surviving and that adult males weighed less and had smaller skulls than those captured and measured two decades previously -- trends similar to observations in Canada's western Hudson Bay before a population drop.

A U.S. Geological Survey study completed last year as part of the petition process predicted polar bears in Alaska could be wiped out by 2050.

Kempthorne said last week he considered every point Palin made, and rejected them. However, he sought to limit the economic effect of the decision with the inclusion of "administrative guidance" that said the listing would not be used to create back-door climate policy outside the normal system of political accountability. He said that the threat to polar bears did not come from the petroleum industry.

I'm not sure what Palin's position on climate change is, but it would be worth asking.

With all due respect again to Governor P***n, she’s been a governor for two years, she’s been able but undistinguished. I don’t think people could really name a big, important thing that she’s done. She was mayor of one of the smallest cities in America. And again, with all due respect to Wasilla, Alaska, it’s smaller than Chula Vista, California; Aurora, Colorado; Mesa or Gilbert, Arizona; north Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada. It’s not a big town. So if she were to pick Governor P***n, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, `You know what? I’m really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States?

Give up yet?  Of course you don't give up, but I'm going to tell you anyhow.  It was Karl Rove.  Yes Karl Asshat Rove!  Yeah, no shit!

Well okay, it was a trick question because Karl Rove wasn't talking about Sarah Palin but was actually concern trolling over Obama possibly picking Virginia Governor Tim Kaine as his VP.  In the original quote he mentions that Governor Kaine has been in office three years (not less than two like Gov. Palin) and he was originally the mayor of Richmond Virginia (population of 200,000+ versus Mayor Palin's reign over a population of 5,600ish). Did I mention that Virginia has a population of 7,712,091 and a GDP of $383 million whereas Alaska has a population of 683,478 and a GDP of $44.5 million?  You don't suppose Karl will express his concern that McCain selected an even less qualified VP for intensely political reasons rather than selecting the most capable person?

Yeah, a trick question and an innane rhetorical question in the same post.  So sue me.

On the eve of Obama's speech, McCain put out an ad congratulating Obama. Stating "tomorrow we'll be back at it, but tonight Senator, job well done." He waited until after the DNC before announcing his candidate as to not steal their thunder. That's classy to me.

What did Obama do?

Obama wasted no time to make an insulting, if not untrue, statement about Palin, the "former mayor of a town of 9,000." Nice. Go ahead and insult small towns as well as ignore the class that McCain showed just a day earlier. Ferraro was gracious. Obama couldn't accept the kind gesture I guess.

Then, in true Obama flip flop fashion, he retracts what was said and says congratulations. That's the problem with first impressions, you can only make them once. What was said was smeared all over the media already. Too late. Maybe the Obamas should be a little more careful what they say, because eventually their little following is going to wise up and get tired of their excuses.

• McCain closed the deal with me (and likely millions of conservatives) with this pick. Not that we were planning on voting for Obama, but we were the Fred Thompson voters, the Mitt Romney voters, even some Mike Huckabee voters. We were deeply worried that the man who seemed to take pleasure in voting against Republican measures during his time in the Senate was now that party's leader. But we'd moved his way as we grew horrified by the thought of an Obama presidency. We started getting comfortable as he spoke our language at Saddleback. And by picking Palin, McCain told us that he doesn't just tolerate conservatives, he admires them; he doesn't just want us to vote for him, he wants us to help him govern. I'm in.

• Women won't be the only mass demographic to move with the Palin pick. Watch how Western states start shifting in McCain's direction now. One of the more overlooked dynamics in politics is the fact that Western states, Western politicians, and Western values are largely absent from national politics. And they don't appreciate it - much like ESPN is always lambasted for its East Coast Bias, Westerners assume that Washington is looking out for the 13 original colonies. Even though McCain is an Arizona senator, his years in Washington, his age, and his wealth distance him from Westerners. Palin, by contrast, oozes Western living. Her husband is a fisherman in the offseason and rides snowmobiles in competition. She shoots guns for sport, owns a float plane, and has a large family. She's run a town of 9,000 people that's 18 hours and a trip through Canada away from the state capital. Her parents cancelled today's caribou hunt to watch their daughter accept the nomination for Vice President. These simple facts will connect Palin to voters in North Dakota, New Mexico, and Nevada in a way that no political ad could. And the contrast will be stark when the Senator from the First State faces off against the Governor of the Last Frontier.

• Todd Palin is a member of the United Steelworkers' Union. He's proud of being the "First Dude" of Alaska. He worked in the oil fields of Alaska's North Slope. To my knowledge, no union household has ever occupied the White House or the Naval Observatory. Can all the union endorsements of Barack Obama possibly overcome that? WIll Palin's Local petition the Steelworkers to rescind its endorsement of Obama?

• The Obama campaign struggled today with how to deal with the Palin announcement. The campaign was in full attack mode at first, calling her unqualified and unprepared to be President. Later, Obama and Biden congratulated her, and Obama chided his campaign for developing a "hair-trigger." Don't expect this internal debate to end today -- the currents and countercurrents at work here, particularly for gender-obsessed Democrats, are myriad. A moment I desperately want to see: Palin turning to Biden during the debate and asking, "Senator, why are you going so easy on me? Don't you worry, I can take it."

• There's something different about a mom, rather than a dad, who's willing to put her son in harm's way. I can't put my finger on it, but there just is. Track Palin, the Governor's oldest son, enlisted in the Army on September 11, 2007 -- the first anniversary of that fateful day when he could join the armed forces. He will deploy to Iraq with his unit this year. Has any pair of national leaders been more prepared to judge whether it is worthwhile to put soldiers in harm's way to protect America than John McCain and Sarah Palin?

It's a prime maxim that vice-presidential picks really don't affect the election outcome much at all. No one really votes for the VP candidate. It's all about the top of the ticket. Outside carrying their own state, of course (e.g., Johnson in 1960). The only time they've been noteworthy has been when a bad pick hurts the chances a bit (e.g., Dan Quayle).

And then usually only because some bad vetting requires spending some resources on them that they hadn't counted on. (Tom Eagleton in 1972 being the extreme example, which still didn't affect the outcome at all).

But there are some wider ways VP candidates help their tickets, even if they don't move any broad mass voters.

• Reagan picking Bush in 1980 kept the moderate Republicans from revolting too much. I think most of Anderson's vote that year was from the Democrats.
• Clinton picking Gore showed middle America that it really was a more conservative Democratic ticket in 1992. And they still won with only 43% of the vote, most of Perot's vote came from the Republicans.
• Nixon picking Agnew in 1968 told Southern racists he'd be with them on race (Agnew became Maryland governor on a "stop busing our kids" platform). And Nixon still just squeeked by, 43.4% to 42.7%.
• Bush picked Quayle in 1988 for some of the same reasons McCain did this pick – appease the social conservatives. Quayle didn't stop Bush from winning (though he didn't help Bush either, in 1992).
• I'm really not sure what the hell was going through Gore's mind when he took Lieberman, other than to be an ignoble first. And Gore still won a majority of the vote, something Clinton never did.

My take (besides McCain Rolls the Dice on VP):

Positives to McCain on the Palin Pick

1.) It quickly changes the media focus from inflating the Democratic convention coverage over the next few days the way almost no other pick would have. It keeps Obama from running up a double digit lead this week (which could have happened, even though it would have tightened up anyway).

2.) She's evidently a BIG star in the evangelical and right wing talk show crowd. She had endorsed Pat Buchanan in his bid. See "Palin Pick Causes 'Elation' among Evangelical Leaders" and Palin for VP web sites here and here for example.

The latter site is a direct link to Townhall.com support to get Palin on the ticket, a right wing forum that's the source of the most insidious smears and lies being spread on the Internet about Obama, as outlined here at "The Klan-ternet: Right wing hate mongers exposed."

To quote from it: "(Note: Thanks to my great boss, Matt Lewis, and Townhall.com for allowing me to blog on the clock today!)"

3.) She will get these right wing crazies to work for the ticket, not unlike the way they did in 2004 for Bush -- where they were looking like they'd pretty much sit it out in 2008

a. Obama was getting some evangelical support from the Rick Warren/younger type evangelicals on poverty social issues, evidently (see the New Yorker article, "The New Evangelicals"). Now the anti-Roe v. Wade issue and general excitement for "one of their own" will bring them back to support McCain

b. Evangelicals are organized. Church membership is still one of the strongest social agents correlated to voting turnout. Democratic turnout increased in 2004 and hit all of John Kerry's estimates. But Bush got higher turnout, thanks mostly to the evangelical organization.

4.) They're hoping the pro-hunter/gun moll image will help them a great deal in places like Pennsylvania (where schools close for the opening of deer season), Ohio, etc.

5.) It nails down 3 electoral votes McCain probably couldn't have taken for granted. It's one of the 18 key states* where the Obama camp was focusing efforts.

a. Now Obama can send all those resources toward Missouri or N. Dakota, and talk to every voter in those states twice.

Minuses to McCain on the Palin Pick

1.) No one does a pick like this unless they're absolutely desperate. So the McCain people have to be desperate, regardless of the closeness shown in the national polls.

a. They bypassed more experienced women candidates like Condi Rice or Kay Bailey Hutchison of Tx., who wouldn't be in for the laugh storm Palin's in for. So it probably was the combination of being such a far right winger and a women that got them to pick Palin.

b. If it was all about being a woman, we can conclude that they probably did try for someone like this behind the scenes – probably Hutchison, it sounds like Rice took herself out very early – but were turned down flat because Hutchison didn't want to be part of a losing ticket, and hurt her own chances to be President.

2.) An article on Pollster must be TRUE -- it cites the Obama people being exasperated over the media focus on the national polls, and that they felt their own more sophisticated internal polls were far more accurate and telling them they were headed for victory. That's now confirmed by the McCain campaign's very desperation, their polls must show the same thing

a. A sidenote: I remember from my days with the pros that they do consider the Gallup poll as pretty much worthless as far as even showing a horserace, in the best of times for pollsters. They just don't talk about it too much in case they can do some work with them on other things.

3.) She's very inexperienced. She's basically never been away from her small town for any length of time. She hasn't been involved in any campaign much more professional than a county board commissioner race.

4.) The complete lack of big time political experience is a problem that CANNOT be overestimated, it deserves another bullet. The national fish bowl is VERY unforgiving to newbies. She will eventually become a punchline, like Quayle.

5.) I expect MANY gaffes on the order of "Poland doesn't think it's under the heel of the Soviet Union" by Ford in 1976, in debates and on the trail. Or like when Fiorina stuck her foot in her mouth about McCain's stand on health care for women, because she doesn't know how right wing McCain really is. She'll substitute one of her own wacky views on some issue to McCain.

6.) "Where's the pube on the coke can?" Just like with Clarence Thomas, any young ideologue plucked from out of nowhere for purely political purposes, without proper vetting, probably has something in their background that'll blow up in their face.

a. McCain's met her no more than twice before taking her on the ticket. Will they butt heads on anything? Like when he pinches her butt, in time honored Tailhook tradition?

b. To keep it quiet, they haven't really investigated her. They're pretty much hoping that she's such a neophyte that there's nothing bad to uncover – like, if she ever was a member of something like the Young Peoples Socialist League or the Larouchies or some Aryan Nation front organization. (I'm serious here, something screwy like that could be in the background of someone like this -- like Bush I's nominee for Secretary of Labor, Linda Chavez)

7.) This pick will hearten the Democratic base quite a bit. It relieves them of what might be a much more strategic pick, like Lieberman or Tom Ridge, either of which would have been interesting and problematic picks in their own right.

a. Interpreting what the talking heads were saying, I was expecting McCain to either pick Ridge to take Pennsylvania (though creating other problems with his pro-choice stand) or Romney, & go off public fundraising entirely and let Romney raise and spend a couple of hundred million to get the ticket elected.

And they ain't no way a woman with her background can attract anyone who really supported Clinton with any affinity for the issues or for Hillary personally.

These clowns really are running a national campaign with less on the ball than I had when I ran campaigns for student body president in college (yeah, I was a Big Man On Campus in a niche of the campus that no one really cared about).

So, given the positives and negatives, and especially the prime maxim, I'd say picking Palin is probably a minor plus for McCain, soley because of points 1, 2, and 5 under "Positives." Assuming she can carry Alaska.

BTW, the way that Obama reacted directly, treating a joke with the respect due an equal (calling and congratulating Palin) – and, for that matter, Hillary Clinton's similar response – is the exact right way for Obama and Biden, and the primary surrogates, to treat her. (Although som idiotic Republican is gonna try to use that to claim Hillary is undercutting Obama -- and the news media lackeys at CNN and MSNBC will oblige them). They can't laugh at her directly, that would cause a backlash to support her (not unlike when Jesse Ventura ran for Governor in Minnesota). So smile sweetly while sticking in the stiletto.

And for me to say Hillary's statement, which contained some praise for Palin, is the right way to go is SAYING something. As any faithful reader of this blog could figure out, I like Hillary about as much as I would like having a colonoscopy. Without any drugs. Or vaseline. In surprise midnight visits.

They have to leave the joke making to the bloggers like me and the real comics and the non-affiliated commentators in the news. I predict there will be many, she will soon prove she is Not Ready for Prime Time. And while this will enrage the evangelicals and social conservatives, it will only dishearten the other factions in the Republican party.

On a side note, I think it proves these clowns really are running a national campaign with less on the ball than I had when I ran campaigns for student body president in college (yeah, I was a Big Man On Campus in a niche of the campus that no one really cared about).

Also see this amazing post about the conditions in Wasilla, "Sarah Palin was my mayor"

And see Jonathan Alter's post at Newsweek, "McCain’s ‘Hail Sarah’ Pass: His choice for veep is all but set up for failure in the fall."

The problem is that politics, like all professions, isn't as easy as it looks. Palin's odds of emerging unscathed this fall are slim. In fact, she's been all but set up for failure.

"What is it exactly that the vice president does all day?" Palin offhandedly asked CNBC anchor Larry Kudlow in July. Kudlow explained that the job has become more important in recent years. Palin knows the energy crisis well, even if her claim on "Charlie Rose" that Alaska's untapped resources can significantly ease it is unsupported by the facts. But what does she know about Iranian nukes, health care or the future of entitlement programs? And that's just a few of the 20 or so national issues on which she will be expected to show basic competence. The McCain camp will have to either let her wing it based on a few briefing memos (highly risky) or prevent her from taking questions from reporters (a confession that she's unprepared). Either way, she's going to belly-flop at a time when McCain can least afford it.

++++++++++++

List of loomisnews blog posts at page marked “Blog Post Titles and Links”

Go to loomisnews.wordpress.com for full text, first post to last.

I had been so fed up with this whole election campaign since February when Ohio had it's primary. But now, for the first time in months, I'm thinking this is going to be an interesting election.

I first heard about Sarah back in April on Barbara's blog when she had her baby. I liked her, but never thought about her for VP at the time. Now, the more I read about her, the more there is to like.

Dobson echoes my sentiment pretty well. I'm feeling hopeful about things again. I think I can actually get out & vote for McCain with a smile on my face come November. Way to pick 'em, McCain! You may have just won yourself an election.

After giving her the benefit of the doubt, it's time to collect on my doubt. John McCain has got to be out of his ever loving mind! Sitting here watching the replay of her acceptance speech, I'm just baffled as to why McCain selected the former runner-up of the 1984 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. Okay, let me stop with the awe-shucks shananigans because I know this was a 'Hail Mary' pass to try to get the women vote that Hillary Clinton seemed to garner in her race against Barack Obama. One thing, Hillary Clinton she is far from.

We will see how this plays out because picking a self proclaimed soccer mom just doesn't cut it when you are selected for Vice Presidential status especially with a 72 year old possible President....

Last thing, is it me or is the speech as awkward as McCain choosing a VP candidate after only meeting them once or twice, literally...

Sarah Palin, currently the governor of Alaska, is a 44-year old former beauty queen and mayor of a small town in Alaska. She had been casually mentioned as a possible VP choice for McCain, but was thought to be well behind other hopefuls in the running, such as Independent/Democrat Joe Lieberman, Mitt Romney, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Is this dark horse a good pick for McCain? I think Ed Rollins of CNN said it best - the choice is "brilliant but risky."

Choosing Palin has started a media circus that has been successful in taking away a lot of the buzz from Barack Obama's monumental acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday. She's a fresh face, much like Obama was, and will be severely scrutinized coming into next week's Republican National Convention in Minnesota.

Palin is young - just 44 - evening out the aged McCain ticket. She is also a woman (a likeable one) that may very well steal away some Hillary supporters who were already thinking about voting for McCain. Ingeniously, McCain has subdued Obama's History Train. Now, whoever wins this fall will surely make history, putting either the first African-American or woman president/vice president in power.

Palin has been described as both "maverick" and "very conservative," two terms that usually don't go together. However, they fit here, much like the "maverick" yet "very liberal" tag might fit Obama - Palin is a Washington outsider who is not afraid to lock horns with the Republican establishment. However, she is also staunchly pro-life, which may lure many social conservatives who have been weary about McCain into actually casting a ballot for him this fall.

Now, the risky side of Palin: she is even greener than Obama. She has been governor less than two years, has no experience at the national domestic level and on foreign policy issues. When asked earlier if she would like to be vice president, she answered that she wasn't even really sure what responsibilities the vice president held. Any "inexperience" knives that the McCain camp tries to throw at Obama now can be deflected and returned, perhaps in greater force.

Obama has accused the Republicans constantly of resorting to the "politics of fear" to steer people away from voting from Obama. The Democrats have potentially been handed their own fear-mongering "gift issue" if the dare us it. Imagine this revised version of the 3 AM Red Phone Call Ad:

It's dark. 3 AM. The red phone is ringing. The executive must make a crucial security choice. But John McCain isn't there to answer it - he has been incapacitated. It is up to young Vice President Palin to answer the call and save America. Do you trust her, if need be, to answer the 3 AM call? Do you trust her enough to put America in her hands?

It would be a despicable move, something that might tarnish the reputation of the Democratic machine forever. But it just might work, drawing away the centrist blue-collar folks in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio away from this attractive new McCain-Palin ticket and into the comforting arms of Obama-Biden. And it's not an entirely fantastical situation - often in American history, for one reason or another, the vice president has had to take over the president's duty, either on a temporary or permanent basis. (Vice President Dick Cheney had presidential power vested in him at least once during this term, when President George W. Bush was undergoing a medical procedure).

McCain has made a shrewd choice, dampening Obamamania a bit while adding a little fanfare to his ticket at the same time. It will either turn out to be a brilliant strategic move, or an irreparable blunder.

We've got 68 days 'til we find out which one it will be.