I guess there will be folks among the legions at memeorandum who think this is a daring and bold and mavericky pick (mostly in the media, I would wager), but I just guess I am not one of them. It seems so transparently cynical, so deeply poll-driven and focus-grouped, and so manifestly just a bone to the wingnut pro-life base and the 8 PUMA holdouts, that I really can’t treat this pick seriously.
Really, the only way I think this helps the ticket is that the McCain campaign can now feign outrage over alleged sexist remarks at the same time they are on the fainting couches decrying some mythical slight to McCain’s honor.
This is just a deeply disturbing and deeply bizarre choice (by comparison, this would be the equivalent of Obama choosing a less qualified Kaine), particularly since there is a chance McCain could win and he is old as dirt. Granted, the chance he wins is much, much smaller after his choice today.
PsiFighter37
This seems like a really short-sighted pick on the part of the Republicans. There are going to be a hell of a lot of people who look at her, look at McCain, and become really freakin’ scared that she could be president.
She doesn’t look ready. She doesn’t sound ready. Hell, if you have to include that she played basketball and was part of the PTA as her bio, you know it’s paper-thin.
david
It seems as if Hillary was a villain before she was a martyr, and in that vein, a lack of experience was appalling before it became winsome.
JGabriel
Sarah Palin : Vice-President :: Clarence Thomas : Supreme Court.
I.E., unqualified.
.
DragonScholar
My feeling at first was “who?” followed by “Alaska?” followed by the thought that if I had to ask THOSE questions, he probably made the choice purely to court PUMAs and try and pander.
It does feel focus-group driven, it feels like a campaign decision NOT a leadership decision. It’s unserious.
I actually feel sorry for Mrs. Palin. I think she’s being used by McCain as nothing more than a vote-getting device. However if she chose to go along with it, it’s her choice.
jaime
The Puma’s are actually trying to argue that Sarawho has more experience than Obama.
Flop sweat is right.
Kraz
Seriously. She is such a comical lightweight, the only potential downside is that Obama and especially Biden go further than they need to in mocking her, and accidentally offend people.
The VP debate (which probably doesn’t matter much in the great scheme of things, but can’t hurt to win) is going to be an epic smackdown.
4tehlulz
Bu…bu…but she’s a woman, with
a nice assexperience! And a baby with Down’s Syndrome! WHY MUST YOU ATTACK THE DOWN’S SYNDROME BABY? POW POWRobyn
I think it is a great opportunity for the Obama campaign: “Who’s scary now?” A man who already has the respect of the global community in charge of restoring our standing in the world or a 1/2 term Governor of a small state with NO foreign policy experience at all.
The Press think that Obama can’t touch the experience argument. Again, not understanding who Obama is. I can’t believe that those “Working Class Voters” are going to be comfortable with 72 Year Old McCain and TRUE NEWBIE Palin over Obama & Joe Biden. No Brainer. I trust that the Obama campaign will know how to address this to their advantage.
It is truly an insult to the country & very ironic with their COUNTRY FIRST theme. He put the campaign first with this pick.
smiley
Rush Limprod: “This is going to be fun.”
Sean Inanity: “I am literally jazzed.”
Must have been a great pick.
smiley
P.S. This site has become exceedingly frustrating. Seriously, John, I’m starting to think Word Press is just fucking with you.
Regular Reader
Two thoughts:
1) Has anyone considered the recent poll that showed 20% of McCain supporters would be less likely to vote for him if his vice presidential pick was female? Not just registered Republicans, mind you, but actual McCain supporters.
2) All those on the right who are viewing this as McCain’s path to a landslide need to ask themselves the same question I fear McCain isn’t asking himself: What has McCain done that Hillary didn’t? Running with a woman isn’t it – Hillary lost to Obama running as a woman.
Shouting at the Rain
What is it with McCain and his beauty queens?
There was the first Mrs. Mav (who was Miss Cocktail Weenie, or some such nonsense) who he threw thru the windshield for the current squeeze, the drug-addled and uber-botoxed Mrs. McJackpot, and now the Wingnut from Wissila.
Has she ever traveled out of the country? Does she even have a frickin’ US passport? What does she bring to the table, besides kissable lips and a freshly exfoliated face?
No really compelling resume, and it’s pretty thin gruel. We’re taklin’ Krusty Imitation Gruel thin.
Indeed.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
A commenter at Metafilter has it about right:
PC
I think McCain just pissed in Hillary’s cereal. Things may start to get ugly.
dmsilev
My view on the matter is that RedState is ecstatic over the pick (both Ben “Plagiarist” Domenech and Erick Erickson described it as “Epic Win”), so therefore it’s a horrible choice, certain to bring about McCain’s defeat in the fall.
That’s a prediction I feel safe about, just based on their past track record.
-dms
Forkbeard
It’s not just PUMAs arguing that she’s got more experience than Obama… Limbaugh was saying the same thing this morning, and I’ve already had co-workers tell me the same thing.
I mean, come on. She’s on the PTA, great, but… why the vice-presidency, other than to pretend you’re pro-woman?
carsick
I’ve watched some video of her now and can see the tactic that will be spun.
2000 Bush was the candidate you’d like to have a beer with.
2008 Palin is the candidate you’d like to have a carpool with.
She will go on a serious media campaign and seems smart enough not to embarrass herself. She is charming yet also seems a bit unflappable. McCain’s camp will free her to talk to the press. Restrict his access to press. And, go really ugly on Obama’s character.
This is going to get real ugly, real quick.
Palin will be the nice face while the RNC and state parties go as ugly as possible.
Also, the defense will be “You don’t defame a POW hero and you can’t hit a girl with glasses.”
MikeL
The most important question, of course, is: would you want to have a beer with her?
I wouldn’t. I’d love a chance to get her hammered on long island iced teas though.
Tim in SF
I’m not saying I disagree, John, but why do you think this hurts him? The rightards seem to be jumping for joy:
jeff
I think it’s brilliant that McCain has chosen Karen Walker as his running mate. She’s the ultimate Republican.
MJ
John who do you think would have been the best pick for McCain to make as his VP? This pick has the Obama camp off balance. Their response to it has been awful. They have criticized her for lack of experience to be VP. All that does is put a greater focus on Obama’s lack of experience and people vote for the top of the ticket.
What is the deal with Word Press? This blog seems to be down more then it is up.
bigol
I think you don’t understand the pent up frustration of many freedom loving, non-gov solution seeking, taking personal responsibility and not wanting to see ANOTHER DC insider… etc etc… that represent so many people in the US.
There is no flop sweat. There is only joy at someone who is young, can carry the views of many who want Washington to change, and has a history of doing so.
I find I agree with much of what is written here over, less so in the past few months, but frankly you are so off base with this… this love affair you have with OB! You forget there are many of us who find his views both disgusting and terrifying at the same time.
With Palin there is a renewed hope that someone can change the socialist-leaning-big-government-excessive-spending that is currently the norm for both the GOP and Dems in Washington. If not now, perhaps in a few short years when she runs for president.
A masterful move.
And OB & CO should be very very scared right now.
B
Zifnab
I, personally, was a big fan of the Harriet Miers comparison. If I remember correctly, the wingnut radio brigade was totally enthused about her too.
Let’s hold out until we hear what Bill Kristol has to say. If he throws his full support behind the choice, we have nothing to worry about.
All that said, I think she is perhaps the most savy pick McCain could possibly have made. He’s got wretched polling with women and is in deep trouble with his fundie base. Palin brings in at least a fraction of the undecided female vote by default, and she is so solidly pro-life that the uterus police will have much less to complain about.
That said, she doesn’t bring much else to the ticket other than the “You can’t criticize me because I’m a woman!” defense. And once we start hearing policy from Palin, I have a suspicion her approval ratings will tank. She’s a wingnut’s wingnut and she’s young, inexperienced, and primed to make a slew of gaffs the moment someone sticks a mic in her face.
I’m seeing Mondale / Ferrario written all over this one.
anne
This woman called Hillary a whiner.
Gus
Didn’t stop it from happening, though. I think the pick is a huge gamble, but there are potential payoffs. She’s a fun story just by virtue of being Alaskan. She certainly has Washington outsider status. And she’s awfully damn cute.
xyzzy
Begala said it well:
This choice definitely puts McCain’s age on the table because Palin is completely unqualified to be president. He is clearly putting his desire to be elected above the best interests of the United States.
John Cole
As old as McCain is? Maybe Sen. Bill Frist or Sen. Tom Coburn.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Mittens and Pawlenty are livid that they got the shaft and rightfully so.
DonnaInMichigan
McCain sure loves him some beauty queens, eh?
2 wives and a vp pick.
Sasha
Well, I guess we can rule out McCain taking the One-Term pledge.
She is an excellent choice to take the wind out of Obama’s momentum. However, I think it will soon become obvious that that’s the only reason she was picked.
David Hunt
Governor Palin, please. She may be a light-weight on the political stage, be running the country’s smallest state (population-wise), and a profoundly bad choice to be Vice-President, but she’s still that governor of a U.S. State. That’s one of my pet-peeves, so I’m sorry for going ape-shit about it, but I remember reading all the attacks on Bill Clinton back when the Lewinsky scandal was going full-speed, and the people attacking always referred to him as “Mr.” Clinton. It was, to my mind, an obvious tactic to try to bring him down in the eyes of the reader. I don’t even call George W. Bush, “Mr. Bush.” I might refer to him as simply “Bush” or “GWB”(written only) in a setting I consider to be informal (BJ usually counts) but if I use any honorific in front of his name, it’s “President.” Because although I absolutely loathe him, he’s still the President, and the office deserves respect even though he manifestly does not.
KevinD
Another senior moment for John McCain, confusing his VP search with searching for an ex-beauty queen trophy wife.
jaime
Sarah Palin’s job as VP would be as a paperweight, and to keep vigil that McCain doesn’t die.
tballou
“…particularly since there is a chance McCain could win and he is old as dirt.”
But it could be like “Legally Blonde”, and she could have makeup sleepovers and everything!
On the other hand, could she possible be any worse than Bush and all his “grownups”? Maybe this country could benefit from someone who is not completely beholden to the entire DC aparatus?
dbrown
John McInsane went Puma-tag hunting and thinks he has gotten lucky – this is eye-candy and most people will think that. As for attacking Obama’s weakness, they are creating a big problem – also, the washington talking heads will not overlook her inexperience and that she is one heart beat away. This will not help him with independents nor anyone who isn’t a religious whack-o’s. This woman asked what a VP does! This is great in the long run because she can not be president and is unfit in the eyes of the average American.
mitch
I keep picturing McCain waking up from an Ambien fever dream shouting “Palin! It’s gotta be Palin!”
Now that’s judgment I can believe in!
Ben
McCain may have picked up a few woman voters… but he lost most independent males that were undecided… You should have seen the look on most people’s faces at work… lots of independent swing state voters… they were sick.
NickM
It reminds me of Caligula appointing his horse to the Senate, except the horse couldn’t do much damage.
Svensker
I’ve heard this from Rightards, too. Why? Is it cuz she was Executive rather than Congress?
That said, the fact that she’s NRA, a Christian, and pro-life is what is important to the wingers. The “experience” thing is only used against Obama because they can. They don’t really care about anything except their guns, their religion, no taxes, and bombing the crap out of people with funny names.
scott
Don’t let the national Rethug gasbags fool you into thinking she’s a great choice. Instead, go ask Alaskans, Republican Alaskans:
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/palin_tapped_as_mccains_vp_choice
The comments have the meat of the criticism. Lots of Repups in there who are gonna sit at home with their hands under their rumps come November.
KRK
A simple test for all those wingnut pundits (and others) who extoll Palin’s readiness to be VP: If something terrible should happen to John McCain between now and November 4, are you prepared to go ahead with your second-in-line?
Harry Reid was quoted recently saying that most of the Republican Senators don’t like McCain and probably won’t even vote for him. I’d think they’ll be even less excited at the prospect of Palin presiding over them.
MobiusKlein
The GOP has their eyes on 2012 and beyond.
They are attempting to recapture the female vote. If not now, then at least soften their image for the future.
Do you think they would have let McCain pick her if he had a ghost of a chance of wining?
flavortext
Guys, some extraordinary news today. The PUMAs are mad as hell and they aren’t going to take it anymore. They’ve decided to abandon the Democratic party and start their own political party! And what is it called?
The New Democratic Party.
Look at the prominence of the color orange. That’s right. These so-called “PUMAs” are nothing more than dastardly operatives of the NDP! The Canadians have been plotting against the Democratic party in an attempt to sabotage the election!
Canada! CANADIANS! BLAME CANADA!
Down with their maple leaves and their hockey and their Tim Horton’s, and even their seductively delicious bacon! I demand that Barack Obama’s first act as President is to declare war on Canada and eliminate this evil party that’s trying to destroy America! And if he doesn’t, I’ll invade Ottawa myself with a butter knife and an encyclopedia!
BLAME CANADA!
Libby
Well the bruised feelings of Mittens and Pawlenty aside, the speculation around moonbat central is that she was the only one on the list who would take the slot after Obama’s speech last night. I have to agree that was a factor.
If you watched the acceptance speech, she clearly wasn’t vetted. She called Cindy, Mrs. McCain and Cindy was obviously surprised to hear it was Palin’s anniversary today. It smacks of 11th hour desperation.
wobbly
“McCain sure loves him some beauty queens, eh?”
Makes you wonder what Palin did to get the job…and all while Cindy is out of town, sight, and mind.
Cindy’s mincing through Georgia, trying to rustle up a war on her husband’s behalf, and look what happens!
zuzu's petals
Consider the way a man with ZERO experience in public office was elected Governor of California in 2003:
A short campaign timeframe. (Here, think “no primaries”.)
Heavily managed, showy, content-free public appearances.
Showy, content-free media blitz.
One debate (wherein the questions were provided in advance at his request).
That’s how it’s done, folks. And don’t forget that Steve Schmidt managed Mr. Marginal’s re-election campaign.
flavortext
Oh, and as for Sarah Palin, read today’s Electoral Vote to see why she’s a bad pick. Frankly I would have counted her out for two reasons:
1. She’s currently being investigated by an independent prosecutor appointed by the Republican-controlled Alaskan state legislature. Together, McCain and Palin make a nice pair of ethically-challenged candidates.
2. Joe Biden will destroy her in a debate. I’m already preparing the popcorn.
But hey, this just proves McCain’s a MAVERICK!
NickM
The NDP? Splitters!
stickler
I’m sorry, but what?
TiminSF: If you haven’t been paying attention for the last eight years, let me help you out here. Those right-wing nutcases are fools who get paid to lie. Or worse, they do it for free. In any case, McCain could have nominated a bucket of warm dog vomit for VP and they’d have written exactly the same stuff. “Bold!” “Daring!” “For vomit, surprisingly smelly — it’ll piss off the libtards!”
El Cruzado
+1 to the Mondale/Ferraro comparison.
colleeniem
John.
I couldn’t rant ALL DAY. Oh, and I haven’t read the comments, so forgive me if I repeat.
Anyway, Governor Girl better read up on Robert’s Rules of Order. Do they use parlimentary procedure in Wasilla and Juneau?
She’s only going to be President of the F#$%^* Senate.
I wonder how many Senators are going to like that.
I think my new BFF Hilary will eat her for lunch.
Joe Max
If he thinks this is going to appease the genuine Clinton dead-enders (as opposed to McCain shills pretending to be), he nuts.
One, picking anyone besides THEIR Hillary is another one of the proverbial slaps-in-the-face. They pissed all over the idea of Kathleen Sebelius as VP for that very reason.
Two, Hillary Clinton will be DAMNED if another woman other than her might end up president anytime soon. (A real possibility considering McCain’s age.) She will now increase her efforts to help Obama, and it makes her perfect to be the one to smack Palin around – you can’t easily call it a “sexist” attack if another woman is doing it – especially if it’s Hillary doing it.
colleeniem
Hillary, sorry.
Teak111
Sexist or not, five kids, one being an infant with DS, whose watching them while mom travels the country with McCain. If you can say that her husband is a devoted stay at home dad, then I will shut up. Or does she have a phalanx of nannies?
Seriously as the pro-family party, this is not a good choice for McCain. A women is certain capable of VP and POTUS, but with five kids at home, where are her priorities? Sorry kids, but my party calls for me? BS.
L. Ron Obama
Stop with the fucking sexist remarks, you disgusting pigs.
KevinD, wobbly and tballou are just the last three assholes who I will charitably assume are Republican trolls.
Put your adolescent masturbation fantasies and fear of women to the side and hit her on the issues, or shut the fuck up, you wankers.
Also, please fix your blog, John. I’m going through withdrawal and am willing to donate if you need it.
zzyzx
I think we’re being overconfident. Barring some gaffes, I think this does help McCain more than it hurts him. It fires up his base and does make the ticket more interesting.
Fortunately I don’t think that the VP decision is as important as we make it out to be.
There are two things that give me some comfort though. George Bush approved of the decision which ties McCain back to him. Also this makes the 2012 Clinton decision non-operative (either Obama will be President or the odds are that a sitting female VP will be running) which means that she’s likely to go on the attack now.
Yes though I’m nervous not only because it increases McCain’s odds, but the recklessness in how he made this decision scares me about how he would run the government.
NonWonderDog
That’s the proper address for the President of the United States, actually. It’s supposedly a very old tradition, to keep off the trappings of kingship. The most formal you’re ever supposed to get is “Mr. President,” and that’s really only for when you’re addressing him personally. In the third person it’s “Mr. Bush.” FOX News probably says “President Bush,” but that’s because they’re wanna-be fascists. Every other reputable journalistic agency around the world writes “Mr. Bush.”
Governors are still properly addressed as “Governor xxxx,” of course. (Governor Fourecks might be a decent name for Palin, though. Hmmm….)
les
What’s with the “small government conservative” jive? Alaska is so involved in private business that they mail checks out to citizens. Now, that may be because someone was smarter than Uncle Sam about management of public resources, but…
NonWonderDog
There’s no legislated means of address for the President of the United States, of course. It’s just a tradition.
CT
stickler nailed it. He gets a lot of coverage today (would have with any VP pick, but more so for picking an unknown, and a woman unknown at that). But there are 3 main considerations in picking a VP, I think.
First (and I think by far most important), its a referendum on the nominee-did they pick a good, qualified person? Seems like a fail on that front.
Secondly, pure electoral considerations (the only reason Bayh or Kaine were considered). This could potentially be important in a tight race (ie 1960). Palin doesn’t do anything there.
Lastly, there’s the balancing the ticket, stylistically and experience-wise. Biden’s blue collar appeal and foreign policy creds buttress Obama, for example. Here’s where Palin has some appeal, being more attractive to the fundies, and also being a fresh face. I think this is of very limited appeal, as people vote the top of the ticket, and the McCain=Bush meme is getting well established.
The main point by far is that McCain has ceded the experience argument, or at least weakened it to the point of being a late night talk show joke. Major fail on the part of JSMIII.
dbrown
The eye-candy Palin is a supporter of creationism! Another whack-o fundamentalist and a creationist – the last one ended up killing a few hundred thousand innocent Iraqi’s. Does this selection remind any one of the book/Movie the “Dead Zone”?
JGabriel
dmsilev:
Ah, but the real test will come when Bill Kristol weighs in.
If Kristol calls it a win for McCain, then we’ll know it’s a loser.
.
Shinobi
So, after Bush nominated Harriet Miers for the supreme court I was PRETTY sure that there was nothing that the GOP could do to make me feel any more pandered to.
This is just fucking RUDE. I mean, sure, I want there to be a chick in the white house. But really, A pro life former beauty queen from ALASKA with two years experience? You’re killing me Smalls!
I’m fucking insulted by this. And now I’m going to have to spend the rest of this election defending a woman whose policies I completely disagree with from sexism because sexism is always bad. While simultaneously hating everything she represents.
They should have just nominated Anne Coulter, at least people have heard of her!
zuzu's petals
Too much credit.
It’s one and a half year’s worth of experience.
Governing a state with a population of 670,000.
(Anybody know the population of Obama’s state senate district, for comparison?)
b. hussein canuckistani
It’s a fair cop.
JGabriel
Wobbly:
It suddenly makes sense that McCain wanted to get his wife’s go-ahead before announcing Palin as the VP pick.
.
Shinobi
Zuzu
in 2000 it was 650,000.
The population of Illinois which he represents in the senate is almost 13 million.
zoe from pittsburgh
It’s simple– Palin is a gun-toting, global warming denying, pro-creationism right-winger from one of the most corrupt earmark-loving states in the nation. McCain decided he needed to shore up his right-winger base and try to get some of Hillary’s voters. I think he’ll succeed on the first and fail miserably on the second.
zoe from pittsburgh
From right-wing architect Richard Vigurie–
empty
That should make her an instant favorite at BJ.
oh really
I caution people to remember that the audience for this selection is the American people. There are all kinds of rational reasons why this should be a disastrous choice, but none of them apply to tens of millions of Americans.
In the end, the wisdom of the Palin choice (from the perspective of getting John McPOW elected) will depend on things like 1) how the media report it (prepare to be disappointed), 2) how the Democrats respond to it, 3) how the American people respond to the the Democratic response, 4) whether Palin herself makes serious mistakes, 5) how effectively the Republicans use the sexism/misogyny issue, and 6) how well the Democrats can recruit women to oppose Palin. The outcome of a Clinton/Palin debate is a lot easier to imagine than the outcome of Biden (bully? misogynist? hater of handicapped children?) versus Palin.
There is no way to know the answers to any of these questions now, but history does give me pause. The idea that as of today John McCain is much less likely to get elected is questionable at best. It is important to remember that there is a really good chance that when the election is over, we’ll look back and shake our heads in disbelief that what we just witnessed could have happened. Of course, that would have been true even if McCain had chosen Beelzebub.
Short term, the selection looks brilliant. It completely shut down the post-convention talk about Obama’s speech. It will be interesting to see the next series of polls. It’s entirely possible that Palin will look pathetic next to Biden. But it’s also possible that Biden will look even more conventional than he did the day Obama chose him. Don’t forget, Obama — the self-described candidate of change — selected an old, white, male Senator-forever to be his running mate. McCain picked a young, rising star who…well, you get the picture.
I couldn’t see any real upside to any of the choices McCain was reported to be considering. All would have elicited a yawn. Mittens? Yawn. Pawlenty? Yawn. Etc. But Palin turned the media upside down, and that is where national perceptions will begin to form. It may be a dangerous pick for McCain, but like most Republicans he seems to have a much clearer view of just how lame the American people are and how to go about manipulating them.
In some ways, this was a crazy choice. But it was crazy for Americans to oppose health care reform in the early nineties; it was crazy for enough people to vote for Bush to put him within reach of stealing the 2000 election; it was crazy for the Swift Boat campaign to be so successful; and it was bat-shit crazy for the American people to re-elect Bush in 2004. The list of crazy outcomes in recent American political history is too long to believe.
Our best bet is that Palin will simply come across as someone who John McCain dragged into the deep end of the pool with no lifeguard on duty. If that happens, then McCain will have made a huge mistake. Since I think McCain is an idiot with really poor judgment (my identical feelings about Bush), I hope Palin will go down as the female version of Dan Quayle. Unfortunately, I don’t get to decide. The American people do. And that scares me.
It would be nice to see a Clinton ad in which she presents the choice of Palin as an insult to her and all of the women who are more qualified than Palin. It’ll sound better coming from a woman who has made a big issue out of how shabbily she’s been treated, than it will coming for some old white guy.
zuzu's petals
Thanks. Are state senate districts drawn along the same lines as congressional districts?
If so, this tidbit ought to be played for all it’s worth.
empty
Tim in SF is right. This puts McCain back in the game. Regardless of the talk about the tightening of the polls, without some excitement he was on his way to losing. At this point he had to take a gamble and he did. Whether it pays off or not we will know in a little more than two months.
oh really
Will AP report that this was a choice made from weakness?
dbrown
Krauthammer of WP hates McCain’s choice of Palin and thinks it is a disaster … what did I miss … she must be a far, far better choice than I thought. Damn. Eye candy creationist who makes Obama seem like a seasoned policy wonk must have some redeeming characteristics if Krauthammer thinks she is a bad choice. I.will.NEVER.AGREE.with. Krauthammer.period.
mellowjohn
late to the comment thread, but palin’s absolutely ridiculous nomination does give me the opportunity to start the ball rolling on this:
palin’s baby does NOT have a child with Down’s Syndrome. It’s “Down syndrome.”
no apostrophe-s and no cap on syndrome.
on behalf of america’s special ed teachers, i thank you
Rome Again
Poor Trig, the new baby born with Downs Syndrome that Mommy Sarah seems to think is less important than being VP.
These pro-lifers always seem to think birthing babies is more important than making sure they are cared for.
She should put the baby up for adoption to someone who would consider raising him to be a worthy life-time achievement.
PanAmerican
No. An Illinos state senate district has about 1/3 the population. ~215,000 give or take.
dbrown
Your correction would carry more weight if you bothered to use proper style with your own sentences. Capitalize first letter of each sentence, and for “I”, it is always capitalized; otherwise, why bother with any rules?
As for
Eye-candyGovernor Palin, I am sure she pays for great care; unlike most real middle class people, she can afford the best and her child like all wealthy repubics in power, will want for nothing.dbrown
Obama is a US Senator; each and every State has only two and they represent really everyone in the State but you could say they really just serve 1/2.
LongHairedWeirdo
Her main weapon is surprise, surprise and creationism. Her two main weapons are surprise, creationism, and a fanatical devotion to all rightwing religious leaders. Her three main weapons are surprise, creationism, a fanatical devotion to rightwing religious leaders, and a prolife stance. Amongst her weapons are such diverse elements as….
MJ
Coburn would have been ok. The GOP base would have liked him. He’d be a safe pick. Frist leadership in the Senate just didn’t go that well to now pick him as VP.
What Palin brings that nobody else does is that she appeals to the GOP base and they think she may draw in some Hillary supporters. Perhaps a case can be made that she won’t do so, time will tell. Nobody else had the potential to do that.
John I apologize about the complaint about Word Press. I hope you get it worked out soon.
rachel
No-one expects Sarah Palin!
Heshe
Did he bone up on this woman before he brought her out?
Koz
What if the Democrats had a convention and noboby came?
McCain has cleared just about all of his hurdles and is about ready to waltz into the White House.
Frankly, unless McCain picked a VP who would actually hurt him (and several of the prominent choices would) he was going to win this election anyway. But, now I don’t see any plausible scenario for Obama. All he’s got to offer is his own cool-ness, and that’s worth a lot less now than in the primaries.
10 days from now McCain will be up 5 points in the polls, 10 if he’s lucky.
BC
Well, this is identity politics run amok. Want a woman? Well, let’s just find a woman and name her. This reminds me of the Republican response to Barack Obama in 2004 when Jack Ryan was found to be utterly repugnant to them – they brought in Alan Keyes to run! The Dems have a black man, we’ll find a black man – any black man – and run him. Didn’t matter that Keyes had never lived in Illinois, he was out there running. The modern Republican party really and truly is contemptuous of our entire system of governance and elections.
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
Oh, I thought you meant……um, never mind.
iluvsummr
You’ve got to admit that this was a brilliant short-term masterstroke on McCain’s part (as others have pointed out, no one is talking about Obama’s convention speech now). What remains to be seen is how this plays out long-term and how she handles the national spotlight. For those happy about the VP debates between her and Biden, he has to tread lightly. There is a history of backlash against those that have appeared to “bully” Palin in debates (one of her former Republican opponents who lost was ruefully describing his experiences on NPR today). It didn’t matter that her responses seemed lightweight/inappropriate – pointing that out made him seem like a jerk and he lost. I trust that Obama and Biden will figure out a strategy that gently points out the importance of a sound scientific education to the US strategically (she’s a creationist), the fact that she’s for oil drilling in ANWAR, and the fact that she doesn’t quite believe that human activities have an impact on global warming.
I have to admit, this election is quite exciting – I’ve never been this interested in one.
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
Damn, that’s some righteous boo you’re smoking there, brother.
Koz
When was it that he won 11 states in a row? Feb/Mar I think. He’s basically been coasting on momentum ever since. If he has any more pages in his playbook, I’d think we’d have seen them by now.
iluvsummr
What if the Republicans had a convention during a hurricane and > 80,000 showed up and 38 million watched on T.V.? What’s that you say? I didn’t think so either.
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
No, really, where do you get weed like that?
Koz
Just check out the polls, say a week from Tuesday after the Republicans have been out of town for a couple of days. I’ll ask you why McCain is ahead in the polls, but the answer is probably above your pay grade.
Koz
Does the word “cocoon” mean anything to you? If it doesn’t ask President Kerry, he can help.
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
If you’d just tell me where you’re getting that killer reefer maybe I could hallucinate up a President Kerry. Or a President McCain. Homegrown, maybe?
Dave
I don’t understand all the joy from the republicans. The best and most effective argument against Obama they had was that he lacked experience. How’s that argument going to work out for them?
I so cannot wait for the debates. Ten bucks says Palin tears up in the hopes some of that Hillary NH Magic rubs off on her. It’ll be an abortion question that gives her the opportunity to get emotional over Tarp or Tarot or whatever the Down kid’s name is…
gil mann
I always assumed it was possessive. In related news, I knew a guy with a dog named Syndrome, and until now I just thought it was because he was a metalhead and Syndrome’s the kind of name a metalhead would give his dog.
You’d think a joke that took me two decdes to get would be a little more highbrow.
Robert Johnston
A lot of Quayle comparisons are being bandied about on this pick. The better comparison though is Monica Goodling. Palin’s a grossly inexperienced hack who’s best known for being a wacked out religious froo-froo and who won’t have the gravitas to do anything more than be a yes woman to the men in charge.
DrBB
LongHairedWeirdo Says: Her main weapon is surprise, surprise and creationism….
Different Palin, but.. yeah. I think this was McCain’s version of threatening Obama with the Comfy Chair.
gggggg
Well, he got what he wanted. He stepped on Obama’s great speech. Won today’s press cycle.
But the election is 9 weeks away.
Dumb choice. He should have chosen someone who had national experience, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, for example. We might crab, but we could hardly say SHE was inexperienced in national affairs.
But when you think, as M does, one day ahead….
I really wonder when he decided on her. Thursday night? And I wonder if she had a week, whether she would have agreed.
gggggg
And as for the “PUMAs” liking her— I’m a Hillary supporter. Voted for her. But the idea that someone who simply happens to have the same number of X chromosomes is going to get my vote… huh? I didn’t support H because she was a woman. I supported her because I liked her stand on the issues. And this Palin is about her exact opposite, except chromosomally. And I seriously don’t care about that.
I am LESS likely to vote for McCain now (not that I would ever vote for him). Clinton supporters are not IDIOTS.
Susanne Shay
Tha Palin pick is understandable once you realize that McCain wants to hit the ground running in his total identification with Bush. For one thing, Palin is totally unqualified (e.g.,Harriet Miers and, lest we forget on this anniversary of Katrina, Brownie did a hell of a job). Furthermore, with Palin, McCain has the opportunity to be involved in a cronyism/corruption scandal even BEFORE the election. McCain is just Bush minus the intellectual rigor.