Sarah Palin!

Pretty risky choice, but at this point of the republican campaign they had no other choice but to take some risks.

Upsides:
- She's young, popular and likeable.
- Relatively few crosses to bear, althought she's been hit by a recent "scandal".
- She's a woman - maybe she'll be able to fetch the Hillary vote.
- She brings Alaska.

Downsides:
- She's a woman - some republicans may think she's just a gimmick. But repubs tend to care less about this kind of stuff than democrats.
- Not a lot of experience, kind of goes again McCain talking point regarding Obama.
- Her age will contrast with McCain's
- If McCain dies while in office, she becomes president. This may make a few people unconfortable.
- Alaska would be republican anyway, so the fact that she brings her state isn't really important (same situation as Biden).

Overall, not a bad choice at all, considering how few quality candidates there were this year.
 
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Another potential downside is that while she might attract working moms, stay-at-home moms are going to be put off by a woman who returned to work 3 days after giving birth to a disabled child.
 
I think this was a huge mistake. Seems like it was only done as a counter to the Hillary phenom, not really for the best operational VP choice. And in that light, it wasn't even an effective counter, since Palan is no where near as well known or respected as Hillary was. Also, the conservatives now have to decide, if something happens to the president, do that want Palan taking the reigns, or Biden?

I really don't think this move will help the Republican platform overall.
 
Denver said:
I think this was a huge mistake. Seems like it was only done as a counter to the Hillary phenom, not really for the best operational VP choice. And in that light, it wasn't even an effective counter, since Palan is no where near as well known or respected as Hillary was. Also, the conservatives now have to decide, if something happens to the president, do that want Palan taking the reigns, or Biden?

I really don't think this move will help the Republican platform overall.
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Speaking of the R. platform, how does she square with it?
 
Interesting pick.

She was born in 1964, has a degree in journalism, worked as a sports reporter for two Anchorage TV stations, served as chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, two terms as mayor of Wasilla and two terms on the city council.

I guess we don't have to hear much more about Obama's political inexperience.
 
Interesting. I'm excited even if it is the other team.
She's Miss Congeniality, isn't she? (She literally won that title at some point.)

Also very pro-life and religious I believe. High-risk, high-reward maybe.
 
John McCain just blinked.













ETA, perhaps it was somewhat fitting that the DNC convention was held (for the large part) in the Pepsi center.
 
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I totally understand the goal here, to go after the Hillary women, but McCain just robbed himself of his biggest talking point (that Obama isn't ready to lead). Nothing, NOTHING he can say about Obama's inexperience now won't blow back on his VP pick.

And please don't tell me, "She's just the VP, not the president!!!" McCain is not a young guy. She'd be half a heartbeat away from the presidency.

It's a historic pic and it's great for Palin and for women everywhere. But he really has to tiptoe around a lot of attack points he'd like to make against Obama now.
 
madurobob said:
Interesting pick.

She was born in 1964, has a degree in journalism, worked as a sports reporter for two Anchorage TV stations, served as chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, two terms as mayor of Wasilla and two terms on the city council.

I guess we don't have to hear much more about Obama's political inexperience.
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I looked it up Wasilla was a town of about 5000 when she was mayor.

McCain will be older than Reagan was the day he is inaugurated. And he chooses a VP whose credentials are even thinner than Obamas?

Well, he always had an eye for good looking women. :eye-poppi

I assume most Hillary supporters are pro-choice. Are they going to switch to an antiabortion ticket to get a woman into the VP slot? I sure hope not.
 
I'm seeing this as a really bad choice ... for now, considering that it takes the biggest and most effective issue John McCain had against Obama off the table ... experience. Also, the fact that he did this calls into question his judgment ... something Obama hammered away at last night. It could easily come across as pandering to women too. I think McCain is going to really regret this.
 
So, in McCain's mind, this is the second-most-qualified person to be president?

What else is bouncing around in McCain's mind?
 
David Wong said:
It's a historic pic and it's great for Palin and for women everywhere. But he really has to tiptoe around a lot of attack points he'd like to make against Obama now.
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Geraldine Ferraro was a historic pick. She will only be historic if McCain wins. Otherwise she will just be the second failed female VP pick.
 
I don't see how this works against him. Palin is a VERY popular governor, and people equate governorship with "experience".

On the surface at least, she is squeaky clean, too. She falls squarely in line with the Repubs on social issues, but has a compassionate feminist streak.

She has a very compelling background and personality.

McCain made an excellent choice... Damn him. :D
 
Lisa Simpson said:
Another potential downside is that while she might attract working moms, stay-at-home moms are going to be put off by a woman who returned to work 3 days after giving birth to a disabled child.
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Good call. I've already heard it mentioned as a potential issue on CNN.
 
McCain should be hoping that this isn't compared to when Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro, and then went on to lose to the largest landslide in American History.
 
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