Palin, as in mail-in: Your vote, that is. Plus some gelt. It’s Sarah Palin, America’s first Vice President who asks for directions when she gets lost driving!
John McCain has made his vice presidential pick: the Republican contender will tap first-term Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, is the first female governor of the state. She has been a longtime supporter of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who will accept the Republican nomination for president in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
The 44-year-old Palin brings working class roots and appeal to female voters, becoming only the second female vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket and a first for the GOP.
Such the move. Any time I heard someone mention Romney, I knew that person had no idea what he was talking about. Run two wealthy white men against the Rainbow Candidate? Sure death. In fact, when John Hawkins ran his poll of righty bloggers’ predictions on McCain’s choice, these were the numbers (zero-vote-getters excluded) –
Out of the following VP candidates rumored to be on McCain’s short list, which one DO YOU THINK HE WILL TAKE?
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Senator, Texas): 1 (1.5%)
Eric Cantor (Congressman, Virginia): 1 (1.5%)
Rob Portman (Former Congressman, Ohio): 1 (1.5%)
Charlie Crist (Governor, Florida): 2 (3%)
Joe Lieberman (Senator, Connecticut): 2 (3%)
Tom Ridge (Former Governor, Pennsylvania): 2 (3%)
Sarah Palin (Governor, Alaska): 4 (6%)
Tim Pawlenty (Governor, Minnesota): 14 (22%)
Mitt Romney (Former Governor, Massachusetts): 37 (58%)
– who do you think was one of the four who predicted Palin? Your blogger friend Ron Coleman! I’m good like that — the brilliant prognosticating that I only trot out when it turns out I’m right!
As John explains in another post:
[W]hy would McCain choose Palin? Well, she does have some real strengths.
* The conservative base would love her.
* She would strongly appeal to Hillary voters.
* She would help McCain go head-to-head with Obama on the “change” meme.
* She is probably the best of the women McCain could pick if the rumors about him and Kay Bailey Hutchinson not getting along are true.
What were John’s reservations?
I really don’t think someone with only 2 years of relevant experience (She was elected governor of Alaska in 2006) should be the Vice-President. I also think her selection would undercut McCain’s “not ready to lead” attacks on Obama . . .
He’s in error here, because there are no qualifications or experience required for a job whose main task is attending funerals. And unlike Obama, she is number two on the ticket, not number one. That’s a huge difference. Meanwhile, all the bullet points are huge political positives.
Hurray for America!
Cross-posted on Likelihood of Success.
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She would strongly appeal to Hillary voters.
I don’t think this is true. She is very strongly pro-life, and that is not going to appeal to Hillary voters.
He’s in error here, because there are no qualifications or experience required for a job whose main task is attending funerals. And unlike Obama, she is number two on the ticket, not number one. That’s a huge difference. Meanwhile, all the bullet points are huge political positives.
The problem with this is that John McCain is 72 years old and has had some health problems. Putting a light weight on the ticket as VP is not going to do anything to relieve the concern a lot of voters have about John McCain’s age and health.
You failed to mention this also:
http://www.adn.com/legislature/story/471366.html
Really, mikeca? I guess Geraldine Ferraro is not a Hillary voter. (Via Gateway, via Glenn.) Or an important or symbolic one. Keep whistling!
As to your second point, anyone who thinks McCain’s going to drop dead during his presidency shouldn’t vote for him, regardless of his VP candidate.Â
As for your link, as of this minute it leads to a "404"…
Ron Coleman’s last blog post..Palin as in mail-in
I’m good like that — the brilliant prognosticating that I only trot out when it turns out I’m right!
Dude you know it’s the only way to prognosticate!
I guess Geraldine Ferraro is not a Hillary voter. (Via Gateway, via Glenn.) Or an important or symbolic one. Keep whistling!
Yeah she’s a good source of advice because her and Mondale’s campaign was the bomb! "The bomb" as like it blew up in their faces.
Congratulations on your perspicuity Ron!
I’m looking forward to seeing her in Washington for quite a few years.
I think I’ll run me up some ‘Palin ‘12′ posters right now.
John_B’s last blog post..Review of Arabian Knight
At the very least, Obama needs a new campaign theme. This choice certainly takes the wind out of the sails of the “Change†theme.
As for your link, as of this minute it leads to a "404"…
I tested the link just after I posted it, although that same link worked in another browser I had open. Don’t understand why, but I found a link that appears to work and corrected it after a few minutes. It works for me now.
Link worked for me now, too.
That’s what you’ve got, huh? Well, when it comes to ethics, she’s a piker all right — compared to Joe Biden!
Jrogge, I would never posit Geraldine Ferraro as a source of "advice" or political or other wisdom. Very much to the contrary, you will see I was referring to her as a "Hillary voter" (sorry, Dean!).
Ron Coleman’s last blog post..Palin as in mail-in
Here is the Washington Post summary of the confusing "troopergate" or "wootengate" scandal.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/08/mccains_vp_pick_palin_facing_e.html
This is actually a pretty minor scandal compared to the other scandals that have been going on with Republicans in Alaska. Ted Stevens, a US Senators from Alaska, is currently facing criminal charges. Don Young, the congressman from Alaska, is under investigation. Last I saw, Don Young had won the Republican primary, but by the thinest of margins.
The way I see it, Palin is not one but several lengths of rope, handed to a campaign that has demonstrated an irresistable rope fetish.
Jrogge, I would never posit Geraldine Ferraro as a source of "advice" or political or other wisdom. Very much to the contrary, you will see I was referring to her as a "Hillary voter" (sorry, Dean!).
My apologies for conveying I thought you did. :O I was just joining in on ribbing Ferraro, which is a lot of fun if you’re a nerd like myself.
I poked around a bit at mike’s first link, and the wapo summary seems a bit short on the facts.Â
Based on what I read there, she had the authority to fire any commissioner for any reason, or no reason whatsoever.  Of course, I’m not a labor lawyer, but she certainly seems to have acted within her bounds there. But I’ll let the lawyers sort that one out.Â
And if you read the pdf documents on the site, you can see that it’s not just her family that was making accusations against the trooper (who is her sisters ex-husband).  Apparently, an internal investigation by the state police found those claims to be legit, and suspended him for them in 2006 (wooten_suspend_letter.pdf).   And it wasn’t drunk driving, but drinking beer while in his patrol car.  And the child abuse claims came from him using a taser on his son.  It’ all spelled out right there. Â
Now, maybe this is a scandal for her, maybe not.  But my biggest issue here is with the Post. I just spent 10 minutes poking around the web, and I found this stuff. How did they miss it?
I just spent 10 minutes poking around the web, and I found this stuff. How did they miss it?
There are none so blind as those that will not see.
Apparently in 2000 Palin supported the 3rd or 4th party candidacy of Pat Buchanan rather than George Bush.
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite
Nah, Palin’s a great choice just ask Geraldine!
Video of Alaskan local news report explaining "troopergate" scandal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UojMnCgqVA
Based on what I read there, she had the authority to fire any commissioner for any reason, or no reason whatsoever.
I assume this is true, but that does not mean that the firing was not an abuse of that power.
It appears that Palin has changed her story on this in the last few weeks. At first she denied anyone pressured the commissioner, now that a tape of one of her staff pressuring the commissioner has been made public, she admits that her staff did pressure him but denies that she was aware of it or personally pressured him herself. The commissioner in the video above says that Palin tried to discuss Whooten with him a couple of times, but each time he told her it was inappropriate for them to discuss the issue.
It looks like Palin has been less than candid about the whole affair.
Mike:
Yeah, troopergate is a real scandal!! WOW!!
Sure puts Obama’s association with America hating terrorists and rabble rousers into perspective, doesn’t it?
Oh yeah, it does.
CosmicConservative’s last blog post..Obama vs. Palin, political death match:
Mikeca: If she had unlimited authority to fire anyone from the commission, with or without cause, then there cannot be anything abusive in doing so, by definition.
You’re free to define words as you like, of course, but most people stick with the dictionary definitions.
If you want to go with something like, ‘bad judgment’ or ‘raising suspicion’ or ‘giving her enemies a club with which to beat her’, you might be closer to the facts. But ‘abuse’? Nuh-uh.
John_B’s last blog post..Review of Arabian Knight
I think Mc Cain is a very clever strategist but he may have put himself and the party in a lot of trouble. Brilliant move but wrong pick, I think there are plenty of woman candidates he could have chosen from the Republican Party, that are already known to the public and had a broader range of experience. I also believe that a man with Palin’s same qualifications and credentials would be laughed at. Republicans especially women republicans are focusing too much on her being a WOMAN making history than they are thinking about this country! I think this is an attempt to marginalize Obama and to gain the Democrats defectors that were lost when Clinton did not get picked for VP. I also think groups like PUMA are strongly misguided and take Clinton’s lose too personal. This is not about you this is about what is best for the nation! I am strongly insulted about Mc Cain’s blind pick to choose a woman to gain Clinton’s supports, other than having the same body parts they are nothing alike! I feel that Obama supporters and Clinton’s supporters have a whole different vibe. Obama supporters pick him for the country while Clinton supporters pick her for her gender, and if you are a Clinton supporter that is jumping on the Republican band-wagon over this stunt shame on you! I feel that Obama supporters and Clinton’s supporters have a whole different vibe. Obama supporters pick him for the country while Clinton supporters pick her for her gender, and if you are a Clinton supporter that is jumping on the Republican band-wagon over this stunt shame on you! The Democrat party has to come together to win this if not we will have another poor Republican president for another 4 more years or longer.
Such as?
Ron Coleman’s last blog post..Palin as in mail-in
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