breaking news
McCain Picks Westerner, Woman for Vice President
Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, is a reformer, a maverick and a member of the NRA -- a three-fer for the West?By Courtney Lowery, 8-29-08
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| Palin graces the cover of Alaska Magazine. | |
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Sen. John McCain announced today—to much surpise—that he has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
The 44-year-old first-time governor and University of Idaho grad reinforces two of McCain’s most touted characterizations: She’s a reformer and a maverick. Oh, and also a member of the National Rifle Association—essentially, she’s a 3-in-one for going after Westerner voters.
But her lack of experience - and the fact that she was so obviously chosen not for her overall merits but for her appeal to women and social conservatives - make her a risky choice for McCain.
Palin hasn’t been on McCain’s short list for long, just recently her name has been thrown around as a possible pick. From the Anchorage Daily News:
Palin’s selection shocked numerous Republican officials and her own staff. [Spokesman Bill] McAllister said Kris Perry, a longtime friend of Palin’s and head of the governor’s office in Anchorage, may have been the only person who knew this was in the works. He’s not sure if others knew, but “not many.” The news comes as a surprise to nearly everyone in the governor’s office, he said.
For a good primer on Palin, check out Al Tomkins at Poynter.
Chris Clizza of the Washington Post’s The Fix writes:
In choosing Palin, McCain also doubles down on the maverick argument; Palin is the face of reform in the Republican party nationally and is clearly not of Washington—a key element of her biography given how negative voter sentiment toward the nation’s capital is currently.
JB Holston, a Colorado Democratic activist says Palin is a great pick—for Obama and Biden.
Also deriding the pick is Mudflats, an Alaskan political blog, which leads off with What is McCain Thinking? A chunk of the post is devoted to an ongoing scandal relating to the Palin’s former brother in law, a state trooper whose boss was allegedly pressured to fire him in the midst of a custody fight inolving Palin’s sister.
Politico calls the selection a simultaneous play for disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters and the GOP’s religious faction (Palin is pro-life and recently gave birth to a Downs Syndrome child.)
Blogger Ben Smith says the pick means the race is still all about Hillary.
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Comments
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I think Obama just lost Montana and the rest of the West with that very small minded and arrogant dismissive rhetoric attacking Sarah Palin over her small town roots.
See: http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0808/Obama_camp_belittles_Palin_pick.html
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August 29, 2008
Categories: Veep
Obama camp, Dems belittle Palin pick
Barack Obama's campaign is blasting John McCain for putting "the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency."
The scathing description of Sarah Palin, from Obama spokesman Bill Burton, comes as Democrats scramble to gather a response to a selection that nobody in the political world expected.
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No mention that she is a sitting governor.
How is the comment from an Obama campaign staffer any different than the GOP's constant attacks on Obama's supposed "lack of experience."
Seems like a pretty logical and expected example of turnarounds-fair-play, but if GOP folks want to make hay out of it, go right ahead...because that seems about the level of sophistication and non-attention to the real issues that we've come to expect anyway.
Sorry, but I don't think many small town lovers and dwellers (past and present) would take offense to Obama's people criticizing the insurmountable leap Palin would be taking to appropriately fill the role of VP. I mean, really, she's only been a governor for 2 years!
Being from a small town doesn't mean you're stupid and unrealistic.
http://www.adn.com/polarbears/story/413710.html
She is also creationist who has previously stated creationism should be taught in science classes.
http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html
I think truthfully describing her as a polar bear killing member of the American Taliban shouldn't be too hard. From what I hear, polar bears are pretty cute.
And as to Craig's concern trolling that people from small towns will freak out over the suggestion that being mayor doesn't qualify you to be President: as someone from a small town, and who has lived in other small towns, I have seen my share of freaks, cronies, and nitwits get elected mayor. The main credentials to being elected mayor of a small town are knowing the people who run the car dealerships and having your afternoons free.
Just as Biden would make up for Obama's lack of experience, won't McCain make up for her's. Remember, she's running for vice president, Obama is running for president. From whom should we demand more eperience?
"She is also creationist who has previously stated creationism should be taught in science classes."
She's got my vote.
Good luck with the Rapture and all that. Sorry that whole "praying to rain out the Obama speech" thing didn't work out for ya. Seems to have spawned an oddly timed hurricane however...
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
And heck, if we're going use science classes in public schools to teach the story of the old, white, bearded guy making the whole world in 6 days, any chance we can teach the story about Johnny Appleseed? After all, that story was pretty good too and it's clearly related to science.
No. Johnny Appleseed is one of those environmentalist freaks. Now Paul Bunyan is our sort of myth: destroys trees, hates mass transportation, ruined the Whistling River...you get my drift.
I think this was a brilliant move. She may be from a small town, but it appears she knows right from wrong no matter who it is. I understand she refused the earmark for the bridge to nowhere that Stevens got. She sweeps with a pretty big broom and goes after both Repubs as well as Dems. And she has class, she complimented Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton for the path they already broke. Quite a contrast to the Dems behavior so far.
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My fellow Democrats, 16 years ago, you gave me the profound honor to lead our party to victory and to lead our nation to a new era of peace and broadly shared prosperity.
Together, we prevailed in a campaign in which the Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be commander-in-chief. Sound familiar? It didn't work in 1992, because we were on the right side of history. And it won't work in 2008, because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.
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It's amazing how some of these same people can't applaud a woman as they applauded Clinton delivering this line about Obama. Sara Palin is on the right side of history. Why can't we just take a moment and celebrate the historic nature of both tickets without the rancor?
Looks like she knows the Republican definition of wrong:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/palin_probe_could_mean_election.php
She's pulling a Dick Cheney and saying the e-mails where she ordered the commissioner to fire her ex-brother in law are protected by "executive privilege".
Hey, your friend Rose Mary hasn't been around since she threatened Obama with an illegal weapon. Did she get arrested?
http://townhall.com/Columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/08/30/changes_in_politics
"Less than a year ago, the big question was whether Rudolph Giuliani could beat Hillary Clinton in this year's presidential election. Less than two months ago, Barack Obama had a huge lead over John McCain in the polls. Less than a week ago, the smart money was saying that Mitt Romney would be McCain's choice for vice president.
We don't need Barack Obama to create "change." Things change in politics, in the economy, and elsewhere in American society, without waiting for a political messiah to lead us into the promised land.
Who would have thought that Obama's big speech at the Democratic convention would disappoint expectations, while McCain's speech electrified his audience when he announced his choice of Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate?
Some people were surprised that his choice was a woman. What is more surprising is that she is an articulate Republican. How many of those have you seen?
Despite the incessantly repeated mantra of "change," Barack Obama's politics is as old as the New Deal and he is behind the curve when it comes to today's economy.
Senator Obama's statement that "our economy is in turmoil" is standard stuff on the left and in the mainstream media, which has been dying to use the word "recession."
Not only has the economic slowdown failed to reach the definition of a recession, the most recent data show the U.S. economy growing at a rate exceeding 3 percent-- a rate that many European economies would die for, despite our being constantly urged to imitate those countries whose end results are not as good as ours."
IN the meantime, Mr. Experienced Senator from Illinois spent those two years running for President, and not being a citizen legislator in the Congress for Illinois. Absent. Off to Iowa. In New Hampshire. Raising money. Making speeches. But never was a working legislator, and never was making policy and then having to ensure that it was enforce. Pallin has done that all the while Obama was campaigning. McCain has a legislative track record, which can be attacked. Obama is mostly still a white canvas, and the numbered spaces have yet to be filled with paint. Pallin has a two year record as head of a State, which can be attacked. So with those two, and Biden, you can pretty much know what you will get. With Obama, you have to believe his rhetoric, his speeches, his story, because the record is pretty thin gruel.
I won't take sides in this "experience" contest, but I will point out the follies of the recordless making light of short records, or non existent records. Harry S. Truman had a record, but not one that would indicate the brilliance he showed in the office he gained quite by accident. That his record showed Moxie, and Dewey's was rhetoric and Rhett Butler, political connections, and lackluster accomplishments in New York. Truman kicked his ass. I still remember the pre-election ditty we kids learned from the dirty kids at school: "Whistle while you work, Truman is a jerk. Mussolini pulled his weenie, and now it doesn't squirt." To the then new Disney tune for Snow White and the Seven Height Challenged Men. No matter how the election turns out, there will be a winner with little experience. And, we will have our first Arab-African-European President or our first lady vice president. A barrier will fall. That will be historic. How well they will govern is still conjecture. We now get to hear two months of speeches and press panderings. They are off and running. Toothpaste is being squeezed on the rail, BoxCar is off the rail, and MatchStick is up by a head, and as they come around last furlong post, it appears the winner will be.... BeetleBomb.......or however Spike Jones spoke it...
Oh stop whining Democrats ... for the past year, you've been trying every trick in the book to shove an inexperienced, empty suit, Barack Hussein Obama, down the throats of Americans. Sure, maybe you sweetened the bad taste by adding pretty speeches, big swooning crowds, and fireworks ... but, you still tried to shove him down our throats, at every opportunity. Democrats, it was a lot easier to highjack the primary election than it's going to be with the general election. Looks like America is going to elect McCain/Palin for President and V.P.. And, that means: No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko, no mean Michelle, and, NOBAMA !!!
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But YOU, "flounder", truly are as offensive as your self-chosen name implies.
And right about NOW you better look down at your dirty toenails and figure out all by yourself that more than one of them has already encroached OVER that line in the dirt.
It is one thing to paraphrase anyone else's comments to play one of those "cute" convoluted word games you relish playing but it is quite another to commit the CRIME OF SLANDER while doing so. I do not think you will find your ignorance is bliss when you walk inside a courtroom.
My comments neither committed a CRIME (as yours have done) nor stated an INTENT to commit a CRIME.
The fact that you are so ignorant you do not know the law allows ANY person in the USA to DEFEND their own private property, to confront and contain a THIEF who approaches with either the THREAT or the INTENT to steal ~ even if that THIEF is the likes of your idol Barry Hussein ~ means you need to find a bigger rock under which to crawl and take your cell phone and your attorney's phone number with you.
Because slander IS a CRIME ~ a breach of the Law ~ and you can be readily PROSECUTED for having repeatedly committed it on this website.
When you fired your first shot of SLANDER at and about me I decided to take it in stride and just consider the source.
This second SLANDER is on YOU.
Before you to go-there/do-that again you need to factor in that your first time was on me ... this second time is on YOU ... and you can consider the THIRD time IS the one where your dirty toe nail goes over the line and charges against you WILL be filed for all three counts.
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Palin has much to prove
Alaskans can cheer, even while wondering ...
Fairbanks Daily News Miner - Published Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sen. John McCain’s selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate was a stunning decision that should make Alaskans proud, even if we wonder about the actual merits of the choice.
No Alaskan politician has risen to such national prominence before. The closest was former Gov. Wally Hickel, whom President Nixon chose as Interior secretary in 1969. Palin is truly a remarkable figure, a person carried forward to enormous fame by the times and her personal charm and principles.
Alaskans and Americans must ask, though, whether she should become vice president and, more importantly, be placed first in line to become president.
When a candidate for president picks a vice presidential running mate, that partner ought to have more qualifications than “She’s not from Washington.”
McCain offered that justification Friday morning for his decision. There was a lot more, of course, about the governor’s “grit, integrity and devotion to the common good.” But after cataloging her basic decency and compassion for the common man, what was there? “She’s not from Washington.” No doubt about it. In fact, as the governor herself acknowledged in her acceptance speech, she never set out to be involved in public affairs. She has never publicly demonstrated the kind of interest, much less expertise, in federal issues and foreign affairs that should mark a candidate for the second-highest office in the land. Republicans rightfully have criticized the Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, for his lack of experience, but Palin is a neophyte in comparison; how will Republicans reconcile the criticism of Obama with the obligatory cheering for Palin? Or will everyone just be forced to drop the subject? That’s not a comforting possibility. Although no one has the perfect resume and experience isn’t everything, it is an important quality to weigh. Palin, if elected vice president, would ascend to the presidency if anything should happen to McCain, who turned 72 Friday.
Most people would acknowledge that, regardless of her charm and good intentions, Palin is not ready for the top job. McCain seems to have put his political interests ahead of the nation’s when he created the possibility that she might fill it.
It’s clear that McCain picked Palin for reasons of image, not substance. She’s a woman. She has fought corruption. She has fought the oil companies. She’s married to a union member. These are portrayals for campaign speeches; they are not policy positions.
There also was some pandering right from the start. “I told Congress ‘Thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere,’” Palin reported to the crowd in Dayton, Ohio. “If our state wanted a bridge, I said, we’d build it ourselves.”
But the state kept the bridge money. That’s because Alaskans pay federal gas taxes and they expect a share of those taxes to come back, just like people do in every other state. We build very little by ourselves, and any governor who turned that tax money down likely would be turned out of office.
Palin’s image as a fresh reformer works on some level, for the moment. The governor, as she is quite able to do, delivered a good speech in a strong voice. The crowd cheered her enthusiastically, only occasionally fading into the “huh?” mode during the presentation. The televised punditry followed up with mostly positive comments, calling Palin’s selection a clever “chess move” by McCain. The chess analogy offers some caution. Gov. Palin, while extending her amazing adventure in politics, must prove she is more than a pawn.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/30/palin-has-much-prove/?opinion
Among the spending projects Palin helped obtain through the earmark process: $500,000 for a youth shelter, $1.9 million for a transportation hub, $900,000 for sewer repairs and $15 million for a rail project, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan watchdog group, Taxpayers for Common Sense.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/09/palins_earmarks_spark_question.html?hpid=topnews