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.
there’s nothing wrong with the pick...mccain isnt rolling any dice.
she is a hard charging conservative...God, guns, country first.....compared to ‘safe’ choices????
i like it....
Most folks around here know I was hoping Mitt would get the nod. My concerns about Palin were that she would be vulnerable to the criticism here. That said, I think she is a strong choice and will do an excellent job representing GOP principles.
Someone’s candidate didn’t get picked. Sorry about that!
Yeah for McCain and Sarah! I was so thrilled!
Bookmark - Opinions, everybody has one. Check back on November 5.
My wife, an anti-Obama voter who might have made it to the polls to unenthusiastically cast a vote for McCain as the lesser evil, is electrified. A poll of one. We’ll see how unusual she is.
Call the Waaambulance for GOPublius...the whiner.
Writing in Duncan Lee Hunter
Bump
Rubbish!
We are are talking a VP choice, not a Presidential choice. Palin will have the luxury of “learning on the job” which Obama wouldn’t.
What would you prefer? - An experienced President and an inexperienced “Funeral Attender” or an inexperienced President and an experienced “Funeral Attender”?
Au contraire, mon ami.
(Bit of French lingo there to show my friendship to M. Sarkozy.)
You, sir, or madame, didn't post a barf alert, nor did you offer any of your own thoughts on this article.
The 'hail Mary' comment was made by Chuckie today and I haven't a clue as to where you're coming from.
The left, perhaps?
GOPublius is parroting the Dem talking points. Not much GOP in him.....
NEWS FLASH! This just in: At approximately 10:30am this morning the entire Obama campaign (yes, including the Messiah himself) had to change their underwear.
Religated to “GOFullaPus.com” now...
Dont let the door hit you on the way out...
She was a great pick you dopes (sorry for calling you dopes you dopes). This is awesome !!
What an ignorant article! Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Obama and is from a much larger state than Joe Biden’s little Del-a-where?
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