McCain's mental/physical health should be an issue now. I completely forgive him for losing his faculties--they are outside of his control. I do not forgive the media for allowing this charade to continue. McCain is unhealthy. He is a propped-up candidate running for an unseen cabal. He is the opposite of a maverick--he is a puppet. Sarah the Unready is as chilling as she is insulting.

The best that may be said of Sarah Palin is that she is a Republican.

This is also the worst that may be said of her.

It is also the best that may be said of John McCain.

It is also the worst that may be said of him.

Party label is all. Nothing else matters. The identities of the individuals don't matter. Their backgrounds and attitudes don't matter.

John McCain does not exist. Sarah Palin does not exist. George W. Bush never did either.

The Republican Party exists.

Great post. The Palin selection was just pure politics. If, God forbid, he were to die in office, he is saying "good luck" to all Americans just so he might win. That is not "Country First"

Her choice is indeed mind-boggling. She is a train wreck of a choice. The two reflect abhorantly on each other. Her inexperience highlights McCain's advanced age, while his age highlighths her abject lack of relevant experience. It's the last thing either of them need, but about the only thing it leaves them.

Meanwhile, an investigation of her abuse of power - in the stunningly short time she held it - simmers along. I expect het to graciously step down to spend more time with her family and lawyers.

Come on, Steve. Tell us how you really feel.

I have suggested this before, but the message on an ad really should be "John McCain thinks you're stupid." He may be right, mind you.

It feels as if the Republican establishment, having rallied around John McCain, a man they neither trusted nor liked, are now in a position where they will have to start manning the lifeboats.

The finest election fighting machine in the Western World, appears to have, at least for the moment, lost its mojo.

Karl Rove must be gnashing his teeth.

It seems to me that almost everyone who is touched by Bush seems to throw a lifetime of achievements and respect away for the privelage of whoring themselves to the King. I always felt bad for Powell; I have not an ounce of sympathy for all the others who sold their soul to the devil!

think we all know who was responsible for that, the Godless liberals who cannot stand having their immorality shoved back in their ugly face!! The defenders of free thought, the Big Bang theory and evolution, are not only striking out at me, but at all Christians. . Last night, while I was sitting on my front-porch swing, gazing up at Heaven, President Bush appeared to me in a vision. He told me that my work was not yet finished, there were still many liberals who had not yet seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!! President Bush would not be in the White House right now if God didn't want him there. President Bush was put in a position of leadership in order to wipe the devil's religion of Islam off the face of the Earth, so that the Christian God can fill the world with His message of peace and love. President Bush has stated numerous times that he speakes with God in the Oval Office, he even asked God for military advice before the invasion of Iraq. Modern liberalism is the equivalent of atheism, liberals are in favor of killing babies, raising taxes, teaching evolution, and same sex marriage. Jesus is opposed to all of these horrible things.

"But that doesn't change the fact that this is the single most ridiculous development in presidential politics in a generation."

How about in history?

I am absolutely baffled by this selection. Soon after the announcement it was clear that many of the talking heads were visibly stunned.

There is simply no way it can be justified. If this choice improves McCain's chances, then the American people do not deserve their democracy.

But the media quickly recovered from the shock, and they're going to pretend she's a legitimate candidate from here on out.

It's a version of the The Emperor's New Clothes.

They've pretended for eight years that Bush is a just an every day president, not a catastrophe, and if they can do that, then this is child's play.

By the way, Steve - are you going to announce that you're going to watch the Republican convention so we don't have to?

Thanks.

I am as appalled as anyone by the Palin decision, but I sense some irony here. For a long time the netroots railed against the term "serious" as neocon code for pro-war commentators. If you were against the war, you were not a "serious" foreign policy thinker.

Count me as one person who is not going to take up the cry of "serious" in this campaign.

A skillfully wrought post Mr. Benen.
One of your best.
Thank you.

**

"(My friend) explained to me a variety of reasons why John McCain's campaign will benefit, significantly, as a result of this move. I suspect he's probably right."

Last night, I would have agreed. Today, I have the sense that this pick is already falling apart. Palin will not attract voters who aren't aren't already dead-set against Obama. To any objective observer, Palin is shockingly inexperienced, which highlights McCain's age. Palin is as conservative socially as they come. And she raised taxes in Alaska!

What was your friend's take on Palin? Other than possibly firing up the evangelical Republican base, how does Palin help the ticket?

>"John McCain thinks you're stupid." He may be right, mind you."

Well, they were right in 2000 and 2004. There literally seems to be no bottom to the ignorance well of the america electorate. Go figure.

Thinking more and more about leaving the US.
The smart folks left Germany in 1934.

Steve, This is one of the most thoughtful, thought provoking and insightful articles you have ever written. And I say that as one of your biggest fans. You need to tweak it and re-work it a bit and submit it to as many op/ed pages as you can.

Note: The para right before you quote Drum needs the word Don't inserted in it a few times, unless I'm totally misreading it.

And remind Ms CB to set the tivo to Primeval tonight. (G)

This is some of your best writing ever.

Those who take affairs of state seriously may take cheap shots, shade the truth now and then, and run the kind of conventional campaigns we've all grown accustomed to, but honorable Americans of character don't gamble with the nation's well-being. They know there are lines that can't be crossed for expediency's sake, no matter how strong the temptation.

What on earth on you talking about? Have you watched the last two Republican Presidential campaigns?

On target, Steve. That's why I wince at all the personal vitriol being spewed in Palin's direction. Just leave her alone, for heaven's sake! John McCain is digging a hole. Don't interfere.

The more the Democrats attack the indefensible Palin, the more sympathy she will get. Let McCain explain his choice.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but it takes two. This marriage of convenience reflects badly on both of them. While the older and supposedly wiser McCain should know better, someone needs to put it to Palin straight up: Why does she think she's ready to be President and CiC?

"If there's a more complete collapse in modern political times, from hero to clown, I can't think of it."

A friend and I were talking a few months ago about how Giuliani's GOP primary collapse -- going from overwhelming frontrunner to also-ran, from 9/11 hero to man whose invocations of 9/11 are the subject of Leno jokes -- had earned the title of the most shocking collapse of a politician in our lifetime. McCain might overtake Rudy with this joke of a veep pick.

I'm still cynical enough to believe it might work, but G-d help us if it does.

Relax everyone. This is a scared Hail Mary. The Obama ad has it right. It's irrelevant. Some Republican bloviator recently said on television that if McCain's pick was someone safe, like Pawlenty, it would show he was confident, if he went 'outside the box', (Pawlenty) it meant he was scared. The Democratic Convention terrified them into doing something they will regret.

Obviously I meant to type (Palin), not Pawlenty, above.

I'm glad McCain wants to steal the limelight right after the DNC. Yes, let's talk more about McCain please. Let's psychoanalyze his pick for VP. Let's talk about his voting record and the multitude of corporate entities he placates to. He hasn't been thrust in the celebrity spotlight long enough for the average voter to get a sense of what a sham he has become. More double talk clips on prime time please.

Agree with other comments: One of your best posts yet, Steve.

Prediction: Since this is indeed an unprecedented campaign season, I think we will soon see Palin withdraw herself as the VP pick to "spend more time with her family." Seriously. Given a day's worth of coverage, I don't possibly see how she will hold up for two months. We know McCain is already no longer in control of his campaign (or himself, it seems). As it becomes painstakingly more clear how bad the Palin pick was, I think McCain advisors will demand she's graciously ousted so they can cut their losses and at least have a reasonable shot in November.

To put it another way using the pundit's favorite sports analogy: The Hail Mary pass, while up in the air yesterday, is coming down to Earth today, and there are no receivers in sight.

I've wracked my brains to make sense of this.

If McCain himself drove this, well, he's managed to shoot himself down hot-dogging. But I suspect he's done that before, and he's actually proud of it.

The other thought that occurred to me is that the Republicans just don't expect to win this year. So their choices reflect decisions about how to position the party for the future. McCain himself helps burnish the toughness image, and significantly helps the independent image. Palin burnishes their feminist credentials (they think) -- or, at least, provides an argument against the claim that they are, as usual in the past 100 years, on the wrong side of history as far as civil rights are concerned -- and throws a sop to the Christian fundamentalists -- "see, look what we did for you!" -- so that 2 and 4 years from now, they don't have to do very much to get their support.

I think Palin's lack of experience raises legitimate issues about McCain's age and health. We salute him for his military service, but let's remember he was physically and mentally tortured for five and a half years. There's no way this doesn't accelerate the debilitating effects of aging. Just saying...

I think it's now official McCain is the Bill Veeck of politics sending a midget to bat in order to bring attention to a losing team.

I think it's now official McCain is the Bill Veeck of politics sending a midget to bat in order to bring attention to a losing team.

"...the crowd gave Gaedel a standing ovation."

Which only reaffirms the theory that people would rather be entertained by a circus than think that this situation is really really dumb.

President Bush has stated numerous times that he speakes with God in the Oval Office, he even asked God for military advice before the invasion of Iraq.
Truechristian

You know, Truechristian, I have always been curious about that. When God talks with Bush, does He address him as "Mr President" or just, Dubya?

This is all great fun, but here's an interesting exchange from the comments at Kevin Drum's blog:
--------------------------------------------------
Is this the Sarah Palin Blog? What happened to Obama?
Posted by: Bye Al on 08/30/08 at 4:36 PM
--------------------------------------------------
What happened to Obama?
Sarah Palin.
Posted by: JS on 08/30/08 at 4:39 PM
--------------------------------------------------

I think this choice also says something about the polls. If McCain really thought he was even with Obama, he wouldn't have made this choice. Unless, of course, at the last minute he found HUGE scandals surrounding Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty, Lieberman, Ridge and Portman. Always a possibility, but unlikely he found them all at the same time.

Obama-Biden doesn't need to even mention the word experience. Just run a series of ads continuing the poor judgement of McCain and show as many pics of Sarah Palin as possible and Russian tanks rolling through Georgia. Make it clear that she's a mistake without even mentioning 'experience.' Rove is a maggot, but we can use his insights without being dishonest. He's right in saying that sometimes politics is watching TV with the sound off. Let's take advantage of the tools we have to work with here.

Also run a hard-hitting series on corruption featuring lots of Keating 5 images of McCain and plenty of info on Palin's Monegan firing. Corruption is a major problem for the Republican party. It took them down in 2006 and it's still a real liability.

Obama and his team have an enormous toolbox of issues to nail McCain and his new pick to the wall. They just have to be bold and relentless, just like their GOP friends. We're the good guys.

We have to beat these motherfuckers.

It's obvious that McCain is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease. Why won't anybody in power require that he get a physical examination immediately? Even if he hadn't chosen Palin, having him as president would put our nation in danger, because he's no longer all there.

When God talks with Bush

Actually that mystery was solved several years ago. http://www.theonion.com/content/node/43189

larry,

I am equally confused. I can see why leading Republicans wouldn't want to join McCain's ticket to protect themselves for future runs, but I'm pretty sure McCain himself would not go along with any electoral strategy that conceded defeat this year.

So while I see the value in this pick to the Republicans as a party, in the end its McCain's pick, so somehow, he must feel like this was his best shot. Personally, I think quite a few people turned him down for the VP slot (Mittens, Pawlenty for sure imho), and Palin was the best 'B' lister he could get to come on board.

The Sarah Palin selection had one primary over whelming reason. She will energize the Base – an evangelistic Christian one heart beat away from the Presidency. The long rant about the importance of qualified candidates is pointless. These voters know government is evil. Competency is beside the point. Mother Palin will lead the United States to its appointed destiny with a nuclear Apocalypse.

Great post, great comments. Want to repeat one I read elsewhere: McCain must think very little of himself if he thinks she can fill his shoes.

Republicant's obviously have a different meaning for the phrase "most qualified."

Remember when Clarence Thomas was the "most qualified" person to be on the Supreme Court?

it's a bad decision, but I don't think it's as bad as many decisions made by the current occupant of he white house.

I know this is a sample of one, but....

My mom is 80 years old. She's a moderate and an independent. She used to vote mostly Republican, although in recent years she's been more Dem. She like McCain in 2000. This year she was a big Hillary supporter. Recently she's told me she guessed she'd vote for Obama, but she's none too happy about it.

She is precisely one of those folks that McCain needs to reach.

This morning I got an email from her. It read in total: What do you think about McCain's pick for VP? I think he's lost his marbles.

"From Hero to Clown". That about sums it up.

TRUECRISTIAN (sic) wrote: Last night, while I was sitting on my front-porch swing, gazing up at Heaven, President Bush appeared to me in a vision.

Me: George Bush is dead???

TRUECRISTIAN (sic) wrote: President Bush was put in a position of leadership in order to wipe the devil's religion of Islam off the face of the Earth, so that the Christian God can fill the world with His message of peace and love.

Me: You do realize that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship, don't you? All three religions descended from Abraham and share many of the same values, such as peace and love, care for others.

Hannah, informed and tolerant Christian

PA: The Palin announcement probably stepped all over Barack Obama's post-convention bounce.

No, no, no. To the contrary, it provided exactly the right light relief and frivolous entertainment we need after the greatest political feast of a lifetime. That convention did its job at every level. It's consummately profound effect has touched a chord in the American consciousness that will persist through this election and beyond. Like any bountiful banquet, one needs time relax to savor the pleasure and satisfaction of its nutritious benefits. One does not immediately run off to the next burgher stall.

Let's not paint the lily or gild refined gold. McPOW is a Monty Python joke. He's toast.

Believe it. It's over. Have fun.

The horse that Caligula made a Roman consul could not succeed him. In that respect, at least, his was the wiser of the two decisions.

My mom is 80 years old...

This morning I got an e-mail from her...

That's all you needed to say. She's already more tech savvy than the Republican nominee.

There have been 42 presidents of the United States (Grover Cleveland served 2 non-consecutive terms, so counts as both 22nd and 24th president), of whom 8 have died in office. Roughly one in five.

William Henry Harrison. Died April 4, 1841, aged 68 of pneumonia.

Zachary Taylor. Died July 9, 1850, aged 65 of gastroenteritis.

Abraham Lincoln. Died April 15, 1865, aged 56. Assassinated.

James Abram Garfield. Died September 19, 1881, aged 49. Assassinated.

Warren Gamaliel Harding. Died August 2, 1923, aged 57 of heart attack.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Died April 12, 1945, aged 63 of cerebral hemorrhage.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Died November 22, 1963, aged 46. Assassinated.

Add onto that list Richard Milhous Nixon - who was the only president who resigned - and you have nine out of forty-two who didn't see the end of their presidential term.

As I said, roughly one in five. Your vice-presidential pick is important.

My take on this? While it may "energize" the base, the base isn't enough to win the election. This in-your-face, smacked-with-a-2/4, obviously politically-motivated move, is going to come to haunt McCain.
Simply focusing on McCain during the campaign will be more than enough to demonstrate that the Senator from AR(R) isn't fit (physically or mentally) to be president. Then all eyes will turn to McCain's choice as VP...

This is really one of the most dangerous situations our country has faced (outside of war). If McCain wins and dies, we'll have an outright theocracy.

That's Just What I Said

They've been waiting for the antichrist, but with Palin we're getting the anti-Gore.

That's Just What I Said

McCain on Fox, July 24:

HANNITY: ... then what are you looking for in a vice president?

MCCAIN: Someone who shares your priorities, your principles, your values, and I've got to also say priorities. One of the toughest decisions a president makes is setting priorities, and so that has to be — those obviously important characteristics, and one of them, of course, is someone who can take your place immediately.

That's maybe viewed by some as even more important in my case.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,390062,00.html

My 69-year-old mother, a lifelong Republican who voted for Nixon in 1960, was a Romney supporter until he dropped out. Then she switched to McCain, though she had reservations about his health and age. She hoped he would pick Mitt for VP, but when she heard about Palin she just looked kind of sick.

This Palin thing has had the unfortunate effect of distracting attention.

If you haven't donated to Obama since the convention, if you haven't signed up to volunteer, now is the time to do so!

"Let all brave citizens come to the aid of their country!"

Hannah, I think Truecristian was trying to be funny.

It's about winning, Steve - don't you get it? Is he being advised by a team of constitutional experts? NO!!!Is he being advised by a concerned group of consumer advocates, or philosophers or scientists? NO!!!!!!!! He's being advised by a group of mendacious self-interested greedy political ideologues - including Karl Rove, the single worst thing to happen to politics since the high-powered rifle - who knows how to stick its collective hand up the voter's ass like a finger puppet and make him/her do or say anything they like.

It's pure political theatre; didn't you notice that Ms. Palin couldn't even get through her response to the initial introduction without speaking in praise of Hillary Clinton, clearly angling to peel off angry Clinton supporters?

All McCain cares about is winning, like the presidency was some kind of trophy; and God knows, perhaps to him it is. Cindy McCain will put up with any amount of her old-goat husband's adolescent prancing, to have, "The White House" written on her china. And the truly hilarious thing is, not one of his advisers gives a damn about any of the three of them - McCain is just a means to an end. He'll do anything they tell him, from cutting taxes on millionaires to upending his bowl of breakfast oatmeal on his head.

McCain is the key to the vehicle called Business As Usual. A President McCain will permit even more invasions upon the privacy of Americans, all in the name of "keeping you safe"; more war and debt, and a global image that spirals down into the dirt from whence it sprung.

But all he will have to do is say the right things, talk tough a little, make a few jokes - and the voters will pull the lever for him every time. Americans never tire of being hoodwinked; it's like the national sport, except you only play it every four years.

"Country First" - what a laugh. It could just as easily say "Macaroni First" or "Short-Haired Terriers First" for all the relevance it really has to McCain's agenda.

I'm getting flashbacks to Harriet Mier's nomination to the Supreme Court. Are Republicans simply unable to judge women based on their merits or something?

I think in McCain's simple way of thinking, he thought, "hey, that guy Obama doesn't have any experience relative to mine, and he's leading me in the polls, so what the hell does experience matter in a choice?" I imagine the right-wing blogs (never quite have the heart to read them) are frequently using Obama's inexperience as a justification for McCain's choice.

While Obama IS relatively inexperienced in the ways that Washington measures things, I've thought that the sheer number of years in DC belies some other aspects that demonstrate seriousness and experience; namely, community organizing (which ought to help in getting bills through Congress) and in particular, the very professional way that Obama has run the campaign. Winning against a clear favorite like Clinton is an accomplishment that says that the dude has organizational and management talents.

So while Palin and Obama, in some metrics, may both appear to be inexperienced, to my mind these Republican arguments just don't hold, for we've seen Obama in the heat of it for the last 18 months, and learned he's a cool customer. We've kicked his tires, slammed his doors.

I suppose that Palin might prove herself better than we think in the test drive the public gives her in the next two months, but I seriously doubt it.

Good post, Steve.

Tom

I think people should relaz and enjoy the moment. John McCain made a blunder of epic proportions. He will finish his political career a joke. He may have energized the most extreme and radical element of the Republican base, but that's not how he's going to win this election.

The announcement was yesterday morning. More than 24 hours later I still have not seen anything from leading Republicans. Silence. The negative appraisals are beginning to come in from all sorts of directions. He's either treated this election with stunning recklessness and distrespect or he;s not in control of his sences. The theme of the Republican convention was supposed to be "experience." Good luck with that now.

All this hand-wring over how this ludicrous theater of bizzarre will help him is just talking heads trying to fill cable time.

John McCain flushed his chances down the crapper. I predict the Republicans will cut him loose and try their luck in 2012.

The makers of Ambien have announced a change to their product's health warning:

"Sleepwalking, and eating, driving or naming a running mate while not fully awake, with amnesia for the event, have been reported. If you experience any of these behaviors contact your provider immediately."

Thanks for keeping on keeping on with the Palin analysis. McBush may well have lost his presidency bid--and good thing about that.
I think the woman-haters of the world will unite against the inexperienced, grating-voiced Palin any way--they are out there-- not to mention the election draws the Barr campaign will take from old McCain. (Fortuitous)
She's like some annoying prom queen back in high school, with her loud, demonstrative presentation. And I look forward to her inadequate debate on foreign policy with the eloquent Joe Biden. She stupidly went on record saying she knew nothing about Iraq. And I am a woman myself, so this is not mysogynist.
McCain is such an opportunist, thinking he could court the disaffected Hillary supporters.
What a jackass.

Oh, it makes plenty of sense. The GOP is looking beyond the election -- putting a fundie whacko on the ticket sends a message to the other fundie whackos that the GOP is still their party. McCain himself can't send that message. And it sends the even more important message that the GOP is still the party to which they should send their checks. Not throwing in the towel, mind you, more like hedging their bets.

"Campaigns have their ads, their polls, and their tactics, but at the end of the day, credible people who care about the country know that this is more than just a theatrical game -- the future of the nation counts more than the future of a candidate."

steve, bro, you know this has not been true since 1968, at least...
they were able to camouflage the true, purely theatrical nature of the thing until the 24-hr news cycle came along. Since '92, the campaigns have been all about theatrics, and the 24/7/365 strategy. McStain's choice does more to highlight the utter unseriousness of the project than anything else I could think of; nothing more obviously demonstrates the kabuki aspect.

Somebody somewhere suggested a Harriet Meiers analogy: the Cooter from Wasilla would, after a couple of days of notoriety, quietly withdraw to be a mom to her Downs kid, having stomped all over the Dims' post-convention "bounce," and then POW Prince can nominate ANOTHER loser, to the swoons of the SCUM...

Hell, for all I know, this one decision might actually help McCain win the presidency. But that doesn't change the fact that this is the single most ridiculous development in presidential politics in a generation.

—Steve Benen

I take it you mean for the nation, right? Certainly not for republicans.

She has no obvious expertise in any area,[...]-- Benen

I've heard that she's a *much* better hunter than Cheney is. That, or she's better at covering up for her accidents.

The novelty and gimmickry might hold sway with those who base their votes on who they'd like to have a beer with,[...] -- Benen

Well, in this case, the guys might be basing their vote on who they'd like to have a shower with, rather than a beer. While it exhibits equal disregard for reality (a beer? With a recovering alcoholic?), it better reflects what her particular appeal might be.

My husband *says* he doesn't think she's pretty but he's either lying (in the cause of domestic peace and quiet), or he's only seen the worst photos of her. I think she'd give Cindy a run for Miss Buffalo (or Miss Moose) Chip, any time.

When I read this it reminded me of when I interviewed for a job as an organizer for the Chris Dodd campaign last summer--I think I spoke to the campaign team for about 30-45 minutes. Which is to say, the Dodd team spent more time interviewing its organizers than McCain spent vetting his VP.

All this blathering about how unqualified she is and how crazy Grandpa McCoy sounds is fine, but I just watched the NBC Nightly and they did a puff piece on Palin with all sorts of "Jes Folks" from Alaska ruminating on how wonderful she is. Not a dissenting voice in the crowd. Not an opposing view , wherein they were more than generous putting Biden's gaffes on a loop after he was selected. The MSM is in the bag for the Repugs and will frame her as acceptable candidate. The same low information doofuses that elected Dubya will lap it up. I fear for this country

He completely lost my 79 year old Mom. She was insulting him in an unusually vehement way awhile ago with real specificity and questioning every motive he's got. She didn't like the Palin thing at all and she was very disappointed when Hillary finally fell by the wayside. It was a hard slog for her to come around on her own to see that Obama is a good choice.

My 92 year old Uncle, who was a Seabee on Iwo Jima, was pro McBush some months ago just because it was one old soldier tipping his hat to another. But now he scoffs at McBush and has no qualms about Obama.

The theatrics of this remind me of the Brooks Brothers Riot which tossed an effective monkey wrench into the '00 election. It was outlandish, bogus, a jump shot from way outside, totally contrived but it worked. Out of thin air they manufactured their own reality.

I see the same go for broke, damn the torpedoes willingness to do what-ever-it-f'in-takes to get and hold on to power. And they want it even worse than this stupidity we gaze upon. This may look like a last chance hail mary but there are more insults waiting.

It is impossible to imagine the garbage they are desperate to hide.

So while Palin and Obama, in some metrics, may both appear to be inexperienced, to my mind these Republican arguments just don't hold, for we've seen Obama in the heat of it for the last 18 months, and learned he's a cool customer. We've kicked his tires, slammed his doors.

I'll be the first to confess to scratching my head on Palin. But on Obama's experience, you're rationalizing.

Never ran and executive organization (the buck stops here). Very little time in the senate, most of that running for office. Has not brought forward legislative bills of any note (where's the Obama - XXXX Bill?) His claim to fame is that he voted the right way on Iraq. His vetting is basically just running for the Presidency. No performance record otherwise.

Palin on the other hand actually has sat in the driver's seat where the buck does indeed stop, i.e., she's run a state. So I consider their experience equivalent, with her's better tailored for an executive position.

But the *vetting* of the two...clearly Obama has had 18 months of scrutiny and she's had 18 hours. And the process of her choice???

Again, I'm scratching my head and just watching.

But she has nice tits!

I am puzzled by announcing on Friday afternoon of Labor Day weekend. I would not expect many people (not already politically very committed) to be paying attention to political news, or any besides the weather.

Palin - maybe it would help to explain the positives she brings.

Sarah Palin may be a ridiculous pick to you and me, but everything we see as a negative True Believer Republicans see as a positive. Remember, Republicans don't believe in government.

She's no more unqualified that the mighty O.

My husband *says* he doesn't think she's pretty but he's either lying (in the cause of domestic peace and quiet), or he's only seen the worst photos of her.

Let's hope there's not an effect comparable to the Bradley effect in the voting booth. A Sarah effect could doom Barry and Joe.

She's no more unqualified that the mighty O.

Obama organized his campaign so well that he was able to beat the person who was considered "inevitable" less than a year ago. All Palin had to do was not be Murkowski (who came in third in the primary anyway) or Stevens.

For all everyone complains about Obama's campaigning instead of legislating, he sure does it well. It says a lot when you can run a huge organization and come from behind to take out the favorite and still have plenty of money left to take out the guy from the other party.

Anyone who questions Obama's experience (remember, here's a guy smart enough to know that there was no actual benefit to the United States in slaughtering the children of Iraq for the entertainment of idiots) has to demonstrate that McCain (POW) has (POW) something (POW) that (POW) qualifies (POW) him (POW) for (POW) the (POW) job (POW). And, I'm going to gently suggest that dropping bombs on the people of Vietnam for the entertainment of idiots (hm...I sense a theme here) and then going back so he could be shot down doesn't really cut it.

The goons whining about Obama haven't really shown anything when it comes to describing why this angry old man, whose palpable ignorance about foreign policy makes him the Bush of this election (an empty suit with bullshit claims of "bipartisanship"), should do anything but continue to warm the crazy-person Senate seat from Arizona.

I'd like to hear more from women who have spoken to other women. My wife wouldn't vote for a Republican anyway, but her sisters are independent, and all of them are stunned at this pick. They're not really politicos, but they see it for exactly what it is: a laughingly transparent attempt to appeal to women (Hillary supporters) by saying basically, hey Palin's on my team and she has a vagina too. Every woman I've talked to is offended that he would think they are that stupid. I mean it really isn't a paean to women, it's a dirty old man saying, hey Toots, I'm hip, I'm cool, check out this young broad I gave a good job to.

Obama organized his campaign so well that he was able to beat the person who was considered "inevitable" less than a year ago. All Palin had to do was not be Murkowski (who came in third in the primary anyway) or Stevens.

She beat both the democrats and the republican establishment.

For all everyone complains about Obama's campaigning instead of legislating, he sure does it well. It says a lot when you can run a huge organization and come from behind to take out the favorite and still have plenty of money left to take out the guy from the other party.
Posted by: Mnemosyne

First, there's a reason salesmen don't work in engineering and vice versa. Second, I'm betting the state of Alaska is more huger than Obama's campaign. More people with a bigger budget and getting pulled in more ways, while the campaign has laser focus on the prize.

I think its fairly obvious that John has dementia. Seriously, my father-in-law had it, and John is showing the same symptoms. Forgetting simple things , there's a whole list of evidence.

Both candidates have made exactly one "would be" executive decision. Obama chose a person with decades of domestic and foreign legislative accomplishment. McCain chose the Mayor of Mooseport. Which one made an "experienced" choice?

SJRSM: Never ran and executive organization (the buck stops here).

OK, we could talk about Obama's community organizing experience, or the fact that he's represented millions of constituents during his legislative career, but if you want to get down to brass tacks...

The Obama campaign is a significant and serious enterprise, requiring significant and serious executive and managerial skills. It went from near zero to a national, multi-million dollar organization with thousands of employees in less than two years.

To manage such hypergrowth successfully, without the organization imploding, requires serious talent at both the executive and line-management level. Anyone who thinks Obama doesn't have executive skills is delusional, or doesn't have a clue what it takes to build and manage such an organization.

While campaigning is not governing, bet your ass that there are some very serious people paying very close attention to how Obama has managed to build and sustain his organization (regardless of the political outcome). Most startups and VC's would kill to figure out that magic.

McCain does show signs of progressive dementia, requiring prompts from the likes of Lieberman when inaccurate. He is repetitive in his speech, and the "my friends" remark reflects it. His frozen, deer in the headlights persona when put on the spot shows it. I see psychomotor retardation.
I know of republicans who view him with scorn.
He is an aggressive person with anger management problems who has not internalized that the Vietnam War is over. The substance of his problems is staggering.
Palin becomes his moment of accountablity.

Thank you for writing this post, Steve, because I was thinking the exact same thing.

Her selection is insulting to me as an American. This goes beyond politics. It goes beyond Republican vs. Democratic policies.

To think that if in February 2009, McCain has a heart attack and dies, this woman that no one really knows, who will not have been fully vetted in 2 months time, who has shown no curiosity about foreign policy, who has not had to run a nation-wide campaign, who has shown herself to be a liar and to be small-minded, will be in the most powerful position in the world. Our national security, our economic security, our standing in the world will rest on her shoulders. Someone who's claim of experience is running a state with a population the size of Baltimore for 18 months, running a city of 6000, and being on an oil and gas commission for 1 year. How will I be able to rest at night knowing that the fate of the world rests with her?

This has nothing to do with her being a woman. She seems like she a capable person, but crap, I know HUNDREDS of capable women, and none of them are ready to run this country. Neither is she.

There's a funny argument suggesting that Palin, who was endorsed by the incredibly corrupt Senator Stevens - a long time member of the Alaskan establishment - went up against the establishment.

In the real world that argument is as stupid as suggesting that Bush went against world opinion to save the United States from the threat from Iraq. Well, yes, he went against world opinion, but that's because he is an idiot who hasn't the slightest clue about national security. Which explains his support for John "Onion Belt" McCain.

Let's be honest, the only national security team out there is the Democratic ticket. Otherwise you have Grandpa Simpson running with Cletus's wife. What kind of moron would vote for that?

JoeSixPack @8:11

But she has nice tits!

Don't be fooled.

Politically speaking: Those aren't real. She just happened to have the best plastic surgery Washington has to offer. Rovian politics can make anyone into a politically viable candidate during a general election.

McCain met Palin for 15 minutes in person and spoke to her for 5 minutes on the phone before inviting her to talk about being veep. Most people put more thought into who they would have sex with than McCain did in deciding who is heir to the presidency of the United States.

A manager for McDonalds gets a more thorough vetting than a Vice-President does for McCain. Insultingly silly.

On a 'lighter' note... As soon as McCain finds out that the President and the Vice-President do not share the same bedroom at the White House, he'll have her replaced by someone else.

It will be interesting to see if the A List Republicans will endorse this ticket. As an example, Colin Powell, has said he would wait and see who the candidates chose as their Veep pick before he would decide. Will he redeem his reputation on this one?

I do not believe the GOP will allow her name to be placed in nomination. I think this is beyond cynical, this is a complete bait and switch. By Tuesday, McSame will be poling in the mid 30s and the powers not in thrall to Rove are going to stop this from going forward. McCain is going to end up running with Romney or Huckabee.

Let's be honest, the only national security team out there is the Democratic ticket. Otherwise you have Grandpa Simpson running with Cletus's wife. What kind of moron would vote for that?

Possibly half of the American voting public.

The real capper here in my view is that before announcing in Dayton, McCain had met Palin a grand total of ONCE in person (a Governor's convention that may have involved only incidental contact, for all I know) and a single phone call during the VP search process. I've had more contact with my UPS driver.

So it isn't just that Palin is unknown to lower-48 and Hawaiian voters--She's unknown to her own running mate! What is McCain going to say when asked to describe the personal chemistry that led him to believe in her as his best choice on a human level?

One might get away with that sort of thing if the dark horse comes with credentials putting her head and shoulders above the rest of the field. And hers do, in an extremely narrow fashion, if you're looking only at turning out the Evangelical base. But as presidential material, she makes "Brownie" look like a statesman.

Maybe Palin is a good choice, simply to deflect attacks. For example...

Obama: "John McCain just doesn't get it."

McCain response before: "I spent five years in a cage..."

McCain response now: "Look! A white woman!"

Is it possible that McCain's internal polling said that they might be able to capture enough women to win key battle ground states if they grabbed a women candidate?

But then, why grap Palin?

Age and looks?

Consider that Alaska has traditionally had way more men then women. Working class men. Palin rose to the top of Alaskan politics quite quickly. Men will be men.

Plus it's quite obvious that McCain likes her rack. He couldn't keep his eyes off of them during her speech.

At least this election is no longer simply a referendum on Obama. McCain's actually going to get some scrutiny now...

Everything is now starting to roll in on McCain's new running mate Sarah Palins. This is probably nothing new to you because the news has been doing a fairly good job at reporting this, but what does stand out more than anything is how McCain's selection reinforces what I've believed for some time now, that this selection was more than his. He needed the blessing of James Dobson the most prominent Social conservative in our country. Not only the top member of the Social conservative movement, but a political power house to move the Supreme court further to the right. With his blessing for Palins he has now trumpeted the Far right Evangelicals to war. These are the foot soldiers and pack mules for the Right Wing. They number over 5 million and are now being mobilized across the country. If you don't believe me drive up around Independence and Va Bch Blvd and see for yourselfs. We seen them yesterday and we will see more of their bullhorns and signs as well as their useful way of using their children to stress their beliefs.

I have nothing at all against these people and their beliefs what so ever, as a matter of fact I think it's healthy for our country, provided they don't force their views on to me or anyone, and most importantly our Federal and state Laws through misguided and uninformed use of influential politics. These people are dangerous in my views since their numbers are so great AND they are all single issue voters. They are generally uninformed and distain our way of life. Their rallying cries are tightly focused on one issue in 2008 (as in 2000 and 2004) and that is Illegalizing Abortion and contraceptives across our lands. They know the only way to do that is to elect a President that will appoint Social conservative Supreme court justices. The next president will undoubtedly have up to three appointments. The one's most likely to retire will depend on who wins the election, but it's pretty safe to say that we will see Breyer, Ginsburg and Stevens retire within the next four years. All of which maintain the current balance of Justice in our court.

Petorado writes: "Most people put more thought into who they would have sex with than McCain did in deciding who is heir to the presidency of the United States."

And that's after several beers, in dim light, and beyond the midnight hour.

McCain didn't just insult his country and the office he seeks; he insulted one-night stands and low-rent rendezvous.

How on earth are Obama and Pain equally inexperienced? Why does no one consider teaching Constitutional law at U Chicago to be in any way related to qualifications for the Presidency? How does being the President of the Harvard Law Review somehow end up the equivalent to being on Wasilla city council? I really don't get it at all.

To get trivial for a moment: on what planet is this woman "hot?" Yeah, she looked nice as Miss Wasilla 1984. This is 2008. She definitely doesn't break mirrors, and she looks perfectly pleasant, but "hot"? Please!

In Googling Palin I did come across one recent photo that had a real 'hot-for-teacher' vibe. Only problem is, it's not Palin but German actress & model Sabine Ehrenreich.

Wonder how many of the Palindrones touting her appeal are cuing off that photo...

Is there something wrong with him?

You've answered your own question:

Hell, for all I know, this one decision might actually help McCain win the presidency.

And in this Rove/Atwater/Bush world, that is all that matters. To paraphrase the man himself, McCain would rather lose his mind than lose an election.

Yes, there's something wrong with him.

This nomination reeks of a complicated gesture of contempt and some buried seething personal anger that has been repressed and is seeping out of him almost unconsciously. Her plausibility is not even worth discussing, and if the media mindlessly chases after this shiny spinning toy let's hope the voters tune out fast.

Wasn't his first wife a "beauty queen"? Who was disfugured in an accident while he was at war? What about that strange incident with his joke about his wife being in a topless contest? And look how she presents herself... shiny empty and plastic. What are his issues with (not women) female figures?

He's full of some strange deep anger. No wonder he wants more war. But I doubt we'll get any serious psychological evaluation in time for the election.

True Christian, you are a master of satire—pitch perfect, I say. Scary, even. On the VP front, I pity Palin, who will be lamb for the lions (if the lions are careful and smart). By the way, 'Bub,' I noticed the same thing about where McCain's eyes were fixed during Palin's acceptance speech. Appraising her political assets, I suppose.

Orange

As we learned in 2000 and 2004, you can't go wrong thinking the voting public is dumb as a doorknob. By the end of the Republican convention, Boobus Americanus will think Sarah Palin is Joan of Arc.

The only chance the Democrats have is to go after McCain and Palin and the rest of the GOP with a battle axe, and keep swinging until they are figuratively slaughtered.

For once, I want to see the Democrats take off the gloves and do to the Republicans what they so richly deserve.

The problem is, I don't believe Obama is up for that.

Hillary as Veep would have been.

If McCain's goal was to select the candidate who would most upset me personally, he succeeded. Not because I am worried about how the masses will respond to this (although a certain portion of our electorate scares me in their ability to ignore reality), but because it's an insult to me and to what women have worked for during the past century (or millineum). If she becomes VP and then must take over the presidency--be it for a week while McCain recovers from surgery or for the remainder of the term--she will set back women in politics for at least two decades. She may be an energetic mother, but so are lots of women. She may have been successful during her brief tenure as the leader of a state that isn't even connected to the vast U.S. landmass, but she seems to be more interested in how the VP can help Alaska (watch the video where she says that she doesn't know what the VP actually does) than with serving as the member of a team that must make serious international policy decisions, not to mention solve the health care and home financing crises. She and McCain have demonstrated a flippant attitude about this whole stunt, and women who *are* prepared to serve as "second in command" must watch from the sidelines while she travels around the country with her 4-month Down syndrome baby in tow. Oh, and for those who wonder how this affects my vote: I am now solidly behind Obama. I was never in the Hillary camp, and I signed a petition for the Green Party this spring. I like the idea of a black woman as president, but not Cynthia McKinney. Obama finally won me over this past week, but now I actually campaign for him in addition to voting for him. So will my 60-year old mother, who loved him all along.

Welcome aboard, Cindy; you do your candidate proud.

you're all so gullible if you think the election is going forward LOL

From McClatchy,

WASHINGTON, Pa. Republican John McCain showed off his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in this key battleground state Saturday as Democratic rival Barack Obama's campaign aired a new TV ad urging voters not be distracted by McCain putting a woman on the GOP ticket.

It wasn't Denver's 75,000-seat Invesco Field at Mile High, but the Republican ticket filled the stands and infield of Southwestern Pennsylvania's 3,200-seat Consol Energy Park home of independent baseball's Washington Wild Things for McCain to introduce his running mate....

[...]

Palin repeated many of the lines she delivered in her introductory speech Friday in Dayton, Ohio, including remarks praising Sen. Hillary Clinton for breaking the political glass ceiling and collecting 18 million votes in the Democratic presidential primaries.

But where the Clinton line drew cheers in Dayton, it was lustily booed in this town, located about 30 miles

That's gotta be a good sign.

Second, I'm betting the state of Alaska is more huger than Obama's campaign.

Freeze!

harry krause said: Hillary as Veep would have been.

Hillary does not need to be in the VP spot in order to help Obama. She can attack McCain perfectly fine from the position she is in now. She can probably do a better job at it, by going after Palin, since she is NOT on the ticket.

Richard Mellon Sciafe's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gives its take on this evenings rally.

The fierce battle for Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes continued today as Republican Sen. John McCain and running mate Gov. Sarah Palin capped a day of campaigning in the Pittsburgh region with rally of thousands of supporters at Consol Energy Park in Washington County.

In her first full day as the presumptive vice presidential nominee, Palin, the young Alaska governor poised to become the first woman on a Republican ticket, has inspired enthusiasm among McCain's supporters who say they're unconcerned about her short political resume.

Palin has been governor for less than two years and, before that, was mayor of a town with a population smaller than the 10,000 or so who were in the stands at the baseball park.

Steve - I am hearing that the new Palin interview is right next to a feature of Paris Hilton in People. If that's true, you can't make this shit up. I can't stop laughing. There f$%$ing is a god after all.

i have to first say, "great post". second, I must thank each and everyone of you for proving there are other sane folks (aside from myself) out there in the world paying a hell of a lot of attention to the goings on election related.
I take precious time out of playing with my kids to read all this & file it away as ammo for the retarded women I encounter everyday. -I too am a woman, but I thought I was the only one paying attention to the future of the free world- In my circles I am & that frightens me to no end.
I just can't help but notice, as a mother to two girls, that mcc*nt's veep choice having girls of her own would deny them a choice as women over their own friggin bodies? Doesn't it make sense then that she would take over parenting her teen daughter's baby raising it as her own? Special needs or not, the baby isn't hers & her little princess ought to learn to raise him while 'mommie dearest' is on the trail blowing mcc*nt.
just my $.02

McCain picking Palin is equal to George W. Bush picking Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court.

McCain/s selection of Palin...where he once again shamelessly throws his 'handicapped' wife overboard to further his political ambitions...is simply the epilogue of his sorry-assed life story.

How on earth are Obama and Pain equally inexperienced? Why does no one consider teaching Constitutional law at U Chicago to be in any way related to qualifications for the Presidency?
Posted by: pyewacket

You're not serious here, right? You meet many professors? One does not imply the other.

There's a difference between teaching and governing. She's governed. He's legislated.

SJRSM: Um, right. I think you could make a case that most of us here have "governed" as much as Sarah the Unready. Christ. Her list of accomplishments is indictable. You are just a weird-assed shill these days, Mike. Who in their right mind would be so ethically and morally compromised to allow someone with Palin's credentials to become VP for a weak and sickly man? Palin wasn't even a good mayor for a town of less complexity than Mayberry.
She was a port in the storm for Republicans PLAGUED by ethics abuses and scandals in Alaska. It is a disaster.

Sparko, I'm not making the case that she is ready. I am definitely not making the case that she has been vetted and looked at for 18 months like Obama. I'm not making the case that she was a smart choice. The people that do sound like they're rationalizing.