Palin?
With the selection of unknown and untested Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain is officially taking the piss out of the whole process. In effect, he's saying: "she's obviously not ready to be president, but if she helps me pick off a few disgruntled Hillary supporters and evangelical dimwits then she'll have been worthwhile". The best take on this, as usual, comes from James Fallows. Will she possibly be prepared to handle the barrage of reporter questions about foreign policy and other national issues? Unless she's a remarkably quick study, I just...don't...see it.
Then again, vice presidential candidates rarely make or break a candidate. In 1988, George H. W. Bush chose the lightweight Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate and still won the election handily, despite Quayle's embarrassing performance in his lone debate with Democratic counterpart Lloyd Bentsen. The most salient facts about Palin's selection are that it excited the conservative base and generated an awful lot of buzz. Should Palin manage to slide through the rest of the campaign without undue difficulty, then the selection will prove to be mostly inconsequential. But that's a big if.
UPDATE:
As the Sarah Palin selection will soon become official at the Republican National Convention, the media has uncovered several uncomfortable details about her past, raising questions about how thoroughly John McCain vetted her. None of these controversies- her pregnant teenage daughter, her questionable firing of an Alaska state trooper, her flip-flopping on the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere", her husband's membership in a fringe party, etc. are tremendous scandals in and of themselves, but together they lend the impression that McCain simply didn't do his homework. And as this is the first important decision he's had to make as the nominee, it raises serious doubts about his judgment. Why didn't he, for instance, float Palin's name to the media and led these stories unfold before she was the nominee? I doubt McCain will be forced to withdraw her (thus effectively conceding the election) but all signs point to the Palin pick being an unforced error.
Then again...then again. The conservative base does seem to love her, and as we know the Republicans win when they adequately fire up their conservative wing. I've already read some scuttlebutt suggesting that Palin is an unfair victim of the liberal media, and should the majority of Republicans hold to that view, she may just rally yet.
All the same- a Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty nomination would have been far better for McCain's purposes than Palin. What was he thinking?
September 2nd, 2008 - 00:34
I thought the whole process was pure genius on McCain’s part, in terms of winning the election. The whole week before we keep hearing about Lieberman, whipping the media into a “Oh my God, the guy is a maverick. Look, he’d even select a former Democrat as his VP.” frenzy. Then, while still earning maverick points from this, he selects somebody that extreme conservatives would like. He will get votes at both ends of the spectrum by this. Not only that, but he announces this shock selection the day after Obama’s speech, thereby stealing some of his thunder. I thought this was perfectly played on his part.
As a side note, I think the VP should be more important in this election than in any previous. McCain is obviously old and has a questionable health history. And there is a high likelihood of Obama being shot if he gets into office. I hope voters take this into account.
September 4th, 2008 - 07:54
LOL. Thanks. This made me laugh:
‘With the selection of unknown and untested Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain is officially taking the piss out of the whole process. In effect, he’s saying: “she’s obviously not ready to be president, but if she helps me pick off a few disgruntled Hillary supporters and evangelical dimwits then she’ll have been worthwhile.”‘
Oh, FYI, you made it on my top ten China blog list for 2008. You should be very proud. It’s on the ChinaTravel forum.
September 4th, 2008 - 16:20
A masterstroke for McCain.
A play stolen from the Rove playbook:
work to electrify the base, even if they’re base.
There are pictures of her online, all sorts.
In one she’s wearing a USA flag bikini standing by a pool, an assault in her hands. Just perfect to get the base (rep men) riled and excited.
And she’s desperate housewife looking (and talking) enough to nail the disgruntled (gun toting) female vote.
This election will not necessarily turn on the VP herself, but possibly her bitchy (pitbull) attacks.
A masterstroke for McCain, especially after Palin’s speech tonight. SImply rabid (but under control – watch out!).
For me (and many other liberals no doubt) the issues are now simplified greatly, especially with the unusual unconventional election choices/postures have been made. The republicans will hammer toughness in the world and espouse a fear of taxation and beaurocracy. The vision cuts Barack directly, but he must prove that war is not the answer, and that he won’t grow the government at the expense of the taxpayer.
Anyhow, fuck the republicans. I may be no sage, but I predict bad years ahead if they win. This same “bully-we-are-the-best” mentality is seductive, but its bullshit farce because these wackos don’t know how to embrace other cultures, they have an instinct to perpetuate their dominance (which no one likes, globally), and they are short-sighted 60′s generation fucks that won’t have to live with the consequences of their war posturing. We do.
Anyhow, it’s getting interesting, even though I don’t like the way it’s going. Sleazeballs.
Lastly, I note that the RNC is a pig trading convention. See the videos of pigs shutting down Rage (Against Machine) preemptively (fascist), and terrorizing protestors with gas (allegedly they mocked police with a “seig heil”).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lD9uCcoWiw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYwzW2QFnwo&feature=related
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/footage-of-clas.html
Love you MAtty, carofratello.
– J.