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With the first female on the Republican ticket, John McCain pulled off quite a feat by introducing Sarah Palin, first term Governor of Alaka, as his running mate. But with 66 days till the general election, the excitement of the choice will give way to many questions.
The resounding feeling is that McCain was bold enogh for him to "reclaim his maverick image", but the pick has its risks. (One Republican operative tells the Daily News, "I want to believe this is a game-changer, but when I close my eyes I see New Orleans in 1988. Democrats will have a field day typecasting her as Quayle in a pantsuit.") The pair only met once--at a National Governors Association meeting in February--before they discussed this position on the phone this past Sunday. The clip being played over and over again is her statement from July, wondering what a VP does:
As for the papers' editorials, the NY Post is excited her reformer credentials and even suggests her experience as mayor of a town of 9,000 "gives her substantially more executive experience than Barack Obama or Joe Biden combined." The Daily News says, "Politically, she adds up," noting her down-to-earth mom-of-five persona--as well as appeal with social conservatives. The Wall Street Journal calls McCain-Palin a "Reform Ticket," and believes she would "bring some first-hand realism to the debate over drilling and the environment."
The NY Times calls the selection of Palin "heartening," because the GOP "has hardly been a champion of diversity in recent memory," but points out, "Governor Palin’s lack of experience, especially in national security and foreign affairs, raises immediate questions about how prepared she is to potentially succeed to the presidency. That really is the only criterion for judging a candidate for vice president." The Washington Post has similar concerns, noting that McCain considers foreign policy and national security to be America's top challenge.
And Hillary Clinton, who hoped to head into the executive office, said, "We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin's historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate." However, one of her supporters, Debbie Dingell (wife of Rep. John Dingell of Michigan), told the WaPo, "This is just sheer political pandering. I don't think women are going to buy it."
Obama said in a 60 Minutes interview (which will air tomorrow night) that one of the reasons why he picked Biden is "I want the counsel and advice of somebody who's not going to agree with me 100 percent of time - in fact, somebody what's independent enough that can push back and give me different perspectives and make sure that I'm catching any blind spots that I have."
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Palin is being spun as the only "babe" on the ticket? Hmm, is it me or perhaps it's the closeups, but she seems rather gargoylesque in her features - but hey, it's only me.
"Democrats will have a field day typecasting her as Quayle in a pantsuit."
Um, Quayle won.
It's funny how Palin embodies the person HRC was posing as when talking about shooting at grandad's cabin and downing shots of Crown Royal with blue collar types in the primaries.
People bought that pandering just fine, thanks.
I dont get this pick. She seems extraordinarily inexperienced. I'd actually be worried if McCain were to have an accident.
no it's not just you doowop.
she appeals to a certain group of people. (mostly conservative types) but hey, sometimes I like bimbos and sometimes I like ugg "the thinking man's bimbo" who I'm kidding, I like bimbos.
what did she do prior to her public office positions? homemaker? hockey mom?
I can see Jan hooks do an awesome impression of her.
gosh golly, I'm just a hockey mom.
Is there anything to this rumor that her youngest child is actually her daughter's baby?
Sorry, but those "trendy" frames really gots to go. It seems like every other bimbo and metrosexual (is this term still used?) has them on in the city...
I guess Experience is no longer a GOP "issue" anymore...
Well written analysis: What is McCain Thinking? One Alaskan’s Perspective.
I don't know RnR, maybe someone can do a viral e-mailing asking that. same with the right and their viral e-mails.
it took hillary a lot of effort to appeal to blue collar america.
i have a feeling it'll be nigh impossible for palin to appear intelligent and accomplished.
but no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of americans, and the right wing has positively struck gold lately.
Astoundingly poor choice. If something were to happen to McCain, the country would be led by a person with almost no leadership experience. On the other hand, Biden exudes leadership qualities. If McCain should win this election, I would be very surprised.
that guy on the left in the video is pretty sweet
Was Palin even his first... or second... or third choice? Some people are questioning whether he may have "settled" for her when his first choices turned him down.
". . .the NY Post is excited her reformer credentials and even suggests her experience as mayor of a town of 9,000 'gives her substantially more executive experience than Barack Obama or Joe Biden combined.'"
Hells bells, George Bush had years of *executive experience* as governor of Texas and look where that got us.
lol..yeh..like the NY Post is going to disagree with the choice for VP.
Is there anything to this rumor that her youngest child is actually her daughter's baby?
While I suppose anything is possible are you actually suggesting that a sitting governor faked a pregnancy? Why would she bother? And she would have to pay off a doctor and staff to claim she had it.
she's kookoo for cocoa puffs enough to do it.
she's a vehemently pro-lifer, no exceptions in her book.
The Far Right's all consuming (in more ways than one) obsession with gays, guns and God is...staggering.
I actually like McCain but I don't like this lady. She just seems dopey to me. He couldn't anyone with a bit more experience? What will happen if he gets hurt? Maybe McCain can persuade her to drop the position if he gets elected. If McCain was younger it wouldnt really matter as much.
"It was a pretty cool job as Governor"
Dopey? No way...
BTW With the first 10 sec of sound bytes here she has set herself for a future Democrat attack ad...LOL
#10 - are you kidding me/us? Stating Palin has "almost no leadership experience". Palin is in an EXECUTIVE position, leading a state, whereas Obama is a senator (notably NOT a leadership position).
Not only that, Obama has been a senator for less than three years, half of which time he has been out campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. Palin has been governor for longer than this.
It's certainly ARGUABLE who has more leadership experience, but I would certainly venture to say that this is not an argument Obama could win with FACTS...only with PERCEPTION. A lot of that perception would be based on her better-than-average looks and being a female...both of which I would deem sexist.
#21: executive position of a state with almost no people in it!
Anyway, thank god those cover pages don't have sound: that VOICE! that chirpy little voice! Yeesh! I can do without hearing that.
And let it be said, I'm happy a woman is on the ticket, but I'm not going to vote for her just because she has a uterus!
but I'm an executive!
respect ma authoritay!
I can't listen to that voice but hey if you can more power to you because we know what the other side will say and they did. (where's my laundry?)
I would vote for her as VP...of the PTA committee.
#22: While I agree that Alaska is a small state (I grew up there...currently live on the UWS), here is a list of states (and one "district") with populations (in 2006 - quick Google search) less than or near to Alaska (which has 670,000 people):
Wyoming: 515,000 (isn't Cheney from here? Nobody complained about him coming from a small state)
Wash DC: 582,000
Vermont: 624,000
North Dakota: 636,000 (not many would have complained about Byron Dorgan)
and those close to AK:
South Dakota: 782,000
Delaware: 853,000 (Biden!)
Montana: 945,000
I think there are many reasons one can legitimately complain about her (guns, abortion, gay rights), but "small state" is not one of them (oil, anybody?).
Hmm good points brent. AK has a seriously crazy low population density compared to most of the US tho.
@25--Alaska is rich in natural resources, so there is a lot to manage there.
But Dick Cheney did have more experience in foreign policy, given that he was a former Secretary of Defense.
I think Sarah Palin is accomplished, though not enough to be the obvious VP pick--even if he wanted a female running mate, there are more qualified female Republican politicians out there. So it does feel like a very calculated move to attract the Christian conservatives, more so than female voters.
"Not only that, Obama has been a senator for less than three years, half of which time he has been out campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. Palin has been governor for longer than this."
Well, Sen. Obama started his term as a Senator on January 5th, 2005 (Over 3 1/2 years) and was a state legislator from January 8, 1997 to November 4, 2004. (Over 7 years)
Gov. Palin has been the Governor of Alaska since December 4th, 2006 (Less than 2 years) and Mayor of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002. (6 years)
My Math is a little weak: Um, Whom would you say has more years Experience?
O that's right! You say he's been campaigning...
"Democrats will have a field day typecasting her as Quayle in a pantsuit."
"Um, Quayle won."
Quayle won, but he couldn't even spell potato!
Where's Lloyd Bentsen when you need him?
Sarah Palin was born in Idaho (famous potatoes)and went to the Univeristy of Idaho...SHE'S NO DAN QUAYLE!
The real question is: Can she spell Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
(disclosure: it's called sarcasm. GooooOBama!)
damn typos! University! Less you think I am DQ in disguise. :-)
he mentioned "executive" experience, whatever that means nowadays. this is what I'm hearing a lot, she has more "executive" experience than Obama.
not the first post that mentioned it. like the viral e-mails going around which relies on fear.
I'm going to quote a couple...
The Jihad Candidate - by Rich Carroll
How long did it take Islam and their oil money to find a candidate for
President of the United States ? As long as it took them to place a
Senator from Illinois and Minnesota ? The same amount of time to create
a large Muslim enclave in Detroit ? The time it took them to build over
2,000 mosques in America ? The same amount of time required to place
radical wahabbist clerics in our military and prisons as 'chaplains'?
Change for America ? What change? To become another 'nation of Islam'?
Subject: LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THIS STRAIGHT:
HIS FATHER WAS A KENYAN, MOSLEM, BLACK-
WE HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF HIS AFRICAN "FAMILY
HIS MOTHER IS A KANSAN, ATHIEST, WHITE-
WHERE ARE THE PICTURES OF HIS KANSAN, WHITE MOTHER AND HIS WHITE GRANDPARENTS WHO RAISED HIM.
The LARK program
A lady wrote a lot of letters to the White House complaining about the treatment of a captive insurgent
(terrorist) being held in Guantanamo Bay.
She received back the following reply:
You'll be pleased to learn that, thanks to the concerns of citizens like yourself, we are creating a new division of the Terrorist retraining Program, to be called the "Liberals Accept Responsibility for Killers" program, or LARK for short.
Outside of N. Dakota, only 636,000 people know who the fuck Byron Dorgan is.
Palin beats Condi Rice as VP because she wasn't complicit on Iraq. There were few GOP women to pick from. Dole? Hutchison?
McCain didn't get turned down by another VP choice. GOP conservatives nixed his first few choices. He wanted Lieberman or Ridge but the infamous "base" wouldn't go for that.
Thank goodness he didn't choose Lieberman or Bloomberg!
What if we found out she was streetwalking in Fairbanks for moose hides and walrus meat? John McCain would really wish he'd stayed in his cabin.
gov. Palin will continue god W's successful 8 year administration.
RECORD PROFITS FOR EXON is god W's one and only success. HIS work here is done.
Palin is the perfect choice(she's sort of a cross between Cheney and a Tasmainian Devil) to carry on god W's holy crusade to use up all the oil on the planet leading to the collapse of civilization.
@2 - As (I believe) the NY Times stated, Quayle was a disaster, but the country was MUCH more solidly Republican back then. It's now closer to 50-50.
Here’s the thing about the experience argument. Who is running for President? Obama. Who has been scrutinized under the national spotlight over past eighteen months? Obama. Enough time for people to digest the experience argument and decide where they fall on that. We are electing the President and NOT VICE President. Why do you think the Vice President is selected only 60 days before the election while the Presidential candidates have had to campaign for so long? What is dangerously irresponsible about this choice is that Palin is truly a heartbeat away from the Presidency, and will by no means undergo a thorough vetting. How many vice presidential debates are there? One? Absolutely shocking.
all Obama/biden needs to do is bring up Alaska=Oil
more Oil in the white house. I don't know what it means but it's worth a shot.
got it, she's got big oil in her pocket and will do anything for big oil in Alaska and will do the same at the WH.