I believe that I have now figured out what McCain is trying to accomplish. I think that a concerted effort was going to be made to push the ‘how can you not vote for the barrier breaking minority candidate?’ theme, and by picking a woman, he insulates himself from that. However, there is more to the story, and it is not about grabbing some females from the Hillary camp, that is just icing on the cake, if even doable. What I see is that by picking Palin, McCain gets a social conservative to please the base, a female to insulate against the breakthrough candidate meme, and a reformer to fight back against the corrupt republican image that cost republicans so dearly amongst the independents in 2006 – while at the same time, he takes a swipe at his primary nemesis Romney, and the business wing of the republican party. In fact, based on McCain’s stance on global warming, carbon caps, railing against business, and generally anti-drilling, I can see McCain trying to push the business wing out of the party.
McCain would make this pick if he thought he was far behind, but also if he thinks he is comfortably ahead in the race. In this, he is reminiscent of George H W Bush, who picked Dan Quayle. Based on the current polling, McCain is ahead of where republicans generally are at this stage, so it is not unreasonable to think that McCain believes he has room to make this pick. Importantly, we know McCain is a maverick, and also that he tends to think far ahead. What does the Palin pick do for him in the future? Think ahead to 2012 or 2016. We know that Hillary is probably not done running for president. With Palin on the ticket, McCain, if he runs for re-election, holds many of the women he gets in 2008, and defends against the sexism meme. But, if he were to not run in 2012, or even thinking ahead to 2016, the strategy still plays out. Palin, should she run, not only defends against Clinton in the general – it also defends against Romney or another business candidate in the primary, as you will have a sitting vice president running against Romney et al in the primary. Based on his stance on several issues noted earlier, this leads me to believe that McCain is pushing back at both the democrats and business republicans at the same time. If I am correct, he is trying to change the direction of the party by supplanting Romney as the heir apparent in the republican party, and by extension, take a slap at the business wing. Mavericky.

Vashta.Nerada on August 31, 2008 at 3:53 PM

I have to admit I was totally surprised. The economy is going to tank, and I have been certain that would put Obama in the White House.,The race just got interesting again. olddeadmeat on August 30, 2008 at 11:25 AM

Latest figures are out and the economy GREW last quarter. Visit some money-blogs will ya? The economy is just fine thank you but Obama still sucks.

You go girl!

Much like the residents of 49 of these United States, I know very little about Sarah Palin. So, who is she? What does she stand for? What does she believe? I’m very curious…let’s see what we can find out.
……

Palin go girl go!

I ♥ SARAH’CUDA

The economy is going to tank, and I have been certain that would put Obama in the White House.

But given his poor performance and this pick, I am no longer entirely certain. If the Fed can hold off the complete collapse of the financial sector till after the election, McCain Palin might actually win the day.

The race just got interesting again.

1. My purely visceral reaction to this pick is mostly positive.

2. I think there is an experience/credibility gap, BUT I do think Dr. Hopenchange must tread lightly on this one because all attacks on her lack of experience only highlight his own deficiencies.

3. I think it is a brilliant and quite possibly cynical vote grab for the obviously disenfranchised Billary voters.

4. Speaking of such, why aren’t these voters catstigated like other blocs. I am not voting for Obama, therefore I am racist (even though I am voting against his socialist, white half). 95% of black voters are voting for him simply because he’s black = how very affirmative action-ey of them. However it is ok for women to vote based solely on gender? Where’s the outrage equality?

5. The already begun gender-base based attacks by the Obama camp will not play well with the moderate voters of either side and wil serve to shine a bright light on the DECADES of democratic pandering without any real substance, i.e. hypocrisy.

6. Biden will have to be careful in debates with his sharp-tongued verbosity…oops, I mean….*ahem* his “eloquence” and “statesmanship” when debating Palin or risk the Rick Lazio negative bounce.

7. The pick opens up a wonderful avenue for McCain to highlight Obama’s complete lack of substance or conviction in backing up his words. Change? New course for America? He then goes out and selects one of the biggest Washington insiders going. McCain picks a relatively new & fresh woman for his VP. Just words, Senator Messiah? I can see this knockout quip in a debate (provided Obama agrees to appear on a lowly auditorium stage without telerompters):

Obama: I represent the change we can believe in and a new direction for this country.

McCain: Change? You picked Biden. I picked Palin. As stated in the Bible, Senator, Faith without action is dead. Buh-bye.

8. I love the knee-jerk arguments against this complete blindside. How will she ever be able to raise her kids and stil run the country, and still have dinner ready for her hubby when he return home from, you know, “real work”? Hilarious, yet quite telling. I thought libs thought there were no inherent differences between the sexes? I thought we were trying to break the highest, hardest glass ceiling instead of constructing a glass pandora’s box? Are they really implying that a woman’s place is in the home? That men aren’t capable of raising children? That a woman is incapable of multi-tasking? I could go on. What fun this will be.

9. Maybe its just me, but running a town of “only” 9,000 trumps being a community organizer, or dope-smoking layabout in Harvard Square every time, and I think it also does with those that think Uncle Teddy is more the Cowardly Lion. than Liberal Lion of the Senate.

Probably more I could write, but my carpal tunnel is acting up.

Because it’s obvious that a man with Palin’s qualifications would never be picked for a VP.

freevillage on August 30, 2008 at 12:40 AM

Two words: Tim Kaine.

(oh, and Dan Quayle, but Palin’s had more to deal with in Alaska.)

Close but no cigar. It’s affirmative action because more qualified men didn’t get picked to be VP. I agree that Palin is a good choice, but only because the democrats identity politics have alienated PUMAs, whatever they are, and because she is conservative enough. All things being equal her and Jindal needed to bake in their respective governorships for a bit longer.

P.S. Same goes for Obama.

DFCtomm on August 30, 2008 at 1:37 AM

More qualified men like Romney wouldn’t excite the base because they’re not conservative enough. Palin being a woman, to me, is just a reason to watch the Democrats stew about how to attack her. I do agree she’d be better with more experience, and maybe she wasn’t the BEST pick, but that is, at worst, a slight mistake, not identity politics. Plus her “inexperience” only highlights how much more inexperienced Mr. “Present” Obama is.

Because it’s obvious that a man with Palin’s qualifications would never be picked for a VP.

freevillage on August 30, 2008 at 12:40 AM

You’re right. He’d be picked for President (see OBAMA)

Because it’s obvious that a man with Palin’s qualifications would never be picked for a VP.

freevillage on August 30, 2008 at 12:40 AM

Close but no cigar. It’s affirmative action because more qualified men didn’t get picked to be VP. I agree that Palin is a good choice, but only because the democrats identity politics have alienated PUMAs, whatever they are, and because she is conservative enough. All things being equal her and Jindal needed to bake in their respective governorships for a bit longer.

P.S. Same goes for Obama.