I would not have thought it possible, but McCain and his advisers have made the perfect vice presidential selection in Sarah Palin. It is an ingenious, even thrilling choice, and one that is all the more remarkable in that it was completely unexpected. All the other candidates, such as Romney and Pawlenty, were boring and came with serious drawbacks. Obama has certainly added excitement to the Democratic ticket; now, with his choice of Palin, McCain has done the same for the Republicans.
Compare Obama's unimaginative selection of Joe Biden--another Washington D.C. blowhard--with McCain's choice. I suppose Biden is supposed to win over lower-middle-class white voters by the fact that he is a backslapping good old boy who likes to watch football games and eat chili dogs. What Biden offers is a proven record of mediocrity, and perhaps he can appeal to mediocre people on the basis of a shared absence of accomplisment.
I'm not saying that Palin has accomplished much either. What she has is potential. The Obama camp has already released its first commercial attacking Palin. But how ridiculous does Obama sound in faulting her for lack of experience? Palin is serving her first term as governor, but then Obama is serving his first term as senator. Palin has no foreign policy experience and has only been to Iraq once; Obama's level of foreign policy experience is exactly the same. It's worth noting, in this context, that Obama, unlike Palin, is at the top of the ticket. Palin will at least have a chance to learn on the job; Obama wants to step right into the Oval Office. So every time the Democrats use the experience charge against Palin, they remind the American people of Obama's greatest weakness.
Here's why Palin is such a good choice. She seems like an incredibly wholesome person who doesn't so much talk about family values as embody them. This is the best kind of social conservative: one whose life is an exemplar of the kind of American dream that we can all admire. In attacking her, I think her critics like Paul Begala and James Carville sound like total jerks. I'd like to see more of those carping attack dogs on TV: they can only help Palin.
With her support for a muscular foreign policy and guns and oil drilling, Palin is an across-the-board conservative, which will reinforce McCain's credentials with the right-wing base of the party. Not that those guys had anyone else to vote for, but the choice of Palin will increase the enthusiasm of GOP activists in working hard for a McCain victory. Second, unlike Bush, McCain has chosen a deputy who can be a future leader of the Republican Party. Palin is also young and thus helps to neutralize Obama's youthful advantage. As a woman, Palin will not so much win over the disenchanted Hillary supporters as pick up Hillary's argument to independent voters that it's about time America had a strong woman in its top echelons of political office. For every Obama supporter who can claim an historic first for the Democrats, Palin enthusiasts can make an equal historic claim for the Republicans.
The media will continue to lionize Obama-Biden and attack McCain-Palin. It's only a short time before we start hearing that Palin is the "wrong kind of woman." (Would anyone dare argue that Obama is the "wrong kind of black man"?) Still, the American people have gotten pretty good at seeing through the media charade. A whole summer of media genuflections hasn't produced a substantial Democratic lead. For months, McCain and Obama have remained virtually tied. Now, with Palin, the Republicans have their first chance to pull ahead.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 22)
1. What worries me most about Palin is her environmental policy (especially regarding drilling in the ANWR). I think it is evermore important for us, as consumers to support 'green businesses' that benefit the environment. For example, http://www.simplestop.net stops your postal junk mail and benefits the environment.
Clark at 5:43PM on Aug 31st 2008
2. Dinesh, I give you the benefit of the doubt as I would anyone, it's the "Christ-like" thing to do.
But alas, I said something similar in the previous blog- something about the delusionalism of religiosity begetting a wet-dream at the naming of Ms. Palin on the republicon ticket.
You, amigo, are delusional and hopefully only a danger to yourself. If your University is wise, they will send you packing before you can reach any of your students with this lowest-of-the-low diatribe.
Again, "experience" as you describe means nothing. Witness the benefits we are currently reaping of the "experience" our current Commander-in-Chief has given us.
Vision, and integrity, along with intellegence will offer the only way out of the current mess we are in.
I only hope that enough people demonstrate the above-mentioned qualities, we call this "wisdom" by the way, in seeing through the obfuscation and vote for REAL change for the future.
Ladies and Gentlemen, he's ALL YOURS.
Aloha!
Robert at 6:16PM on Aug 31st 2008
3. Oh, and P.S. Dumbass-
Ya better clean up the giddy typos- Like the "lionization" line, before the jackals notice.
You know how they get.
Robert at 6:19PM on Aug 31st 2008
4. It's only a short time before we start hearing that Palin is the "wrong kind of woman." (Would anyone dare argue that Obama is the"wrong kind of black man"?) "- DD
----------------------------------
I think you just did, Mr D'Souza.
YOU even said Hillary was the wrong kind of woman, why should a differing view feel resrtricted?
mac at 6:30PM on Aug 31st 2008
5. Careful, Dinesh, darkness hates light. Exposing the left's hypocrisy really gets them frothing. They hate healthy. It is a threat to their beliefs and lifestyles. Palin is too good for them, too healthy, too strong, too courageous, too good of an example of what a woman could and should be.
They have a curious lack of recognition that McCain has a Trojan horse in their midst, and in their hate filled zealotry they are distracted from their
strategic blunders. Like a fool punching the guy in the mirror, Obama attacks Palin for the weakness they share. Perhaps he is more confidant bullying Palin , since he compares so poorly to McCain, as a man, and as a candidate.
As a side note: Anyone who reads and cares, knows that Obama is at very least, heavily influenced by Marxists, and most likely is one himself. It makes me wonder if his attacks on Palin, or not choosing Hillary, have any significant correlation with the complete lack of women in leadership roles in communist countries. I can't think of a single instance of a woman leader in a communist country.
ep at 6:40PM on Aug 31st 2008
6. MCCAIN/GIMMICK '08!!!!!
But seriously, Palin is smoking hot. If they do get into the office, this would be the first time in my life I could say with complete and honest enthusiasm that the VP can literally go f--k herself.
Griffon305 at 6:50PM on Aug 31st 2008
7. What was it thast Dinesh posted on August 24 at 3:30 A.M. ??
============================
"Are Men Smarter Than Women?"
============================
A diatribe about women not being as smart as men?
OR
Was it just an example of how women are not as cunning and strategic as men, less capable of leading?
I guess a lot can happen to change his mind in 7 days....or was that just women democrats who weren't as sharp as us fellas ?
mac at 6:52PM on Aug 31st 2008
8. Hey mac,
Yes, I got the humor, thanks for the emoti-wink, BTW. Remember what I said about religiosity and delusionalism?
Dinesh has this disease, it is beyond epidemic, and it is dangerous.
Robert at 6:57PM on Aug 31st 2008
9. "The media will continue to lionize McCain-Biden and attack McCain-Palin."
Started early on the martinis today, eh, DD?
Just what we need in office: another fucking moron who thinks "creationism" is good science. Plus, it shows just how desperate McCain is. What a great way to tell the world "we're ignorant and we're proud."
Oh, and Isaac Azimov/Richard Robles/whatever the hell you want to call yourself: die, please, we're all sick of your spam.
Ian X. Christian at 6:57PM on Aug 31st 2008
10. I am THRILLED at McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for his VP. She has executive experience and has learned the ropes from the bottom up...Obama, according to his campaign, spent his 143 active days in the Senate "listening and learning", but he has NO RECORD AT ALL of taking action. While Alaska does not have the population that most large states have, the skills needed to govern are the same. Alaska was rift with corruption in both parties and instead of pointing fingers at the opposition, she stepped in and cleaned up BOTH parties from the bottom up! She took on big oil and refunded excess profits directly to the citizens of Alaska...Obama wants to force big oil to pay more in taxes and use those taxes for more big government handouts. She has a proven record of refusing federal ear mark handouts...Obama wouldn't even vote to suspend them for a year!
The Obama campaigns reaction to Sarah Palin proves Senator Clinton's claim that sexism is alive and well in the Democratic party!
falling at 6:59PM on Aug 31st 2008
11. McCain’s controversial choice of Sarah “Barracuda” Palin for VP will soon and inevitably focus the presidential campaign on several overriding differences between the Republican and Democratic parties approach to solving problems. So far these important differences are looming only in the background, mostly hidden under the well trod ground of infinitesimal personal characteristics of the candidates: age, gender, race, family, personal incomes, homes, geography, oration. Undoubtedly for the next week or two there will be a variety of reactions that still drown out these fundamental differences of approach, hoping that something will resonate with the news junkies and pundits and be a new vein of gold for leveraging polls one way or another, focusing on yet one more personal attribute. As the flapping lips tire, as the demographics of the two competing teams are viewed as neutralizing one another, this race for President may actually focus on ideological conflicts between the parties like the following:
• Government should have a limited budget and scope of involvement in the lives of citizens (Republicans) versus the idea that only a big federal government led by elitists can solve anyone’s problems (Democrats)
• Democrats cater to and speak for the everyman but Republicans only care about wealthy people
• Democrats want change and Republicans are old guys that stand for tradition
• If we just get together with our friends and talk to misbehaving foreign leaders the right way they will behave versus some guys are evil and will kill innocent people and steal their property if we let them
• We should encourage free market capitalism and industrious entrepreneurs (Republicans) versus let’s tax the whatever makes people wealthy and create a legislative bureaucracy to oversee all economic enterprise
• Republicans don’t care about natural resources unless they can pull them out of the ground and sell them
• Democrats will kill the economy with baseless fears of global warming
• There is only one right way to live and everyone in every region of the Country needs to be told what it is (either by a church or the State)
• Every breathing citizen or resident has a right to a minimum level of subsistence guaranteed by the federal government regardless of their efforts or circumstances versus every citizen has the freedom to fail yet suffer the consequences
It should get interesting.
jamesg4336 at 7:06PM on Aug 31st 2008
12. falling: You're easily thrilled.
How many of the Palin lovers out there, one week ago, had even HEARD of her? You don't love HER, you love the bs she stands for": intelligent design, anti-choice, homophobia, global-warming denial, the whole idiotic, gun-tottin' line of crap.
Ian X. Christian at 7:10PM on Aug 31st 2008
13. Dinesh,
Joe Biden said of Obama, "he's the first... clean Black" ... So someone did qualify the race issue, as the woman issue with Palin.
Keep up the good work.
I find it ironic that radical environmentalists don't want energy production in a tundra, yet Canada is doing just that with minimal environmental impact.
No energy = economic collapse, and the same Kool-Aid drinkers wouldn't want people to be able to hunt for their own food when the shipments of food stop...because guns are bad.
As I have posted on other sites, let's impose an energy quarantine on Pelossiville and see how fast 'alternative' energy can be provided. LOL
A recent talk was given in Phoenix by Dr. Peter Kreeft on the culture war. He was asked, what do we do about all this leftist rhetoric concerning moral issues, etc. His answer was "ignore it." So please ignore all these attack posts. People who can think for themselves know who is telling the truth.
TS at 7:13PM on Aug 31st 2008
14. Dinesh; "Would anyone dare argue that Obama is the "wrong kind of black man"?
haven't you been doing this for months now? Idiot.
Ryan Anderson at 8:16PM on Aug 31st 2008
15. When did McCain choose Biden as his running mate? I thought he chose Palin. & if they lionize McCain for choosing Biden, why would they attack McCain for choosing Palin? You speak in riddles, saheeb! 'Splainit to me.
Oh, wait...now I get it - she has potential!
Dinesh is a blowhard calling Biden a blowhard.
I choose Michael Palin of the Very Silly Party!
U.S. OUT OF NORTH AMERICA! VOTE VERY SILLY!
sossity at 8:57PM on Aug 31st 2008