Sarah Palin!

[Hokulele]

Palin has a lot of catching up to do just in her education before she can even start to do the job that she would then have to learn on the run.

I agree with your entire post. My only quibble is that by selecting her as VP, rather than as the presidential nominee, she is being put into a perfect position where she will have the time (hopefully!) and resources to learn. The people who are arguing that VP and Pres are quite different jobs have a valid point.

Of course, that is still not enough to convince me to vote for the Republican ticket.

 

[jberryhill]

is there anyone who really thinks she has some special quality that makes her a good fit for the job

Absolutely, if by "anyone" you mean evangelical christian creationist believers in nuclear war being the starting bell for Jesus to return to earth an usher in the millenium.

And those folks are not "turned off" by a woman in politics - they just don't want them as preachers or religious leaders. They are perfectly used to having women run the Sunday school program, the faux crisis pregnancy centers, etc.

The Palin pick gives these voters a reason to get excited and get off their butts and vote in November - and her religious orientation is a qualification to these voters.

On the "experience" thing, it is manifestly evident that Obama has the experience of persuading millions of voters he can lead - and that is a demonstration of leadership. In this race for the White House, one person has voted for Palin so far. With respect to Obama, the question has been asked and answered by a significant number of voters.

That a forum of "rationalists" would even consider a creationist qualified for a position requiring rational judgment is astounding.

 

[not_so_new]

I agree with your entire post. My only quibble is that by selecting her as VP, rather than as the presidential nominee, she is being put into a perfect position where she will have the time (hopefully!) and resources to learn. The people who are arguing that VP and Pres are quite different jobs have a valid point.

Cool, and fair point.

But at 44 or so years old (or whatever she is) does she have the time or even aptitude to lean enough law to make serious decisions?

Obama has taught law and has graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor law degree from the Harvard Law School, Palin doesn't have any legal education at all.

Who is more qualified to make recommendations on Supreme Court nominations?

Palin has a lot of catching up to do before she has the same foundation to make an educated pick on a judicial appointment. Unless of course she were to just wing it and go with what SHE perceives as the best pick based on her political leanings.... which I believe she WOULD do.

I am VERY opposed to putting someone in nomination just because they hold some political view. A Supreme Court nomination should NOT be based any political leanings but I know that is not feasible. Going with the system we have I think nominations should be held on legal qualifications first knowing that political slant is going to creep in.

I would hope most agree that political leaning should not be the only qualification for a Supreme Court nomination yet that is the only qualification Palin has the experience to judge.

 

[Policenaut]

On the "experience" thing, it is manifestly evident that Obama has the experience of persuading millions of voters he can lead - and that is a demonstration of leadership.

Really? I think it's more an example of good manipulation. Many of history's worst leaders were very adept at persuading people they can lead. That "qualification" is fairly meaningless in terms of HOW they will lead. Knowing the masses of mindless people in the US I can imagine they would march right into the sea if Obama told them to. Also a good point to remember: What politicians say and what they do are two very different things. Bush was for small government and limiting govt. spending. Oops look what happened there. Look at the current do nothing congress. They've been real effective in getting national toaster day passed. Pelosi is horrible as is Reid.

 

[novice skeptic]

And if you think the Republicans were trying to get face-time and media attention during the DNC, you just wait to see what the Democrats have in store for the RNC.

It's going to be really good. Here's a hint.

Wow so right. That billboard in downtown St. Paul is going to have a huge impact on the people in Florida watching the convention on tv.

 

[EGarrett]

I have a feeling Joe Biden is going to eat her alive in the debates. The only concern is whether or not he'll look like a bully while doing so.

 

[fishbob]

How thin can you shave that ham? Palin is on the ticket to get the Hillary voters and other fence sitters and she has a very good chance of securing quite a few votes there.

Partially. My guess is that she will have a lot to do with McCain's energy policy. Her major efforts since becoming governor have been pointed in that direction.

+
Ran off some of the bad old boys in state politics

-
Staffed up with others

+
Trying to get the gas pipeline started

-
Door is NOT closed to special interests

+
First Dude is a mulitple time Iron Dog winner.

-
Sucking up to cretinists, may even be one

+
Campaigned for Gov as a reform candidate, and beat Murky Sr.

-
TrooperGate details may sink her.

+
Very energetic, good at presenting prepared speeches.

-
Babbles like Bush in impromptu Q&A sessions.


More as it develops.

 

[Undesired Walrus]

'Is McCain out of his mind?'

 

[mrbaracuda]

So what are the chances it's a.. gimmick, lol.

 

[BenBurch]

This wouldn't be the gutter rumor that your buddy Thom Hartmann was trying to spread on yesterday's show, would it?

Enlighten me? I am unaware of what he had to say.

 

[BenBurch]

One commentator observed "She has been governor of a state which has more Reindeer than People." My observation; She's working on fixing that!

 

[WildCat]

One commentator observed "She has been governor of a state which has more Reindeer than People."

Which is about as relevant as pointing out that Obama's state has more cockroaches than people.

It actually sounds like your commentator got his idea from Ross Perot, who pointed out that Clinton's state had more chickens than people, which had nothing to do with anything relevant.

 

[Policenaut]

'Is McCain out of his mind?'

Who cares what Paul Begala thinks? Anyway McCain didn't have many good choices. The "short list" was full of pitfalls that would get as much or more garbage than Palin is getting already. Huckabee was too religious, Romney too rich, Ridge in the Bush admin, etc. Every person mentioned in the last few months had some major problems that people would be picking apart. Palin is very easy to criticize right now but how she speaks and what she says from this point on is what's going to show if she is prepared or not.

 

[WildCat]

Right.... and the same can't then be said about McCain and corrupt Washington politicians and political hanger-ons?

If the assumption you are making is that being round corrupt politicians = becoming a corrupt politician and the amount of time being round corrupt politicians = greater chance of becoming one yourself then shouldn't you be more worried about McCain than Obama?

Me, I don't really think McCain or Obama are corrupt and I think your argument is pretty shallow but if it is correct then you are making the point AGAINST the McCain / Palin ticket not for it.

And I came out for McCain/Palin when?

I'm just pointing out that this probably isn't a road Obama really wants to take.

And it's something that is pretty much unknown outside of Cook County, but the machine Dems who made Obama pressured him into endorsing Todd Stroger last year. A guy who everyone knew or should have known was a disaster waiting to happen, and has proven that is indeed the case. We now have a 10.25% sales tax rate - the highest in the country. Pushed through by Stroger and the machine Dems who run the Cook County Board so they could continue with the severely bloated patronage-ridden corrupt mess of Cook County government. Why do you think Obama caved in to the request for such an endorsement?

Is this the kind of "change" we can expect from Obama in Washington?

 

[R.Mackey]

Who cares what Paul Begala thinks? Anyway McCain didn't have many good choices. The "short list" was full of pitfalls that would get as much or more garbage than Palin is getting already. Huckabee was too religious, Romney too rich, Ridge in the Bush admin, etc. Every person mentioned in the last few months had some major problems that people would be picking apart.

This much is certainly true. Mr. Begala seems to think Tom Ridge or Kay Bailey Hutchison would have been better choices; while I'm not enamoured of either and they both have their own strong negatives, thus far I agree. I also would have given serious consideration to Condi -- yes, that makes the link to W very strong, but the Democrats are going to excoriate McCain for it anyway, so perhaps it's a small detraction.

Palin is very easy to criticize right now but how she speaks and what she says from this point on is what's going to show if she is prepared or not.

Indeed. However, thus far the arguments in support of Palin seem to be either evasion, or damning with faint praise. Maybe she'll surprise us all. She'd better!

 

[jberryhill]

Really? I think it's more an example of good manipulation.

And "leadership" is... what?

 

[gdnp]

Rather than debate her qualifications, perhaps someone who likes the pick could answer this: What is it that makes her a better choice than Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckibee, Joe Lieberman, or Tom Ridge?

 

[senorpogo]

Who cares what Paul Begala thinks? Anyway McCain didn't have many good choices. The "short list" was full of pitfalls that would get as much or more garbage than Palin is getting already. Huckabee was too religious, Romney too rich, Ridge in the Bush admin, etc. Every person mentioned in the last few months had some major problems that people would be picking apart. Palin is very easy to criticize right now but how she speaks and what she says from this point on is what's going to show if she is prepared or not.

I can't help but think that Palin is going to have more appeal with the electorate than people here assume. If I've learned anything in my time it's that Americans like pretty women and religion.

 

[not_so_new]

And I came out for McCain/Palin when?

I don't believe I said that you did... did I? I didn't intend to imply you had, sorry if it was taken that way.

I'm just pointing out that this probably isn't a road Obama really wants to take.

Which is pretty much what I was saying. I don't really think either candidate is corrupt and I don't feel that should be part of this debate at all, there are other, more important, fish to fry.

And it's something that is pretty much unknown outside of Cook County, but the machine Dems who made Obama pressured him into endorsing Todd Stroger last year. A guy who everyone knew or should have known was a disaster waiting to happen, and has proven that is indeed the case. We now have a 10.25% sales tax rate - the highest in the country. Pushed through by Stroger and the machine Dems who run the Cook County Board so they could continue with the severely bloated patronage-ridden corrupt mess of Cook County government. Why do you think Obama caved in to the request for such an endorsement?

Is this the kind of "change" we can expect from Obama in Washington?

I think it is politics and I agree, not something I want to see if / when Obama gets into office.

I also think, while it sucks, it shows a mistake in judgement more than an overt attempt at dishonestly (which pretty much wraps up my feelings about McCain picking Palin as well).

 

[senorpogo]

Rather than debate her qualifications, perhaps someone who likes the pick could answer this: What is it that makes her a better choice than Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckibee, Joe Lieberman, or Tom Ridge?

Well, she has no political baggage (or little), she's easy on the eye, and she's a woman. She has the right credentials as far as the religious right does and that's a group McCain needs to win over.

I don't know if any of that makes her "better" than those others you mentioned, but it does show some of her appeal.

edit:
She's also a "clean slate" politically to a large degree. Good and bad with that.