The R's call Obama "The One", but McCain picked "The Zero".

Yep... This is going to be one interesting election. :-) I've been
ruminating on the McCain VP choice, and the more I think the more laughingly
scary it becomes. It's like one of those parody teen movies... The
Republican version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer... Beauty queen becomes vice
president, then takes over when the president can't find his robe one
morning. A White Putney Swope?? Too funny!

The scary part is that this pick shows the impulsiveness and lack of thought
on the part of McCain. He picked the potential next president after meeting
her once at a conference and one interview. Shit, I took more trouble hiring
a part time receptionist.

But the cynical insult is there too... I'm not sure if it's women, Obama, or
the rest of us who should be more insulted! Does this guy really think that
Palin is the equivalent of Obama or Biden? Of course not.. It's his way of
saying "stick this up your butt buddy!" But it also shows real distain for
voters. It says, "hell, I can pull anything over on you fools. You wouldn't
know a politician from a pony." And it also says that the scandals of the
past eight years not only don't matter, but we need some more! Gawd, and all
the MSM can talk about is how they were caught flat footed. And I think this
is proof that McCain doesn’t know about the internets. Apparently he didn’t
realize that anybody with a keyboard can google her and read up on her
background. Shoot... I’m getting articles forwarded from PJ! ;-)

And the folks in Alaska are scratching their heads...

You gotta love this stuff... I mean, you can't make it up! It's like a FOX
channel reality show. I absolutely loved the roll out of the Repubs talking
points yesterday. Never seen so many people trying to avoid reality at one
time before, short of a mass hallucination. Trying to spin Mayberry's mayor
into "years of executive experience" was hilarious... I mean to try and say
that with a straight face and not be dismissed as a foil hat wearing nut is
a pretty cool trick.

The only thing I'm sorry for is this. Palin is a real person, with a real
family. She appears smart and engaging. She's being pimped by a bunch of political pros and she's loving it
because she thinks sleeping with the sound-check guy will land her her big
starring role. She's the small town girl on her first visit to NYC who got met at the Port Authority by a political pimp, and they
are going to use her up. As this unfolds, she will either become the punch
line of a bad joke or, heaven forbid, the stand in for the most powerful job
in the world. (Won't Putin just love her... One meeting with "Sarah" and
he'll be so insulted he’ll invade Italy!)

Ah well... Who ever knew that Jon Stewart would one day be our new Walter
Cronkite!

You're absolutely right, of course, as is Steve. But allow me to repeat a comment to the previous post:

Steve said, 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.

Dems do not realize that in the long run we are all dead.

The Republicans continue to make decisions that benefit them in the short run even though their strategic value may be questionable, and they continue to win.

Before the voters completely understand what choices they have, McCain may be in the White House, and Dems may lose, just as so many times before. I hope not, really, but it seems like an event with finite and significantly high probability.

It's really really bizarre. As others have suggested, the main point should be how badly this reflects on John McCain's judgment and how it contradicts so much of what he said before about Obama and the selection of a VP nominee. There is not much need to directly attack Palin -- noting her lack of qualifications should be used to attack McCain.

"I was also struck by McCain's willingness to gamble not just with our country, but with his own campaign. . . ."

Yep. That's the smell of desperation. Palin, the least experienced of the candidates was chosen based on short-term political effect. Unfortunately for the Repubs, the election isn't till November, so the half-life of the bump is way too short.

I love it!

"Unfortunately for you lefties she has more executive experience than BHO."

This is apparently what Obama has to say on 60 Minutes, to be broadcast tomorrow (Sunday):

"What do you think of Senator McCain's vice presidential choice? And how does it change the dynamics of this campaign?" Kroft asked.

"Well, I don't know Governor Palin, I have not met her before. I had a brief conversation with her after she was selected to congratulate her and wish her luck - but, not too much luck! - on the campaign trial. And she seems to have a compelling life story. Obviously, she's a fine mother and a up-and-coming public servant," Obama said. "So, it's too early for me to gauge what kind of running mate she'll be.

"My sense is that she subscribes to John McCain's agenda. And ultimately, this [election] is going to be about where I want to take the country and where Joe Biden wants to take the country, and where John McCain and his running mate want to take the country."

You can read more at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/30/60minutes/main4400811.shtml

If these quotes are accurate, Obama (as we have come to expect) speaks with class, grace, and intelligence, plus a subtle dig or two. And he puts the focus right where it should be -- on McCain.

Unfortunately for you lefties she has more executive experience than BHO.

"I was also struck by McCain's willingness to gamble not just with our country, but with his own campaign. . . ."

Yep. That's the smell of desperation. Palin, the least experienced of the candidates was chosen based on short-term political effect. Unfortunately for the Repubs, the election isn't till November, so the half-life of the bump is way too short.

I love it!

She also actually visited the wounded troops in Germany as well as troops in Kuwait

Yeah well, so has Gary Sinise, Toby Keith and Kid Fucking Rock.

Surely you have something else besides these thinly-veiled racist taunts?

Thought not.

Here's some of Sarah's executive experience:

---
August 13, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced she will turn over findings of an inquiry by the Alaska Department of Law regarding the termination of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The findings were made available to Steve Branchflower, a retired state prosecutor, who was selected earlier this month by the Legislative Council to investigate the termination of the former commissioner and allegations it might have been related to Monegan’s refusal to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten, the Governor’s former brother-in-law.
---

Sarah Palin: charming, principled, hard-working, a model working mother.

Let's see what else we have.

Foreign policy area of expertise: none

Foreign policy views: none

U.S. domestic policy area of expertise: ANWR drilling

U.S. domestic policy views: ANWR drilling, good

Other relevant expertise: none

Other relevant views: abortion, bad; guns, good; God, great

If I've left out anything, please let me know.

what blank said.

"Unfortunately for you lefties she has more executive experience than BHO."

Even David Frum, a Republican is pushing back on this point. But let me hit the key point. Obama has been making his case to voters for two years about his readiness for the office. He brings a resume, his writings, his speeches, the phenomenal campaign he put together, the endorsements he's received from people of quality, his team of top-notch advisors, etc. etc. to the case. And millions of voters have been persuaded.

Palin has been chosen by exactly one man. He relied on one meeting and her very thin resume to make the decision to put her a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Can you see the difference here?

The relevant comparison is that in making their first critical decisions as president, Obama chose Joe Biden, who no one questions is capable of assuming office and McCain chose Palin who pretty much everyone except the far right questions. One candidate took the decision seriously. One did not. One candidate exercised judgment. One made an impulsive choice. One candidate is ready to lead the country. The other has, IMO, proven by this choice that he is not ready to lead. Punkt.

But "The Zero" has lots of executive experience dealing with official corruption!

---
August 13, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced she will turn over findings of an inquiry by the Alaska Department of Law regarding the termination of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The findings were made available to Steve Branchflower, a retired state prosecutor, who was selected earlier this month by the Legislative Council to investigate the termination of the former commissioner and allegations it might have been related to Monegan’s refusal to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten, the Governor’s former brother-in-law.
---

Welcome back Hilzoy. Sorry for your troubles.

I despise McCain's agenda and I despise that Palin is even worse on the issues. Visually she makes McCain looked even more feckless.

I think many of the sexist remarks about her are really just humourous extensions of what the writers think that McCain and the other horndog wingnuts are thinking.

That's Just What I Said

Why bother saying anything if you don't at least try to make sense?

The point for people like Fat White Guy, as it is for McCain, is not to make sense. It is

1. to draw attention

2. to make any argument, no matter how transparently pathetic, which somehow masks the fact that they simply don't care about good government.

There is absolutely no way McCain can reconcile Palin with "Country First" America will recognize this ridiculous choice for what it is- a desperate political ploy. Obama wins in a landslide.

I would like to hear exactly how this choice, which is said not to be strategic, attracts more support than it runs off.

That and...

What exactly did Charlie Black mean when he said "most doctors" expect McCain to be around at the end of his first term?

Are there doctors who don't (given the life expectancy of an American male is 76, McCain wouldn't complete his first term)?

How many opinions has the candidate received?

Who were these doctors? What order did he visit them in? What were each of their prognosis?

In light of his selection of Gov. Palin, I am shocked that Mr. Black would be so loose with his tongue - if that is the case.

Can one actually be tutored in Foreign Policy? The narrative to this point has been - experience and judgment - how does one gain either of those in the classroom?

He picked a running mate he met once for 15 minutes, who's been the governor of a small state for a year and a half, and who is in the midst of an abuse-of-power investigation in which she appears to have lied rather blatantly. She has no obvious expertise in any area, and no record of any kind of federal issues.

Fair enough, but those match Obama's weaknesses (e.g. lack of complete truthfulness on the mortgage deal, lying about his relationship with Ayers and Dohrn, prevaricating about his relationship with Wright/TUCC.) She actually has a better track record administering Alaska than Obama's record with the Annenburg Educational Challenge, and she made a real dent in local Republican/government corruption. There was a serious campaign underway to have McCain give her serious consideration; as more people hear her speak and consider her record, more will come to rank her above Biden. How many? Will they be enough to win the election? That I do not know.

Obama might lose because he is considerably to the left of Kerry, Gore, Dukakis, Mondale, McGovern and Humphrey, all of whom lost; and because he is to the left of Clinton and Carter who won ( well, Carter won before he lost.) In fact, Obama is the leftmost candidate of the Democratic party ever nominated, and to the left of Henry Wallace, who was at least taken seriously (and who had founded and successfully expanded a seed company in the private sector.)

If Obama loses, it will be because his policies are so extremely to the left of the American center, and to the left of the Democratic center.

Hilzoy is correct in that it is wrong to underestimate this woman. She is sharp. You can tell by watching her eyes as she speaks. She says reasonably intelligent things and engages you with her eyes.

Having a VP Candidate who has not had a chance to ‘go native’ is a plus, not a minus. George Bush has more executive experience than anybody on the planet and look at what it has done to his judgment. Palin has negligible legislative experience, which is also a plus. She has been the one in charge.

Don’t leave your computer unattended in a room full of Democrats Hilzoy.

---
she made a real dent in local Republican/government corruption
---

If by 'dent' you mean 'stacking it higher', then we agree.

Firing someone because they refuse to commit an illegal act on your behalf isn't exactly an act of high-minded civic virtue.

He picked the potential next president after meeting her once at a conference and one interview.

The important question now is, Could she do a better job of presiding over the Executive Branch than Biden could? She is lightly tried, and untried at the federal level; whereas he looks like someone who can't preside over his own committee meetings, someone who is tried and found wanting.

So I guess among Liberals the consensus is that John McCain should have picked Mitt Romney.

I feel this way myself.

But give Sarah a chance. Alaska is near Russia as we all know and she will bring balance to the ticket to help balance John McCain's hard line on Russia.

So this is a good thing.

McBOC

OK McCainiacs you're right. PALIN 08!!! I feel better already.

Right Marler, Biden looks less qualified than the mayor of Podunk.

You have always been an idiot and a shill for whatever bullshit the Republicans have been throwing, but you used to at least make an effort to sound vaguely rational. What's the matter, this is too much shit for even you to swallow?

As others have pointed out, the argument that she has executive experience means that she should be at the top of the ticket - but even die-hard idiot Republicans like Marler know that's just too fucking stupid to be believed. Though, let's be honest, McCain hasn't really demonstrated competence at anything other than warming the crazy-person seat previously occupied by Barry "Duke Nukem" Goldwater - and that took the money of a beer heiress for him to attain.

It would be unwise to underestimate the appeal that Palin will have for voting segment that McCain absolutely needs to come out and vote for him in large numbers. The hardcore evangelicals will love her and don't give a rat's ass about her experience or abilities because they know she is one of them and therefore one of the select. If God should see fit to put her in the WH, God will watch over her and make the right decisions for her. What's important is that she will defeat Roe, bring the bible back into the classroom and God back into the public square.

I am sure that the McCainiacs are counting on following the Bush 2004 winning strategy. Pander to the various factions that make up their base with a massive GOTV run by all the evangelical churches (largely in violation of tax laws), while doing everything that they can think of to suppress the Dems GOTV.

The evangelicals are potentially the largest voting block the Republicans have in their base and if they can't get them fired up and out to the polls they don't stand a chance. They should start calling Palin Miss Firestarter and they would do well to make "Onward Christian Soldiers" the theme song of the convention next week. They are betting everything on the religious voters because Palin is going to hurt them with a lot of independents.

But it would be a huge mistake for Obama and Biden to go after Palin because the rightwingnuts are already spreading the meme that any attack, no matter how legitimate, is a misogynist attack on her gender. I think that they are counting on those attacks to motivate Hillary deadenders to actually vote for McCain rather than just sit the election out. So rather than attack Palin, just say nice things about her as a mother, governor and ex-mayor and keep pointing out that she isn't a serious choice for VP and McCain has shown that he puts political considerations ahead of the welfare and security of the US.

---
Could she do a better job of presiding over the Executive Branch than Biden could?
---

No, but if it makes you feel any better, she's probably McCain's equal in that regard.

And she'd probably pick a better veep than McCain did.

Question for anyone listening and in-the-know:

What, in his twenty six years of legislative experience, has John McCain accomplished? His experience is never challenged and seems to be summed up by referring to a 5.5 year span spent in a foreign country in the last century.

I ask because during the primary, the moment attention was paid to Hillary Clinton's 35 years of claimed experience, she cracked. It was so embarrassing that the scrutiny on her record ended at that moment.

Now, I am pretty sure Campaign Finance when it was passed, it was done because it needed to. For all of the bucking the party establishment and bipartisanship, it passed fairly easily. There is one other piece of leg he touts, but it is slipping my mind at this point. What else? What has all of his experience meant to Americans?

Anyone?

Oh god, Matthew. I remember you from back in 04: cranking out the self-hypnosis,trying against all fact and reason to rationalize your support for Bush. I really don't think it is worth anyone's effort to discuss things with you. Blind faith is, well, blind.

and to the left of Henry Wallace, who was at least taken seriously

Barack's not taken seriously.

McCain is the joke here, and Palin is the punch line, Fool.

BTW: Are you that infamous clinical nut-house shrink, Matthew R Marler, UCSD? If so, we're to take you, seriously? LOL!

Wanker.

I tend to agree with Brick oven Bill. I am suprised reading the various postings here that the blog has become more of a sounding board for partisan talking points and spin than a neutral and intelligent examination of the race.

Bill Clinton had no foreign policy credentials. Experience in the Senate doesn't mean much to most voters (thinking and unthinking) except you are corrupted by having to raise millions per year.

I read prior comments and everyone is saying "Quayle." I don't think so -- not by a long shot. I think it is likely she is the brightest of all four members of the thickets.

I think Hilzoy's test marketing of the spin that McCain is gambling with the country is talking down to his readers and certainly that spin will be talking down to the electorate who sill see her as like them. Barak's own traction against Hillary came from the blowback to the spin that he was putting one over on his audience when this was an insult to an audience that likes and is engaged by him despite, or because of, his own inexperience.

As far as the mud slinging about some scandal, WE CAN"T AFFORD IT. Every one of the ticket members has had a serious ethics problem. Our own candidate's mortgage deal is still completely unexplained.

I also see a subtext of misogyny in a lot of the posts. I suggest everyone read Kate Zernike's piece in the NYTimes today. Undecided women are more likely to go for Palin. yes she is wrong on choice, but most of face other issues as well such as lower pay, stifled promotion and expectations about motherhood as an impediment to concentration on career (voiced in unapologetic sexist terms by
Democrats on these pages) when it is no different than fatherhood.

Frankly, the fact that she even accepted the job doesn't speak well of her.

-
And she'd probably pick a better veep than McCain did.
-

That's not fair, he already scooped up the worst pick.

---
That's not fair, he already scooped up the worst pick.
---

I think the mouldering corpse of Ann Coulter is still available and rattling around the Fox studios; but I see your logic. ;-)

I think any neutral and intelligent opinion of Palin is that she's breathtakingly unqualified to be on a presidential ticket. Unless cutting the ribbon at the new Old Country Buffet in Moosefuck, Alaska, is an example of "leadership we can believe in."

Oh, but she's so likable! She's "like us"! Bullshit. If elections are really a contest to see who voters would rather have a beer with, then all hope is lost anyway. There have to be enough pissed off people out there by now that these kinds of stupid concerns are diminished.

I think plenty of people, other than the extreme wingnuts, will get over her when they find out that behind that charming grin is an ultra-fundie goofball who denies global warming, denies evolution, denies a woman's right to choose and has absolutely no business in the White House, other than on a public tour.

Helene, the only misogyny in here is your mind, Sweets.

Matthew Marler, above you there, has just the drugs for those aberrations. Ask him, he's real life shrink! And I'm sure he can give you a few samples of HRT drugs too.

Now please, go burn a bra or something. Fuming about Barack will surely give you the vapors.

Undecided women are more likely to go for Palin.

I think it is likely she is the brightest of all four members of the thickets.

Wow.
Obama is WINNING among women, but it is just more fun? to talk about those deranged PUMA's, or something. I think it's a mistake to focus on the fact that Palin is a woman.
What if people look at her actual work and she turns out to appeal to those low information blue collar voters Biden is supposed to appeal to? You know, the ones whose votes Obama isn't getting?
Obama isn't the only person of limited experience with a compelling personal story.
Yeah, I know Biden was an excellent pick because of his respected foreign policy experience - which informed his decision to vote for the Iraq War? Gag me.
It is a rare politician who can withstand a hostile media and attacks from their own Party and still even thrive. Who knows, maybe Palin has been paying attention. Clinton wasn't just an example for Democrats.
Being an extremely experienced and informed and strong candidate is no protection, so what the hell?

---
For weeks, advisers close to the campaign said, Mr. McCain had wanted to name as his running mate his good friend Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the Democrat turned independent.

But by the end of last weekend, the outrage from Christian conservatives over the possibility that Mr. McCain would fill out the Republican ticket with Mr. Lieberman, a supporter of abortion rights, had become too intense to be ignored.
---

link

Willing to do, say, or risk anything to win an election; what happened to 'Country First'?

---
At the very least, the process reflects Mr. McCain’s history of making fast, instinctive and sometimes risky decisions. “I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can,� Mr. McCain wrote, with his top adviser Mark Salter, in his 2002 book, “Worth the Fighting For.� “Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.�
---

... and we're all just along for the ride.

Clinton wasn't just an example for Democrats...

Hillary Clinton was/is a poser, Clare, and we Democrats saw through it. My first clue was when I saw her roll her eyes back in disgust and sneer at the applause Barack got in '04. Didn't know Barack from Jesus then but I started jumping up and down like I found religion because I knew he was the contender who could send that power-grubbing *carpetbagger* back to NY.

Maybe one day when you're a little older you'll see this a bit more clearly.

Palin’s Qualifications to be POTUS

B.A. in Journalism with Political Science minor from University of Idaho
Worked as Sports Reporter
Joined PTA
Co-owner with husband of snowmobile, watercraft, ATV business
Hockey Mom
Served two 2 year terms on Wasilla AK City Council
Mayor of Wasilla where was responsible for conducting monthly meetings, representing city at ribbon cuttings etc., voted to break ties
Ran unsuccessfully for Lt. Governor of AK
Member of AK Oil & Gas Conservation Commission
Elected Governor of AK 2006

Alaska State Senate President, a Republican from Palin’s hometown of Wasilla, has this to say about Sarah Pali “She’s not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?�.
Look at what she’s done to this state. What would she do to the nation?�

State House Speaker John Harris, a Republican from Valdez, was astonished at the news. He didn’t want to get into the issue of her qualifications. “She’s old enough,� Harris said. “She’s a U.S. citizen.�
So her own peers who have worked with her for several years don’t think she is qualified but John McCain who met her once is willing to turn the keys to the White House and the red phone over to her. Amazing

Gee Elaine. Run for office or something. You certainly seem pointless enough for government work.

Annointing a telegenic version of Phyllis Schlafly to be veep doesn't guarantee the female vote. In fact, it'll do the opposite because women want to get to the top because they have proved themselves equal to men and not get there because they were lucky in their associations with men. The bitterness the PUMAs feel about the best woman to run for high office, Hillary Clinton, getting knocked out of the race stems from the fact that they saw she deserved it. Palin? Not so much.

The part of the Republican base most energized by Palin's choice are the MILF voters and those thinking this is a great F-U to Obama. Sorry, but the former can't be taken seriously and the latter are victims of the triumph of bitterness over common sense. Pocket books will win out over cynical political posturing this election season.

"I think Hilzoy's test marketing of the spin that McCain is gambling with the country is talking down to his readers"

For the record, I'm not a he.

And BOB: I didn't leave it in a room full of Democrats. I was far, far dumber than that. I was walking the several miles back to my apartment, sat down by the side of the road to drink a soda in the shade.....

It was one of the dumber things I've done in my life. I only wish I could say it was the dumbest.

---
the MILF voters
---

...who would like to test the 'wine and late dinner' corollary to the beer theory of political viability.

Due to her actions and pressure and ethical reforms laws: the Alaska Legislature has repealed an oil and gas severance taxation system that Murkowski had negotiated behind closed doors with BP, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, replacing it with a slightly higher tax structure negotiated transparently and at arms' length.

That's copied from another blog. If true, it's more than Obama has accomplished in public policy, and more than he has accomplished since graduating Harvard. It certainly compares favorably with all of Biden's accomplishments as federal Senator.

She might not be the best VP candidate since Aaron Burr or Richard Nixon, but she compares very favorably with Biden. Ferraro might have been a better choice, as she had a bunch of legislative accomplishments and was a dynamite speaker. But this is this time, and I think that Palin has an opportunity to show that she's better prepared than Biden.

Obama and Palin will be judged by their accomplishments and policies, not by their ethnicity and gender.

McCain called his wife a c____. And the Republican talking point is misogyny? I keep seeing concern trolls project this. No progressive cares that Sarah the Unready is a woman. You hate to see someone so patently unqualified exploited. The pandering is one-sided. I have seen a lot of right-wing types using her beauty contestant shot as a personal icon, however.

McCain of Exxon, and Sarah the Unready, are disasters waiting to happen. The more I learn about Palin, the less I like her. She has a real scandal problem IMHO; she was not ready by far to be governor--we'll see how those skeletons fall too. The thread on what thinking Alaskans are saying is must-read.

We all do it Hilz. Post-menopausal gals do it more, I can testify to that. And to think, I used to make fun of those old girls who put plastic flowers on their car antennas until I got there myself. It's a damned big parking lot out there.

Just remember: Back up those hard drives daily!

And am I glad Marler is here to lecture us on ethics. Wow. If the Republican talking points shifts to racist screeds, you'll be here quoting David Duke too. Palin's sex is critical to those who promote wedge issues over good governance. Which would be why the GOP selects unqualified bigots, dunces, and misogynists in the first place.

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judged by their accomplishments and policies
---

And McCain's first executive decision failed the laugh test; she is not the VP choice most qualified to serve as President, she is the VP choice most qualified to appease McCain's right wing base.

McCain's new slogan is Country Be Damned, It's My Turn at the Wheel.

Obama and Palin will be judged by their accomplishments and policies, not by their ethnicity and gender.

What a load of pompous crap! His ethnicity is central to who he is and where he came from. There are millions of racist assholes in this country who will never vote for a black guy or woman.

Tell me Matthew, do you do stand-up down there in San Diego? You should consider it.

Sarah Palin is a dog whistle not only to Christianists, but to so-called Reagan Democrats. Ge ready, cause here it comes: the pivot from "Obama's not experienced" back to "Obama is an elitist."

And if we think that by that," Karl Rove and his disciples mean "Obama is rich," we're being dense. The code is, "The Democrats look down on you and the choices you've made."

The Obama campaign is correct to ignore Palin and keep the focus on how hard they intend to work to repair the economic and national security damage the Republicans are responsible for.

Remember, when Palin was Mayor of Wasilla, she left the town mired in debt. She completely bankrupted the town. They still have not recovered.

As Governor, she allowed personal issues to override good judgment and went on a vendetta against a former brother-in-law.

This lady is a train wreck.

MatthewRMarler -- Please. You're becoming a parody, and you have shown you're better than that.

If those "accomplishments" were the gauge of elective office, any competent corporate executive or negotiator would qualify. To equate that to competence in national or foreign policy--on the world stage with sovereign heads of state where life and liberty are at stake, and not simply whether the population of some rathole gets their annual handout, fully supported by the laws of the US--is unimaginable hubris, stupidity and ignorance.

HS: You are right, of course. But McCain's lack of cogency and judgment is a critical issue. And Palin needs to be called out on her lies and her extremist ideology. And we need to kick Karl Rove in the nuts rather than fear his appeals to the weak minded. Democrats need to quit over-thinking the opposition. We need to take off the freaking gloves. They even have a "reach-out" organization trying simmer us down here. Timidity is just another way to give parity to the arguments of scoundrels.

Helene: expectations about motherhood as an impediment to concentration on career (voiced in unapologetic sexist terms by Democrats on these pages) when it is no different than fatherhood.

You don't have kids, do you, "Helene"?

I think it is likely she is the brightest of all four members of the thickets.

Palin still finds time to play in a Hobbit band? Awesome.

Our own candidate's mortgage deal is still completely unexplained.

You people from that Outreach outfit give me the creeps.

I agree with H. This shows that "experience"+"age" does not equal good judgement....at least on McCain's part. In this important decision, he went against his league of experts and staffers and trusted his "gut". This is his decision making process? No matter how many experts he has around him if he gets elected....this is the process he'll use for the 3:00 am call? Why would any world leaders trust him or believe the word of anyone in his administration?

IF John McCain wins in November, and for some reason (health or death) does not finish his term he would single-handedly place the nation at profound risk. It would end the Republican Party. They will not let one, reckless man compromise them to that degree. I would not be surprised if Palin does not make it on the ballot in November. Uf she does, I believe the Republicans will throw in the towel and hope for an opportunity in 2012. Once again, has any major Republican Party figure made a positive statement? I've been looking all day and haven't seen anything. REpublican senators lauded Obama's choice of Biden, but on this...nothing. The Republican Party will not let John McCan set them on a path to ruin.

To be honest, I'm not believing the narrative the media is giving this election. This was a desperation move. People in droves are losing their homes, their jobs, their health insurance...this election is being taken seriously, and I don;t see many casting a stunt vote. The media is turning this into a circus with Palin as the star clown, but like the contest betweem Obama and McCain I don't think they're presenting a realistic picture. I go vack to the Politico article this morning saying the race isn't as close as the pols suggest.

W has eight years of executive experience; any takers?

McCain/Palin 2008: Corruption You Can Believe In

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It seems that in 1997, she almost got recalled as mayor of Wasilla?

What led to this? Seems she fired the city police chief and library director.

Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin fired the city's police chief and the library director without warning Thursday, accusing them of not fully supporting her efforts to govern. Irl Stambaugh and Mary Ellen Emmons said letters signed by Palin were dropped on their desks Thursday afternoon telling them their jobs were over as of Feb. 13 and that they no longer needed to report to work.

"Not fully supporting her efforts to govern" seems to have meant, "supporting her opponent, John Stein, in the 1996 election"
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link

Palin I presume is McCain's idea of April Fool's Day in September. For the many accomplished women on the GOP side, I just cannot believe this is what he presents. The Maverick has gone mad!

If this team represents the winning ticket for '08, then getting excited over elections becomes meaningless. The heavens us on this one, but on second thought, McCain tells us what is important not country, but counting his 'votes.
manchestersquare.blogspot.com

MatthewRMarler

While you all have been yammering I have been doing some reading about Sarah Palin. She was the mayor of a wide spot in the road. She is a religious zealot who believes that we should be teaching creationist theory in the schools. She was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it. She is in the middle of an ethics probe that reads like a soap opera, or as they say about "trooper-gate", a trashy novel.

Here greatest accomplishment as governor was raising taxes on Oil Companies. The 80% approval rating was before Trooper-Gate, back when she was still on her honey moon. Today it is 67% and dropping. Even though she has her own scandal she is probably less corrupt than her peers in Alaska. Of course Alaska is seething hotbed of corruption. She was endorsed by Ted Stevens.

She is good looking and so is her husband and their kids. She likes moose. She hates polar bears. She wants to drill ANYAR, but what the hell, so does every politician in Alaska.

Republicans are all saying she has executive experience. She was the mayor of a truck stop and short term part time governor. She was active in the PTA, so I guess that counts as executive experience.

What really pisses me off is that the talkers tomorrow will al be focusing on how appealing she is personally, and how mavericky a pick this is for John McCain. And not a word about how desperate this choice should look to any disinterested observer, and how cynical and irresponsible of a choice it actually is.

Fotunately, I will be fishing by dawn tomorrow, and won't have to suffer the bleatings of the courtier class on this given Sunday.

"Palin also gave a speech today without a telepromter and BHO seems to struggle without one"

did you notice McCain lipreading Palin's speech from the teleprompter while she was speaking (reading it), that was a nice touch!

Alaska's legislature meets 120 days a yrs so she has a lot of experience.

Helene,

I really can't understand why you might think that Ms. Palin is "it is likely she is the brightest of all four members of the thickets [sic]". She has a BA in Journalism from the University of Idaho vs. Obama's BA in Intenational Relations from Columbia and a JD from Harvard Law. Her journalism career was limited to a stint as a sports reporter at an Anchorage TV station. Her actions in "Troopergate" don't make her look all that bright.

Besides the Hurricanes Gustav and Palin, there is another reason to cancel the GOP convention at Xcel Center ... apparently the largest builder of coal-fired power plants (Xcel) must reveal to investors the costs to their business due to Global Warming!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/business/28energy.html?ref=science

Republicans can't catch a break.

Not only all that, but rumors are already flying that her youngest son is actually her grandson, the son of her oldest daughter.

This is based on:

1. She never showed any signs of pregnancy. There are photos of her at a conference a week before the "premature" birth, and there is no sign of pregnancy whatsoever. No pictures of her taken during the entire time of the pregnancy show any signs of her being pregnant.

2. She went home from the convention, and then checked into an obscure hospital a ways from Anchorage, that had no premature neonatal facilities, and had her "premature" baby.

3. The "preemie" weighted 6.5 pounds at birth, supposedly 7 weeks early.

4. Her daughter wasn't seen in public for the four months prior to the birth.

I'm sure the National Enquirer was all over this, the way they were Edwards and his love child. Idf this comes out in the next 30 days, we could expect to see her resign the candidacy, leaving "Wet Start" Johnny in a similar hole to that which George McGovern fell into.

One can only hope...

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No pictures of her taken during the entire time of the pregnancy show any signs of her being pregnant.
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Palin pregnancy pic?

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 Friday, is now coming down to Earth, and there are no receivers in sight.

Absolute bullshit. She definitely looks pregnant here:

http://alaskareport.com/images31/palin_pregnant.jpg

I have a hard time believing she put on a fat suit for one event. It was a small child. The odds of a 15-19 yr old having a Downs Syndrome child are 1:1250.

i think Palin is not worth the time the media and the bloggers are spending on her.

I might as well put my research skills to good use:

(From the US States News wire, dated Monday, March 19, 2007--look in LexisNexis if you have access to it)

Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, has issued the following news release:

For the second time in less than a month, Gov. Sarah Palin met today with the state's senior Sen. Ted Stevens. This morning's meeting was held in the Governor's Juneau office.

During the meeting, Senator Stevens and the Governor focused on the AGIA. Many of those comments were reiterated during the Senator's joint address before the Legislature soon after.

"It is so encouraging to hear again that Senator Stevens and I are singing from the same sheet of music," said Governor Palin. "In his address, he pushed for action this year on a natural gas pipeline. I also have the Senator's assurance that once the state has acted on the AGIA, our Congressional Delegation will do everything it can do to expedite the federal review of the natural gas pipeline project."

Just to amplify on my prediction that Palin will be replaced as VP when it soon becomes clear to McCain senior aides that this choice was a disaster, Talking Points Memo has posted a prescient reminder of it happening before: Thomas Eagleton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Eagleton)

It may still be Romney or Pawlenty yet.

You notice that no one here has explained what Seat-Warmer John did over the past couple of decades. Sure he got on TV a lot, but he was wrong on the biggest issues of the day - not least that he managed to support Vietnam part II - Murder in the Desert.

How's that going? Did we find the weapons of mass destruction? Oh wait. Did we eliminate the terrorists? Oh yeah. Did we bring them peace, electricity, healthcare?

No, we murdered hundreds of thousands because guys like Obama weren't given a wider audience to explain why guys like McCain were fit only to tell stories of the days when they wore onions on their belts because that was the style those days.

This nonsense the Palin, mayor of North Drip has more accomplishments than Obama is just fucking stupid. But no more stupid than the suggestion that McCain is ready to be President. We've already had one idiot know-nothing running the country into the ground. We can't afford another one which is why we can't afford McCain.

By the way, her children are out of bounds. We don't need to sink to the level of Republicans like John McCain (surely everyone remembers his tasteless "joke" about Ms. Clinton).

Let's be honest, she's a cipher, and empty suit, a McCain, a Bush. That's all we need to know about both her and McCain.

McCain isn't qualified, and his pick emphasizes his very lack of qualifications.

At first I thought the choice was pure brilliance, then a day later I had to wonder: WTF??@!
It does fit the mold of seeming political genius to be followed by zero ability to lead the nation.
At this point I agree with SM: She can't last, and to win these crazy cats will come up with someone with an actual resume. Ms. Bailey-Hutchinson?
At the same time, never forget Mr. Potatoe-Head, the man Mike Barone insisted would be a most excellent chief executive . . .

oops: Hutchison

Fair enough, but those match Obama's weaknesses (e.g. lack of complete truthfulness on the mortgage deal, lying about his relationship with Ayers and Dohrn, prevaricating about his relationship with Wright/TUCC.)

Very weak tea, Marler. Believe it or not, if you told most Americans today that Obama was friends with a former Weatherman, they'd think you were talking about a meteorologist. The 60s have been over for, what, almost 40 years now? And yet you can't move past them.

Obama's mortgage is only mysterious to people who haven't bothered to read the extensive interviews he gave about it to the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers. You might want to look that up before you start spouting about his "lack of truthfulness."

And, really, you're still riding the Wright pony? Really?

I need smart folks to help me understand two things, seriously. (1) Since when were "mavericks" so desirable anyway? Drawing from a bit of the cultural reservoir here, it seems that most of the mavericks in recent or not so recent memory were or are scary freaks: Putin, Milosevic and Karadzic, freakin' what's his name Idi Amin, Marlo on "The Wire", the Unabomber, people who went to Burning Man in the mid-90s. Okay, and Tom Cruise in Top Gun, but f- him 'cause he got Goose killed. Here's a news flash for the media: Dollars for doughnuts most people would prefer NOT to have a maverick running this country. I mean really. And not to get nit-picky, but what in gaia allows anyone to call those freakish zealots now on the GOP ticket mavericks anyway?

(2) Did anyone hear/pick up on Palin's story about traveling to a Governors Association meeting in Texas while essentially being at full term for delivery of her fifth child? We're talking about a high-risk pregnancy and high-risk delivery. And then returning to Alaska - by plane(!) - while in labor. And THEN(!!): going back to work three days after a high-risk delivery with a high-risk, special needs child. I am cognizant that my question/critique may come across as, I don't know, presumptuous or something, but I'm a father of two, and it's just totally beyond me that someone would make the choice to travel while about to give birth - twice - and then basically go right back to work after giving birth... and then browbeat all us heathens for lacking moral fortitude and family values.

And don't even get me started about the 18 million women who just got pandered to and essentially encouraged to vote for this small fry party hack with absolutely no national or international experience because of the type of reproductive organs she happens to have. I agree with comments made earlier and elsewhere: I think this just delivered the majority of Clintonite women, and those from other camps, into the Dems fold.

It's definitely not trashing Palin's daughter, or even Sarah herself, to suggest that her candidacy was so poorly vetted, and her propensity towards scandal already so strong, that (as suggested above) she will be withdrawing from the race within a week -- for "personal reasons".

This will allow McRove to once more put a "game-changing" play into motion, delighting the press but, unfortunately for him, ending the game for good.

Meanwhile, Palin is really going to be needing those management skills that so excite the same bloviators who were previously mocking Barack's so-called inexperience. Can't wait to watch them herniate themselves over Lindsey "Nation of Whiners" Graham or whoever the next puffed-up sucker might be.

It’s a cliché that a presidential candidate’s choice of a running mate is the first clue what kind of president she or he will be. Most of the time this really isn’t so. Not this time. John McCain’s choice of Governor Palin tells us quite bit. And frankly, it ought to scare the hell out of everybody.
First, it shows that Senator McCain has no core principles. None. Here’s a man who’s been running for President the last two years solely because of alleged superior credentials in foreign policy and national security. He used this argument not just against Senator Obama, but also against his rivals for the Republican nomination, Governors Huckabee and Romney and Mayor Giuliani, men with vastly more executive experience than he has. Over and over, he claimed that he’d make a better president because of years of service on congressional defense and foreign policy committees. A service, however, which never included actually formulating, deciding or executing policy. So who gets his first major appointment? A young governor with no experience in this area—or any of national issue—at all. By comparison, Senator Obama who has a degree in international relations from Columbia University, who has worked on important issues such as nuclear non-proliferation in the Senate, and has assembled a formidable team of foreign policy advisors, looks quite ready to start managing foreign policy from Day 1. And his Vice-President would have the experience, knowledge and character to tell him when he’s wrong. Would Vice-President Palin have that ability? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet the house on that.
Second, what does this tell us about Senator McCain’s management style? He met Governor Palin once, for fifteen minutes at National Governors Association meeting, talked to her for five minutes on the phone, and then picks her for the second most important job in country. I’ve spent way more time selecting a junior member of my staff. Would you hire a guy as a CEO who makes decisions like that? Maybe if he was a genius with superb instincts, but if there’s any evidence that Senator McCain is such a leader, it’s hard to detect. Consider:
Until Joe Lieberman corrected him, he repeatedly stated that Iran was training Al Qaeda. In fact, Al Qaeda in Iraq slaughtered thousand of Iraqi Shiite Muslims. Iran is a Shiite Muslim country with intimate ties to Iraqi Shiite community. But of course, Senator McCain doesn’t know there’s difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, an elementary fact in Islamic politics for the past 1400 years. And what do we make of someone who thinks Czechoslovakia still exists or that Pakistan and Iraq share a common border?
Finally, let’s take a look at the politics of this decision. If Senator McCain wanted to select a woman as a running mate, he had plenty of choices. There were his economic advisors Carly Fiorina or Meg Whitman. There was Governor M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut, Governor Linda Lingle of Hawaii, or former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. He could have picked Senators Collins or Snow of Maine, Liddy Dole, twice a cabinet secretary to boot, or Texas’s Kay Bailey Hutchison. So why did he decide on Governor Palin? Could it be because she has the strongest support among ardent social conservatives? That’s fine if you agree with hard line positions on abortion, gay rights and other contentious social issues. But if you’re a moderate then it’s pretty plain that Senator McCain doesn’t give a fig for your views or concerns.
So what can we expect from a President McCain based on this decision? A president who isn’t serious about governing, a president who with no rational system of decision making, a president with chronic confusion about basic facts in his area of claimed expertise, and a president who would do nothing to heal the country’s deep political wounds. I think we’ve seen this movie before.

Absolutely I think he was desperate to pick such a person. BUT... the average American watches 4 to 5 hours of TV/ day. Won't surprise me what dumb Americans will do.

I do NOT think any Hillary voters would be hoodwinked-- I think it's repubs who think they would. This woman is against everything Hillary stands for.

But I imagine there are people who will vote for her jus because she is reactionary and "a babe."

I do think the choice is reckless. So McCain has a temper, is a gambler, and really doesn't care about the welfare of the country. He cares about getting elected ONLY. I think it was a very cynical pick.

"Unfortunately for you lefties she has more executive experience than BHO. Palin actually has a track record of accomplishments that exceed BHO's stunning lack of accomplishments."

Let's remember who brought up the experience question - McCain. He was the one who said that OB lacked the experience to run. So whenever you see a Republican bring up the point above, just point out the contradiction in his point of view then and now. And ignore her. This is a question of McCain's judgment and more evidence of his flip-flopping.

As for OB being "the leftest politician" - I can't remember a campaign where the right didn't say this comment about the candidate. The reality is that the Right keeps moving further to the Right, and Dems are actually moderate. If you compare a Republican now to a Nixon Republican, Nixon would have been considered liberal by today's Right-wing standards.

McCain, when he goes to Las Vegas, is a high stakes crapshooter. Obama plays poker with fellow legislators from both sides of the aisle. Pretty much tells you what you need to know about their personal styles, eh?

"C'mon, baby needs new shoes!"

Sorry Senator McCain, you just crapped out. But don't worry, you were playing on your wife's money anyway.

the republican ticket is set -- Brett Maverick (the gambler/gunslinger) and Annie Oakley.

perfect for the presidential election of 1888.

And she isn't even really all that nice (and see in above thread/s):

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-locks-up-the-feminist-vote.aspx