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.
I already love and admire her. I officially predict LANDSLIDE.
“It’s NO Freudian slip. Sarah is a tactile choice!”
Addedum. To you sir, she is properly referred to as either Governor Palin or at least Mrs. Palin. Actually, you had better get used to calling her Vice President Palin because when Senator McCain picked her as his running mate, it was an excellent “tactical” choice. IMO - his chances of being elected president just shot up from about 40% to 75%. It was a clever and audacious move. Something those of us with military planning experience appreciate in a leader. Excellent tactician!
I had no real enthusiasm for McCain. I would have voted for him for the VERY good reason that it is imperative that Obama not be elected. Now, however, I am jazzed....unlimbered the checkbook even. More than that, I called up and volunteered. Complete attitude turn around.
Bottom line: Is Sarah Palin the best we can do for President/CIC if McCain drops dead one month after he gets sworn into office? I think not.
LOL! Some people live for it.
How exactly are the Democrats going to make hay out of this issue without highlighting the inexperience of their own candidate? "Vote for our 47-year-old, inexperienced Presidential candidate because the experienced 72-year-old Presidential candidate MIGHT have to the turn the reigns over to a 44-year-old" isn't a very compelling message.
You are very foolish and naive and are probably new to politics. You would cut your nose off to spite your face.
Since you are such an old hand at politics, you'll remember the Democrats tried that theme in 1988 when Lloyd Bentsen was their VP candidate and we had Dan Quayle. Refresh my memory, how well did that work?
That really sums up what I am hearing around town. I live in a conservative little township in Santa Barbara County called Santa Ynez, which is home to the Reagan Ranch. My friends, neighbors and local shop keepers have all said variations of what you so beautifully stated. This is a shot in the arm for our ticket and puts McCain in his best light.
Which is why they have their panties in a pinch.
Moot point if we can't get elected. But I do think she will make a better President than most of the field in the primaries this year, and a much better POTUS than Obama or Biden.
Moot point if we can't get elected. But I do think she will make a better President than most of the field in the primaries this year, and a much better POTUS than Obama or Biden.
I apologize for my redundancy.
it ain’t the stove, it ain’t the heater....
LOL
You know what, as a successful business owner, I view my success because I have not played it safe, by any stretch. People who "play it safe" are people with little to no backbone, certainly not enough to take a risk, and if you're not risking something on a regular basis in the business world, then you deserve to sit on the sidelines of humanity. The same goes for politics, you risk; Look at all the things Ronald Reagan did, here's one---He told the Pilots Union (or whatever group it was) to piss off and you know what? The Planes still flew after he fired them all. Alot of people don't remember that one, but it took a strong man to make that decision, just like J.M. made this decision and I consider this FAR from being a risk as the writer suggests.
IS this jerk writing talking points for the Rats?
My point was this: it’s still up to the base to coalesce around one candidate or someone not exactly to their liking will get the nomination.
I agree with you that Huck stayed in the race too long. But I also point out that it was some “conservatives” who kept voting for him long after it became obvious that he was doing a Perot on the party.
Her’s another scenarion. McCain does one term becaus eof health, all the while she’s kept in the loop and is a quick study. The country takes to her quickly and she’s the next president.
One county does not an election make.
Overall, the “more conservative” candidates made a pathetic showing. The “more conservative” primary voters had every opportunity to vote for them if they wanted to, but they didn’t.
Even if you’re right that McCain was nominated by “non-Republican voters,” an assertion with which I disagree, it’s still true and obvious that if the number of votes in the primaries for the “more conservative” candidates is an indicator of how many “more conservative” voters there are out there, that number is not very large.
Wrong.
She’s the VP pick. nObama is running for Commander-in-Chief. The VP is not even in the chain of command.
As a chief executive she has better preparation to be CINC than a less-than-one-term senator.
You don't want Obama to win, but will not vote for McCain? An odd position to be in, I must say. I have been torn about voting for McCain, but when I was considering not voting for him, it was based on the notion that conservatism would be better off without him winning. Obama's radicalism has made me change my position: In spite of McCain, Obama must not be allowed into the White House.
Your position, on the other hand, is contradictory. You don't want Obama to win, but won't vote for McCain. Have you taken some kind of oath against women Presidents, or is it a religious position of some kind? Forgive me, but I don't understand and would like to know how you come to that position. You are obviously a thoughtful person, so there must be some explanation.
I believe Palin to be the wrong choice for several reasons. This time around the Republicans need to come on as the Daddy Party writ large. That said, the choice is made and should NOT be unmade. Palin outclasses the Democrat VP choice totally and, more importantly, outclasses Hussein himself. All comparisons by the Repubnlican side should be of Palin and O’Bama with no mention at all of the other guy on the Democrat ticket. That person is a cipher and should be treated as a cipher.
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