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The Unfortunate Palin Gamble
GOPublius.com ^ | August 29, 2008 | GOPublius.com

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.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 2008veep; electionpresident; mccain; palin; vicepresident
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To: newheart
Sour grapes from Mittville? At last there is a proven, conservative on the ticket. I would have voted for a McCain Romney ticket, but I would have to set the alarm because the campaign would have put me to sleep.

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McCain won my vote today. I would not have voted for him if he had picked a RINO for VP.

I do have concerns with selecting someone who is new to the big leagues: will she be gaffe prone? Can she debate? How thoroughly was she vetted by McCain's people? Time will tell. As Chris Berman likes to say, "That's why they play the game."

281 posted on 08/29/2008 12:52:22 PM PDT by stillonaroll
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To: Defiant

So be it.


282 posted on 08/29/2008 12:52:41 PM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: americanophile

Best of all we may be rid of hilary for as much as 12 years. Damn, she’s a fox too.


283 posted on 08/29/2008 12:53:22 PM PDT by Waco ( take up sky-diving hilary)
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To: Loyolas Mattman
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.

They could put it on pay-per-view and it'd still be the #1 rated show in its slot...

284 posted on 08/29/2008 12:53:57 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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To: mabelkitty

I’ll sleep better tonight knowing you feel sad.


285 posted on 08/29/2008 12:54:58 PM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: jdub; Sola Veritas
The two occasions where someone had the nerve to knock on my door to talk about religion, it was the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Catholics for too long just hoped their members would just pop out babies who would in turn be loyal to the magisterium (fat chance). Good to see them using EWTN. They are LONG OVERDO for evangelization.

286 posted on 08/29/2008 12:55:11 PM PDT by Clemenza (No Comment)
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To: nmh
Insidious bitterness is not pretty. How about proving this accusation for us, dolt?... “McPain felt the need to cow tow to bigoted Evangelicals who HATE Mitt because he is a Mormon.” Surely you are not under the delusion that by spittling effluence all over FR you will change the choice at this stage. Even you cannot be that naive, right?
287 posted on 08/29/2008 12:58:01 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
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To: Calpernia
Writing in Duncan Lee Hunter

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That's unfortunate. I'd say Hunter is the odds-on favorite for Sec Def in a McCain administration. Obama would pick who...John Kerry?

288 posted on 08/29/2008 12:58:51 PM PDT by stillonaroll
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To: null and void

I know. I hemmed and hawed over that a bit, but couldn’t come up with a way to lay that out. I wanted my comment to be valid to that line in the article, but I wanted you to see it.


289 posted on 08/29/2008 12:59:40 PM PDT by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
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To: LegendHasIt
If he will just completely stop worshiping at the Al Gore Temple of Global Warming, I can do it. (vote for McCain)

... and listen to his VP on ANWR, and revisit his stance on immigration...

Those caveats aside, McCain's pick of Sarah is the best thing he's done in his campaign.

290 posted on 08/29/2008 1:00:50 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (Is /sarc really necessary?)
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To: workerbee
I had more fun the other way, assuming that you were making a clever play on words and poking fun at the liberal's tendency to do the most absurd things because they feeeeeeeeel good doing it...
291 posted on 08/29/2008 1:03:11 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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To: granite

He should check back SEPT 5.

By the time the GOP convention concludes next week, everyone will know Gov Palin a lot better. If today’s appearance was any indication, she will be widely loved and admired.


292 posted on 08/29/2008 1:03:18 PM PDT by Canedawg (Sarah Palin Rocks! McCain-Palin '08)
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To: truthguy
This is what distinguishes me from the knuckle dragging conservatives who are large in number on this site.

That, and your evident humility....
293 posted on 08/29/2008 1:04:11 PM PDT by Antoninus (McCain/Palin -- The winning ticket!)
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To: jdub

Around here it’s a Jehovah’s Witness tactic.

Oddly, they only want to talk to Spanish speakers.


294 posted on 08/29/2008 1:05:06 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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To: Diogenesis

Thanks fot the photos. I wonder if you would have one of her hunting “MOOSE”. Also if you a pic of OBAMA with any weapon, Oh never mind... By the way I understand as VP she would not “accidentaly” shoot anyone.


295 posted on 08/29/2008 1:05:49 PM PDT by GOYAKLA (My Tee shirt for 2009-2012:" I voted FRED don't you wish you did")
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To: nmh; All

“Your own words condemn you - “spurious and insidious and damns those that partake of it.” That sure isn’t “love talk”. It’s shunning. It’s self righteous. It’s pious nonsense. You can’t conceal your HATRED for him and his religion. Your hatred is so intense that you can’t see straight let alone come back with a response that conceals your hypocrisy. I’m so glad Christ isn’t like you.”

You really need to read the Bible more. The language I use is actually mild compared to scripture. Jesus Christ used STRONG language to condemn those teaching falsehoods and perversions of God’s scripture. Also, the apostles like Paul, Peter, & John all used strong language to condemn heretics (Paul called them “anathema” - accursed by God, etc.) My rhetoric is anemic compared to theirs.

I also am so glad that “Christ isn’t like me.” If he was he wouldn’t be the sinless God the Son in the flesh whose Death, Burial, and Resurrection made it possible for those that put their total trust in his Divinity and Sacrifice to be pardoned. He couldn’t be a low sinner (a worm actually) like me, to save me and others.

BTW - The Jesus you seem to have a mental picture of is NOT the Jesus of the Bible. You are actually the one filled with hatred and gall. Do I have serious problems with Mormonisn? You bet I do. Do I get angry about it at times? Most certainly, and rightfully so.

Also, Huckabee is NOT a humanist and that statement is just plain foolish. It reveals your bitterness and sour grapes.


296 posted on 08/29/2008 1:10:12 PM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: Waco
Best of all we may be rid of hilary for as much as 12 years.

NEVER count Hillary!™ out.

I won't until the last of a legion of demons has reluctantly left her rotting corpse.

297 posted on 08/29/2008 1:10:27 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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To: numberonepal
I know. I hemmed and hawed over that a bit, but couldn’t come up with a way to lay that out.

I know. Years back I created a dummy screen name 'the author of the article' for exactly this reason.

The Mod Squad promptly nuked it.

*sigh*

298 posted on 08/29/2008 1:13:48 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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To: null and void

“I don’t particularly want to hijack this one, OK?”

Agreed. Unfortunately, NMH took a cheap shot that I had to respond to, after my last to you.

I don’t apologize for responding the NMH, but for having to do so after trying to get things back on course.


299 posted on 08/29/2008 1:16:14 PM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: Sola Veritas
Yes, don't fault you (or them either for that matter) here.

Sometimes one simply must respond.

300 posted on 08/29/2008 1:19:07 PM PDT by null and void (Obama/Biden: It's a no-brainer)
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