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 2 of 22)
16.
Ada Calhoun, your fellow AOL Newsblogger, is editor-in-chief of Babble, and babble.com is running the following concerning Sarah Palin:
http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/archive/2008/08/30/bristol-palin-pregnancy-is-sarah-palin-s-baby-really-her-daughter-s.aspx
Worried at 8:58PM on Aug 31st 2008
17. Keep reading the National Enquirer DD your going to get a suprise really soon...........
Larry at 9:47PM on Aug 31st 2008
18. Fascinating! And if true, the implications!!!
Robert at 9:54PM on Aug 31st 2008
19. Dinesh,
You are letting your ideology cloud your judgment. Barak Obama has been vetted for the last 18 months running for President. Governor Palin has been governor of a lowly populated state for 20 months. This woman stated in an interview she does not even know what a vice president does!
I laugh at the experience people have claimed she has! If that is experience, even I could run for VP! I am from Virginia, and I would have questioned the choosing of Tim Kaine as a running mate (I know Tim and he is a great guy!) At least he has been a mayor of a major city of 200,000 and governor for more than time than Palin. If Obama had chosen Kaine, you know you would railing against Kaine's inexperience. However, you are jumping for joy for this selection.
Are there no Republican women in Congress or the Senate? How about Bobby Jindal of Louisiana? Even though he is only 36, he has a lot more experience than Palin. Plus he is Indian-American. Yeah, he is not Black, but close enough.
Besides there is a big difference. Barak Obama has been chosen by the voters in the Democratic primary. If experience was so important, Hillary Clinton would have won. John McCain, and not the voters chose Sarah Palin. In that case it is 18 million votes versus one.
Fred Marsh at 9:58PM on Aug 31st 2008
20. Thr difference between Palin and Obama is that Obama was chosen thru a democratic process. Palin however was just thrust upon us and given her limited track record it makes her an imposition on us.
sharmila hazra at 10:02PM on Aug 31st 2008
21. yeah while everybody is watching the sexy pentecostal shell game, mccain, cheney and bush have disappeared into gustav planning the outsourcing of the presidency to india.
all the repubs here have been talking about it all year,
the promise of it has been printed on the front pages of indian newspapers for years,
they're probably schmoozing in baton rouge right now.
Louis IX KingofFrance at 10:06PM on Aug 31st 2008
22. McCain helped his campaign by picking another maverick and female who can stand up to anyone. Palin has as much experience as Obama on top of his ticket. Palin is a new inspiring pick the republicans need. She has 80 percent approval in Alaska and is the most popular Governor in America. She taxed oil companies and gave it all back to Alaska's taxpayers at $1,200 each.
Obama is a smart inspiring speaker, but Palin's actions speak louder than political words. She has fought corruption in both parties in Alaska. When she speaks she says it like it is, unlike polished career politicians. Some people can talk the talk, but Palin can walk the walk. Anyone with doubts about Palin should watch her interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC.
People are talking negatively about Palin without knowing all the facts about what she has achieved, including the media because they are in love with Obama. The media is saying McCain picked Palin because of Hillary not being picked and I love Hillary, but Sarah is the real deal for republicans and she gives them a new face that they need to reform their party. The Republican Party has always been for the rich and special interests, Sarah represents “we the people” and is against government waste and the good old boy network, this is just what republicans need to fix their image and direction.
Now the race is exciting and change is coming to both parties! History will be made period with either Obama or McCain!
abel at 11:20PM on Sep 1st 2008
23. McCain helped his campaign by picking another maverick and female who can stand up to anyone. Palin has as much experience as Obama on top of his ticket. Palin is a new inspiring pick the republicans need. She has 80 percent approval in Alaska and is the most popular Governor in America. She taxed oil companies and gave it all back to Alaska's taxpayers at $1,200 each.
Obama is a smart inspiring speaker, but Palin's actions speak louder than political words. She has fought corruption in both parties in Alaska. When she speaks she says it like it is, unlike polished career politicians. Some people can talk the talk, but Palin can walk the walk. Anyone with doubts about Palin should watch her interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC.
People are talking negatively about Palin without knowing all the facts about what she has achieved, including the media because they are in love with Obama. The media is saying McCain picked Palin because of Hillary not being picked and I love Hillary, but Sarah is the real deal for republicans and she gives them a new face that they need to reform their party. The Republican Party has always been for the rich and special interests, Sarah represents “we the people” and is against government waste and the good old boy network, this is just what republicans need to fix their image and direction.
Now the race is exciting and change is coming to both parties! History will be made period with either Obama or McCain!
edabelia at 11:19PM on Sep 1st 2008
24. I'm quite convinced, Dinesh, that you would have loved any choice that McCain made for VP as long as he/she agreed with your stances on issues. Great, the far right is appeased. But like you pointed out, they were going to vote for McCain anyway, even if he picked a pro-choice VP. McCain is using Palin to appeal to the Hillary voters. It's insulting to women, frankly, that he would suggest that democratic women would vote for another woman based on her gender and not her stance on the issues. I think McCain's absolute best choice would've been a pro-choice, pro-women female Republican (if one exists). Then the far right would vote for McCain because he is the lesser of two evils (in their view) and he would've been more likely to persuade Hillary voters.
It also shows that McCain is a little delusional about how old he really is. Statistically speaking, he may not live to the end of any term. Therefore Palin's qualifications are of vital importance. I'm not trying to discredit what Palin has done in her life, but she has zero experience on a national level.
Alyssa at 11:18PM on Aug 31st 2008
25. ATHEIST
what worries me... is that Palin seems to be pretty dim.
The "teach the controversy" routine comes from a con game started by Phil Johnson and the Discovery Institute.
there is NO controversy.
We evolved over millions of years.
The idea of teaching creationism as an alternative theory in public schools is complete nonsense.
Palin seems to be in the lower 50% of the country as far as IQ goes. A Vice President should have keen instincts about recognizing scams.
This lady is not qualified for the job.
McCain has just given in to his first special interest group.
He picked an unqualified evangelical because he needs their votes to get elected.
Nothing about McCain will ever impress me now.
William Hays at 11:39PM on Aug 31st 2008
26. ATHEIST
Sarah Palin is in the lower 50% when it comes to intelligence.
she wants to "teach the controversy." To include creationism in public school science classes.
But there is no controversy.
Can we possibly have a VP who is able to tell a scam from a legitimate scientific theory?
this woman is another victim of dumb-down religion.
McCain has just given in to his first special interest group. He needed votes from conservative evangelicals, so he picked an unqualified woman as his VP.
William Hays at 11:43PM on Aug 31st 2008
27. ATHEIST
Also, her position on abortion is ridiculous.
when she was four months pregnant, a test showed that her fetus had a chance to develop Down Syndrome.
According to one site, 90% of women who get such news choose to abort.
Palin had decided, in her stupidity, that any woman who decides NOT to have a baby with Down Syndrome... who chooses an abortion in the fourth month.... should be put in jail.
Palin says the ONLY grounds for a legal abortion should be saving a mother's life.
Candidate Palin is a dimwit. She has the resources to raise a child with Down Syndrome, but many women do not.
McCain only met her once. He didn't happen to administer an IQ test, did he?
Obama impressed me by choosing Biden instead of Clinton. Hillary will have another chance. Biden may not.
William Hays at 11:58PM on Aug 31st 2008
28. Clark post 1 - We should drill here and drill now, wherever, and whenever we can. Explore other energy sorces, and release half of the strategic oil reserves.
Man_in_Wilderness at 12:06AM on Sep 1st 2008
29. WH only wishes to be half as bright as Sarah Palin. Love is something you will never understand.
Man_in_Wilderness at 12:07AM on Sep 1st 2008
30. SP will make a better president than Obamanation any day.
Man_in_Wilderness at 12:10AM on Sep 1st 2008