Posted on 08/29/2008 10:31:47 AM PDT by americanophile
Don’t kid yourself…John McCain just put all his chips on the table and rolled the dice.
Over the past many months, McCain’s team had skillfully underscored the natural impressions of Americans – that Barak Obama was the lightweight in the race; the candidate of risk. Now, with a single stroke McCain has undercut his most effective argument. He has weakened his case for wisdom and experience, and elevated a one-term governor of a small-population state based on her gender.
McCain had plenty of safe choices. Choices that would have bolstered Americans’ inherent understanding of McCain’s competency and ability; choices that would have underscored the longstanding notion that whatever gimmick the Democrats try, the Republican Party remains the serious one.
With the electorate evenly split, McCain’s first job was to pick a competent running mate that would not undermine his standing, and would reassure voters that should something happen to the oldest man ever to be nominated for president, a competent, experienced leader, ready to serve as commander-in-chief in a time of war, was waiting in the wings.
The former Miss Congeniality, and hockey mom from “the last frontier” is a bizarre choice.
McCain’s pick today has all the hallmarks of a political gimmick and a hail-Mary pass. While it is likely to excite some conservatives, his choice will refocus the entire campaign away from Obama’s status as a political neophyte and will reshuffle the risk calculus in the favor of the increasingly familiar, and always-eloquent Obama. With Biden on the ticket, Obama has lessened the sense that he poses a serious danger to the electorate. McCain’s selection by contrast is likely to shake voters and cast uncertainty on the wisdom and safety of a McCain presidency.
With competent and proven individuals waiting in the wings such as Governor Mitt Romney, the selection of Sarah Palin is a most unfortunate choice.
John McCain may have just lost the 2008 election…cue the hurricane.
Of all the potential VP picks that were bandied about she is the only one that I considered to be an excellent choice for a whole bunch of reasons.
I’ll admit that I was completely wrong about what kind of person McCain would pick, and Palin puts me one step closer to being able to overcome my 33 years of personal disdain for and distrust of McCain, and being able to vote for him.
If he will just completely stop worshiping at the Al Gore Temple of Global Warming, I can do it.
Yea right. We needed another old white male to energize the electorate. /sarcasm
Not that there is anything wrong with them. (I am almost one myself) It’s just that they wouldn’t help to win THIS presidential election.
I think it is a smart good move. She reflects my values.
Absolutely. A man with the same credentials would never have been considered. The reality is, that voters know how old John McCain is, and whether it is fair or not, that will be weighed against him. By bringing in a young, inexperienced #2, he has opened the door to be discriminated against based on his age and not having an experienced #2. Not saying that its fair, but reality. I was on board with McCain (and probably still am), but this choice does make me take a step back and think twice.
This give me hope for November. Maybe Bob Barr can actually win — or at least come in 2nd.
Your bio page is blank. Now I see why.
TACTILE?
The word is TACTICAL.
Maybe you used TACTILE as a Freudian slip, as Palin is a rather attractive woman. ;-)
Sounds like this article was written by another Romneyite who’s had it rain on his parade. Palin wouldn’t have been my first choice, either, but she’s far better than many who were floated as possibilities.
It’s a no-brainer
In the VP debate, I just hope Sarah brings that garrulous old fop to tears.
I know that being PTA president and hockey Mom is excellent training for dealing with bitch slaps from pompous fools.
Canada Bill Smith's law: Smith and Wesson beats four aces.
Alaska Sarah Palin's Law: M-4 beats two Ace-holes...
And so your answer to declining demographics would have been to pick another old wrinkly white dude for VP, and a Mormon one at that? Weird. The article at least is coherent—wrong but coherent. Go ahead and argue that Palin's policies are bad or her political skills are weak, but to talk about demographics and then push forward the most demographically irrelevant candidate imaginable... whatever, man.
This only serves to validate my feeling that McCain hit a home run with this one.
What a load of BS. Anyone who takes the time to read her record will see she is the best. The guy who posted this, and I know it isn’t you, I clicked the wrong post, is so full of sh** it isn’t funny. McCain did the right thing. The proof of this is how crazy the Dems are over the pick. They are screaming and crying and saying she is so wrong. Well, if that is true why aren’t they all happy about the pick. We were about Biden because we knew he was a crap pick. They aren’t happy because they know that Obamaosama is in serious trouble now.
Leave tearing down our ticket to the Dhimmicrats. They are going to grind themselves to powder trying!
When you read her life story...this isn’t some punk who did the Yale experience, charmed their handlers in Chicago, danced to Washington lobbyists, skipped rope with the Saudis, or ever sipped a $50 bottle of wine.
Frankly, after reading her real resume....she’s the first Republican who actually lived a life like most of us would dream of, and be totally happy at this point in life with kids, a husband, and a political star that was sufficient right there as the mayor of a small town in Alaska. Had it not been this shift in her perception of Alaskan corruption and the mess that was going on...it was only then that she decided to run for governor and clean up what other Republicans wouldn’t do.
I don’t see her as a “learner” of being VP. I think we will get someone that thinks of the nation as a hometown affair where people respect ethics and responsibility. I don’t think you will ever see her sling mud. She knows the simple life and just might be the one of the best Republicans ever to serve as President or Vice-President. And in 2012 or 2016, when McCain steps down....she will be elected as President and likely continue on for us. We are looking at twelve to sixteen years remaining from this act today of McCains. It was the smartest move that he could have made.
“With competent and proven individuals waiting in the wings such as Governor Mitt Romney, the selection of Sarah Palin is a most unfortunate choice.”
Poor baby, you didn’t get your boy. The non-pick of Romney is the rub here with this dude, et. al. Well, I say ANYONE BUT ROMNEY, and I am so thankful McCain DIDN’T pick Romney.
I AM SO GLAD THAT ROMNEY IS OUT AND GONE....I’M SICK TO MY SOUL OF HEARING ABOUT HIM.
I hope all the “openly” and “in the closet” Mormons posting here will shut up now and stop trying to use the presidency to spread and legitimize their spurious and specious “beliefs.” I don’t doubt the sincerity of these persons, but I will state without reservation that the insidious “chocolate covered poison” (Mormonism) they have partaken of has so blinded then to spiritual reality that they are totally obtuse in regards to the truth that can trully save. God have mercy on them all and in miraculous grace bring them to the knowledge of the truth (Sola Deo Gloria).
That being said, let’s get on with getting Senator McCain elected president. If for no other reason than he is world’s better than the frightful notion of a Senator Obama.
The world just keeps getting more dangerous. Iraq is winding down but not gone yet. Afganistan continues to be a problem. Iran is a very real threat, along with Syria. The biggest problem is the very real resurrection of the Russian Bear...not to mention RED China.
It was already almost lost, this choice will in no way hurt him. He's got everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose..........
She lacks Duncan's military expertise, but perhaps he lacks her oil industry expertise. We all have our specialities, but the main thing is having a political philosophy that you stick with, and being able to pick the right people to serve with you. Someone like Palin would pick someone like Hunter to be SecDef, and Bolton to be SecState.
Anyone here know how much foreign policy experience Maggie Thatcher had when she became Prime Minister?
Forget the conservative blogs. Palin has Hillary supporters enthused about voting McCain/Palin. This is BIG
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.