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And by Quayle, I mean an inexperienced, weak vice-presidential candidate. And that’s what Sarah Palin brings to the table – almost no experience in governance even in her own state. I might add that Alaskan Republicans could be the most corrupt in the country, and Sarah Palin is close with them, even Republican Senator Ted Stevens after he was indicted. She’s actually under an ethics investigation right now.
What a weak, desperate move.
UPDATE: Obama’s response:
“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” said Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.
UPDATE II: In a CNBC interview earlier this month, Palin admitted that she didn’t even know what the VP does:
“But as for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell ya, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me, what is it exactly that the VP does every day?” – Sarah Palin, 8/1/08, CNBC, “Kudlow and Company”
maybe … but very politically astute–at least short-term. The unexpectedness of the choice allows him to steal the media spotlight from Obama’s magnificent speech last night. The choice of a woman guarantees lots of media coverage and may actually persuade some women that he respects women’s rights, while the fact that she is against reproductive choice, and a strong creationist will help to palliate the fears he raises in the fundie base.
Of course it remains to see how it all really plays out … and if the Democrats will be able turn some of those features into negatives (creationism doesn’t play that well outside the base), while playing up the fact that an inexperienced politician from a remote area is not, maybe, a wise choice to back-up a septuagenarian president hopeful.
the spotlight away from Obama and he’s getting it. He also wanted to shore up the right wingnut base of the Republican Party. Palin is apparently avidly anti-choice (as your update shows).
But in the end I do not think this selection helps him. It undermines one of his principle messages reagarding Obama – lack of experience. This wasn’t a particularly winning message anyway but it was one of the few messages McCain has that might resonate and most people saw Obama’s selection of Biden as a response to those criticisms. Obama won’t need to respond in the future because the media will do it for him. If McCain brings up experience the media will point out that he selected someone without experience to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Expect to see the question put to him at debates.
In addition, Palin is subject to an ongoing ethics investigation. Normally I would say that this would simply be ignored by the media or mentioned in passing as alleged ethics violations can get mind-numbingly boring. But this allegation is like a soap opera and is just made for cable TV: As described by Alaska media in July:
To me this is a silly matter compared to many of the Republican ethics violations that have happened. But cable news understands the drama of messy divorces while they don’t understand many other ethics problems.
In addition, as you point out, her husband works for Big Oil. Not a positive in this day of high gas prices and after having two “oil men” in the white house for eight years.
the Rove-publicans probably shouldn’t have let John McCain make his own pick here.
But watch a giant halo come down over the Unknown Governor here. After all, she’ll just be dreamy to the media. Never mind that she’s under investigation for corruption.
I have Newsbank access covering Alaska for a good long time. Wonder what they have on Palin’s history. 😉
But yes, picking a woman to get the undecided Clinton vote works better when you don’t pick Hillary Clinton’s polar opposite.
“independents” follow political talk very closely. They will see an attractive woman who has occupied an executive position (which is a type of experience that McCain, come to think of it, lacks) and be satisfied. Corporate interests, think big-oil especialy, are undoubtedly delighted as will be the to-date rather unenthusiastic rightwing religious.
What makes it all less risky is what RBH refers to as the Halo effect and what I refer to as a media already in the tank for McCain.
..on CSPAN from a Feb. ’08 interview. After the mention of her being a potential VP, a caller called in and said she’s a Hillary supporter, but thought that Palin was a breath of fresh air, and would consider supporting her. Somebody was watching apparently…
That fact that Palin mentioned Ferraro and Clinton in her speech definitely points to McCain playing his hand to what’s on the table. They’ve abandoned the ‘experience’ argument and are trying to energize the Republican base.
Will be intereting to see the Republican convention this week — Obama’s speech last night was so off the hook, I saw it down at the Moolah, I can’t imagine McCain/Palin being able to match that.
…”endorsed by an indicted politician” is something no Democrat could get away with.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwcbBbVNIsI&hl=en&fs=1%5D
Silly me! *IOKIYAR.
*it’s okay if you’re a republican
Palin called Hillary a whiner. Newsweek has the video.
And she’s supposed to attract Hillary’s supporters?
Warrensburg, Missouri: 16340 people
Wasilla, Alaska: 5470 people
The Mayor of Warrensburg needs to start preparing for a Gubernatorial run, so he can serve a term and become Vice President.
here