Posted on 08/29/2008 10:31:47 AM PDT by americanophile
Dont kid yourself John McCain just put all his chips on the table and rolled the dice.
Over the past many months, McCains 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 McCains 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, McCains 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.
McCains 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 Obamas 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. McCains 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.
Please. He was a nothing Southern Governor from Arkansas with a sketchy record, at best. He was planning his run for months before walking on the national stage. Now who in their right mind would have told Huck he was Presidential material? The Clintons loved this guy, as did the national media.
I’m not one for conspiracy theories - I’m just connecting the dots. He split the base with Romney. If he was a true conservative, he would have bailed after the results showed he couldn’t win and was actually creating a Perot effect.
Just to clarify, I was quoting the article in the part that looks like you are quoting me.
Thanks for the extra info on Palin, though, it is a detail I didn’t know.
Close minded jerks like that are probably not going to vote for a woman. For that matter, there are probably people out there who won't vote for Obama, not because he's a marxist paperweight running on a platform of ego and sunshine, but because he's black.
Broads to the left of us, blacks to the right. Where now, Batman?
Where, indeed? They'll probably grab a crayon and write in some 4th string politician who they idolize and agree with on everything, and pat themselves on the back for how hard core they are. And laugh at all the posers who say they're hard but aren't hard because hard guys never compromise and they certainly don't vote for people who aren't ancient white guys.
While that sounds awesome, and I'm totally jealous, those people will never make more than *(.003% - Other) of an impact on an election. So who cares what they think?
When Reagan was shot, Tip O’Neill couldn’t wait to step in and take charge. H.W. was, and is, a disappointment. We need less of those types in the party.
Well, for someone who strongly supports Duncan Hunter, your views do not reflect well upon him. He would not agree with you, I guarantee it.
I feel sad that you won’t have representation in government ever again.
My sentiments were the same minus the Romney reference.
Anyway, as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted muyself :-) is that I went to my Facebook page and updated my status to: “Annie is thrilled by McCain’s choice for VP” That’s all I said! I immediately got a reply from one of my “Friends” (he was a stoner in high school and I guess he still is) saying: “Are you F”$ing kidding me? Please tell me you’re joking” I replied that no, even though I am a supreme smart-ass, I am not joking and that I respect the opinions of others so please don’t knock mine! I then proceeded to post the FreeRepublic link onto my Facebook page, Tee Hee! My high school cheerleading buddy says that I Rock and that’s all I need!:-)
Quote of the day, IMHO.
Turd in the punchbowl.
I was going to take the time to respond to you item by item, but when I read this line, I knew there was no point.
Free Republic is a conservative news forum, and yet you seem surprised that there are a large number of conservatives on the site. Sheesh, you are one smart cookie.
I was going to take the time to respond to you item by item, but when I read this line, I knew there was no point.
Free Republic is a conservative news forum, and yet you seem surprised that there are a large number of conservatives on the site. Sheesh, you are one smart cookie.
True, but Hamilton’s preliminary round performance was a clinic. Just like today’s speech.
I’ve heard someone describe Sarah as “Reagan in a skirt.”
My nickname of choice - “the heiress.”
Biden better bring his “A” game to the VP debate. Sarah won’t just beat him. She’ll make him look bad and have a charming smile on her face as she does it. Just like the Gipper did.
Two years as a governor...hell, two years as a mayor...is more practical executive experience than 35 years in the Senate.
The fact of the matter is that a Senator's decision making experience has more to do with his electoral viability than anything else. And his administrative experience is limited to appointing a Chief of Staff.
There is a reason -- aside from partisanship -- why the country has only rarely entrusted Senators to run the country.
The liberals and the MSM will both, of course, attack her on this front...but they're not going to win a point.
“Will you people do me a favor and quit knocking on my door and telling me i’m going to hell if i don’t believe exactly as you do? You are a real pain in the butt, obnoxious, and just plain wrong.”
No, because mercy (and God) demands I continue to warn you to flee a burning building...even if you are unaware that it is burning. However, I will stop posting about religious topics on this particular thread. This thread is more about McCain making a good choice with Palin than with Romney.
BTW - I personally don’t “knock on doors”, that is a mormon tactic. In regards to my being “a pain in distal regions & obnoxious”, I won’t dispute that, I often am. About being “wrong”....well I guess eternity will reveal that.
Blessings on Ya!
Closed mind jerks. Thank you very much. You can go jump off a cliff.
Considering how many conservative voters were going to stay home this election (including me), this was the best pick. It now shores up the Republican base. Let Johnny Mac be the centrist that he is. Does anybody think picking another centrist would get him elected?
Please see #126. TACTICAL. Not TACTILE. Geez.
Around here, its a Baptist tactic.
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