The desire to cause complete chaos in the Democratic party by nominating Joe Lieberman was overcome, and Sarah Palin is going to be John McCain’s running mate. I don’t personally think that it was Joe’s "pro-choice" stance that killed him, he would’ve sold that out in a heartbeat. It’s been obvious that the GOP has been making a play for the female vote ever since Obama won the nomination and it became apparent that he would rather gnaw off his right arm than choose her as a running mate. With the last Rasmussen poll showing that 28% of her voters still won’t vote for Obama, there’s certainly a lot of opportunity there.
I have to say that as a woman, there is something intuitively appealing about her selection, even though I politically disagree with everything she believes in and would never in a million years vote for her. And we’re hearing a lot about Obama’s support for equal pay and Joe Biden’s championing of domestic violence legislation because a large part of the female voting block is in play. I’m still not quite sure why Obama didn’t try and lock that vote down by overlooking the personal animosity he and Clinton shared and picking her as his running mate, but he didn’t. The chemistry between Obama and Biden is good, and watching them together last night I thought they made an appealing combination. But it also carries risks that McCain decided to exploit.
The good news is that women’s issues are going to become front and center for this campaign. I haven’t seen enough of Palin to know how well she could do against Biden in a debate, but I’m not sure it matters. If she doesn’t make some horrible gaffe, what she stands for symbolically will be more important than anything she says.
I’d just recommend that if anyone is thinking of going on teevee and tearing her down by saying she doesn’t care about the victims of Hurricane Katrina but only cries about her looks, they might want to reconsider.
Related posts:
- Ross Douthat Depicts Palin as a Conservative Feminist Martyr
- BREAKING: Sarah Palin to Resign; Alaska Governor Stepping Down in “A Few Weeks”
- Matt Lewis Wants to Ride Sarah Palin
- Frank Rich Annoints Palin the GOP’s 2012 Favorite
- Sarah Palin Thinks Being President Would Be Awesome Because Ass-Kicking “Department of Law” Would Protect Her from Lawsuits
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Anyone wonder if Palin as a blond looks a like a younger CindyLou?
she would be a great Queen Buffalow Chip
ya beat me by a nano
isn’t she the one in the middle of a scandal?
doesn’t she have a newborn?
am i confusing her with someone else?
sorry, i had her confused with someone else.
Thom Hartman states that per some of his callers Palin is called the “Wolf Killer” in large areas of Alaska….. the AK legislature has passed twice a bill to stop hunting of wolves from bush planes and Palin refuses to sign the bill into law. The bill is overwhelmingly supported by tons of environmental & animal rights organizations….
Nice title there……
Hey Edward Teller, if you’re out there -
I think you’ve just been promoted to Commenter-Emeritus.
(as if he wasn’t already)
There’s a big difference between Hillary Clinton and Palin: Clinton is experienced and known.
You should be exultant that McCain picked her, governor of a state whose entire political class is under indictment or investigation.
Above all, she’s a reminder of how close to the grave McCain is.
A desperate, disastrous choice. Bravo.
I wonder if McBush thinks that Palin should be paid the same for VP as a man.
No you haven’t…
Here’s my question:
Who’s running Palin’s ethics investigation, and can Rove shut it down?
Does anyone have a link to anything on her connection to AK corruption? Beyond the firing of her sister’s husband, is she involved with Stevens, VECO, etc?
hahahaha….
You are 100% correct….. young infant, under investigation for abuse of her office to have a safety officer removed from office for personal reasons [her sister’s ex] and refused to sign the “Stop hunting Wolves from planes law” TWICE….
No, I don’t think they look anything alike, if you mean physically.
She does have a newborn, and she is under investigation.
If McCrazy was going after the disaffected HRC vote – put this one down as a mighty swing – and a miss!
Palin is the antithesis of Hillary Clinton’s values.
Thanks, John.
(shit, gotta load “P-A-L-I-N” as an ok word for my spell-checker…. heh)
oh dear, cokie will not be pleased. another “elitist” western state that’s so above itself it put another country in between.
http://www.uswolfrefuge.org/Al…..f-Main.htm
“Aerial gunning of wolves is strongly opposed by the masses because it is considered barbaric, unethical, and nearly impossible to regulate. It is the most controversial wolf control method. Wolf control advocates continue to ignore the findings of numerous scientific studies that have determined that predators rarely are the sole cause of significant or long-term declines in prey populations.
The motivation behind this program is alleged to be population control of wolves in an attempt to increase the elk, moose, and caribou herds. The elk, moose, and caribou population statistics presented by the government to justify the program are drastically underestimated. This is a political issue and all stems around money. It is just another example of politics interfering with objective science.”
From her wiki
Is she taller than McBush???
She was a basketball player in HS. I am looking forward to the MSM trying to set up a match.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
Whatever her good points may be I can’t wait to see her debate foreign policy with Biden.
I have to believe that there are far more Republicans willing to crossover to the Obama/Biden ticket than ever could have brought themselves to vote for a ticket including Hillary. Fox and the right wing media machine destroyed her brand among that cohort.
“Aerial gunning of wolves is strongly opposed by the masses because it is considered barbaric, unethical, and nearly impossible to regulate.
So she’s in on Cheney’s recommendation?
Jane, from what little I’ve read so far, I don’t think her not caring enough about Katrina is her Achille’s Heel. And I don’t care if Jesse Jackson Jr. questioned Hillary’s tears. He took her moment out of context. Damn it.
So you think Obama thought Ms. Clinton was Coyote Ugly?
If he loses this election, I will always think it was his non-choice of Hillary. And Joe Biden was my first choice, btw.
Her infant has Down Syndrome and I’ll wager she doesn’t take him to the emergency room for health care.
That “everybody’s insured because they can just go to the emergency room” line is going to come back to bite McCain the ass.
Ha. Another R decision with Cheney behind the curtain, pulling the strings.
FWIW, she has a newborn with Down syndrome.
Wolf’s up “Is she really ready?” Of course not. Debate against Joe Biden. Not a whole lot of experience. This is heart beat away from Pres. with McC being a sick, old man.
18 months as governor, before that ,a mayor.
I guess that kinda blows McSame’s “inexperienced” meme against Obama right out of the water.
Jane writes: “I’m still not quite sure why Obama didn’t try and lock that vote down by overlooking the personal animosity he and Clinton shared and picking her as his running mate, but he didn’t”
From what I heard, Clinton let Obama know that, even if asked, she would not consider it. Is this false? [I wouldn’t be surprised if it was, just wondering]
I totally concur with your analysis – I would qualify it by saying that they’re going for the low information female voter – call it the Ah-nold strategy.
the only group consistently uneasy with Obama in polling has been middle aged to older white males – enter Biden
he could have accomplished same with some of the other candidates, but Biden offered combination of help with that demo, Labor, AND provided a comforting binky to the Corp Media lemmings
MSNBC still harping on the “Joe Biden is sooo gonna look like a bully in the V.P. Debate.’
*spit*.
Like Biden can’t firmly plant the knife gently, and with a giant smile on his face….
Well that is sick and twisted. Just like a deep red R to fight for the torture of animals. *Sorry to all hunters here, I just don’t get it*
Jane Hamsher:
I suspect the votes among women she might gain is offset by the sexism of the public, particularly among Republicans, and particularly towards a relatively young woman.
The pick helps us. I went back and forth on the issue of whether Obama should choose HRC. But I don’t think it’s lost us the election and I don’t buy that 20+% of Clinton supporters won’t support Obama. Just. Don’t. Buy. It. Like Cecile Richards said, it’s like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders. Yes, women will vote for McCain–Republican women.
And Palin who? The choose looks like a gimmick.
And what’s her connection to the thoroughly corrupt Alaska Republican machine?
Maybe even a worse choice than Mittens.
She’ll completely outclass him. She can probably name most of the Aleutian Islands.
I thought they meant this Palin.
But she’s a beauty contest winner, the only kind of female the Rs like.
Oh the headlines they will write…
“Drilling Advocate McCain Taps Pro-Drilling Beauty Queen, Palin”
A 44 year-old who couldn’t hold major office for more than a year and a half without abusing her power?
How did her experience as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (pop. 8500) prepare her to be the American Commander-in-Chief?
How does McCain press the argument that Obama lacks experience?
Yet another example of McCain’s ill-suited temperment and judgement.
McCain ‘08: the worst campaign in the history of Presidential politics.
i don’t know if this is going to come out right—-
excuse me, five children, a newborn, and she’s gonna spend 24/7 at the white house?
and the newborn has down’s????????
what’s wrong with this picture?
12 months as governor, before that a MAYOR?????????
huh?
wasn’t the repubs’ main concern with obama EXPERIENCE?
old man and eye candy.
This is actually interesting, when you think of the way he addresses women sometimes, even if it is usually harmless, or even disarming.
So she is who I thought she is. Yup, she’s tied into the corrupt Alaska crew. And she has some, shall we say, professionalism issues.
Wow, McCain, you sure can pick `em.
McCain will present his new Veep on C-span about 1200EST.
Why isn’t Abba playing at the McSame event?
Someone should ask her if she watches Deadliest Catch. ;-)
Gasp!
“The polar bear should be removed from the endangered species list because its protected status will hamper drilling for oil and gas in Alaska, the state’s Republican Governor has demanded.
Sarah Palin is suing the Bush Administration over its decision last week to place the animal under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, claiming that climate models predicting the continued loss of sea ice – the main habitat of polar bears – are unreliable.
The lawsuit came as a surprise because most of the outcry after last week’s decision came from environmental groups. Although pleased that the Bush Administration had singled out climate change as a reason to place an animal under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the green lobby were dismayed about restrictions attached to the listing.
Yet the Governor of Alaska – a state whose residents overwhelmingly support oil exploration – is arguing that the polar bear does not need added protection, and the bear populations have increased significantly over the past 30 years because of conservation. Ms Palin maintains that any commercial development in Alaska requiring federal permits or funding would have to go through a consultation process – described by Steven Daugherty, Alaska’s assistant Attorney-General, as “basically a big time-and-money waster”. .
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t…..987891.ece
Is she ready to step into the role of CIC?
No.
There is your Achilles heel.
But she’s a beauty contest winner, the only kind of female the
RsMcSame likes.Fixed.
the old man and the eye candy.
that’s my headline.
“But”? So much the worse.
Read Kos’ post on her. There is video of her trashing the VP position on an interview with Larry Kudlow.
omg
Yeah, sage advice.
The thing that strikes me very odd about this pick is, if he wanted to pick a woman, why not Hutchison? Is she not more accomplished?
If Obama/Biden are serious about taking a machete to a knife fight then they should look at what Republican Bob Ehrlich did in Blue State Maryland in his race against Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. His most effective ad was one that told the voter: “Even you have more experience than Kathleen.”
I personally feel that the country’s best interest would be served now that she’s no longer in the race in having Hillary Clinton on the Supreme Court. Even if she would have brought more to the table than Obama it would have been only 8 years at the most, on the court it’s for life. Hope she dealt for it.
Jane, re your advocacy of Hillary on the ticket…that would have cost Obama far more states/electoral college than the gain of some women voters. As a woman, I am not and never was a Hillary supporter. Hillary is not a guarantee of women’s votes.
Nor will Palin be for McCain. Also this is the guy who crashed five planes first….
And Obama has already made inroads into McCain’s supposed evangelical base.
Down’s Syndrome which in 95% of cases is due to a trisomy of chromosome 21, i.e. 3 copies instead of two from non-disjunction of chromosome in the mother. It is very much age-related.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000815/825.html
Oh, sure, John, go for the women’s vote. After all, women are idiots who will ignore your mealymouthed hostility to reproductive rights so they can feed their spite. You betcha.
Going to work three days after birth, especially when 44 years old?!? That’s horrific, both for her and her child. Unbelievable.
Is Alaska “exotic” and “foreign”? It’s not attached so it must be. He should have gone for someone from Myrtle Beach.
I heard Hutchison yesterday saying no way was she interested in being in Washington the next four years.
salazar on msnbc
I agree.
comments from Alaskans
ps – asked ET about this about a month ago – because I believe their Lt Gov is also running for office
mommy Dearest?
“Hockey MILF”
That’s mine.
I think Kay is interested in being governor of Texas.
This is really odd. Is McInsane simply giving up and trying to rehab the Repub image for the future? “See, we tried to get a women in the Exec branch!” Gotta think this is gonna really hurt some of their down ticket races as well, since Repubs are not gonna be excited by this news. Repub backstabbing and infighting is gonna increase a lot.
Actually I think she ran against Alaska corruption
Palin has a BABY at home. What kind of mother runs off to campaign for VP with an infant? (MAYBE a state-wide election wouldn’t be bad, but national? Give me a break!)
She has ethical problems.
She is anti-choice.
She is pro-every-type-of-gun.
This woman is not appealing to me in ANY way. The least of which is my maternal instinct, which tells me campaigning for VP with an infant is RABILY ANTI-MOTHER.
By the way, if ANY woman was FOR Hillary, and switches over to vote for this rabid GOP female, she is too stupid to vote. Period. Voting for a candidate just because she is a female is as bad as not voting for someone because s/he is an African-American, gay, female, etc.
Besides, having Hillary on the Dem ticket would be DISASTEROUS. Just that name alone would energize tons of GOPers to vote, who were planning to stay at home, because they don’t trust McCain. But if the choice is McCain vs. Hillary, that ices it.
It truly astonishes me that so many female Dems see the PRIMARY RACE was close, and assume a general would be, too. Get real.
OBAMA isn’t “ready”????
ladies and gentlemen, may i present….desperation.
salazar–noone ever heard of her.
andrea stuttering.
both sound like they just ate sugar then a pickle.
andrea struggling to come up with policy questions to ask in reference to palin. bet she’s thinkin’ gimme something to go on here!!! i’ve got kids, i’ve got mayor, i’ve got new governor, no experience, no record.
salazar energy and resources committee. andrea shifted it to policy discussion.
andrea-woman, swing state
salazar–point of the sphere in next president…..women and how they will vote, about the causes of our time, faith in middle class, tired policies. turn page, biden’t experience. exciting campaign.
This is the population of town where she was Mayor.
RightO….Gergen now saying big gamble, could have knocked me over with a feather. Bold gamble, McC likes. Feisty, reformer, social conservative…that’s who she is. Issue of our time per McC war on terror: what is her experience. Large gamble. To win or lose.
the Dayton rally just started
And they are crazy if they think the women who supported Hillary are suddenly going to switch to McC. They supported Hillary for definite reasons which certainly don’t apply to Palin.
David Gergen:
“America may fall in love with her.”
“Is this the person that John McCain is bringing in to fight the war on terrorism, people are going to ask”..
I think the R’s have that problem across the board.
They have decidely fielded the “B Team”.
Their best hope is racism driving the election close enough to steal.
Ooh! They have cheerleaders on stage throwing T-shirts to the crowd! Can McCain put on an event or what?
The Repugs would go from Cheney to Palin?
What about all that spying equipment & shredders at the Naval Observatory? where are they going to put that?
And what about Addington, Hadley, et. al? or, will they still be in business at Weaver Terrace?
Gergen again:
“Will people fall in love with her quickly”
WTF?
Although….my Yahoo inbox headlines has this news in the top four slots and they all say the same thing, “McCain picks AK governor.” If his goal was to steal momentum from the Dem convention, a controversial pick will do that, especially when the Conglomerate Media is already your ad agency.
There is an Obama headline on the bottom about going on the bus tour though. Still, this pick seems like he’s throwing in the towel. Man, McInsane must REALLY not like Romnutz, since Lush Limpdick and the Pox Newz thugs would’ve praised that pick. Oh well…we’ll take it!
somewhere out there, there must be a shocking, fishy photo of Palin lying down next to someone other than her husband – kind of like this one.
They’re playing country music recorded by an Australian!
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Hillary’s value on the campaign trail just doubled. She can attack, attack and it won’t be perceived as bullying.
Digg it!
McCain will leave Cheney in that little ante-office/closet thingy…the one Libby and Addington met in…Palin will be a “front”.
Do you have any data to cite on this? I’m not trying to just challenge you, would really like to see it.
She’s a natural choice since McCain is known for palin’ around with lobbyists.
msnbc reporter met with palin few days ago.
here’s what she said.
spouting off palin’s position on anwar…….11 billion oil, gas numbers…
labor, economy…….
works on north slope, husband works for bp…oil production operator.
said savvy move, to get clinton supporters…..(gag).
another inept woman put in a position because of her ‘positions’.
i bet repub women who have worked their asses off are pissed that yet another beauty queen has been promoted/placed in a job without a resume.
cnbc interview at 4pm they will show the interview from this airhead reporter.
How are you watching it?
ROFLMAO
worst verbal image of the day, via TPM:
OMFG – McCrazy has some high-school-lookin’ CHEERLEADERS out on the platform!
Is he looking like a perv today or what?
CSPAN
Is her husband (an engineer for big oil I think) going to become an issue? Should he?
Palin is married to a Yu’pik Eskimo
It sounded like about ten people joined them in the “We love McCain” cheer.
She has a stay at home husband who takes care of the kids.
I wouldn’t push this particular argument.
That’s his idea of pursuing the ‘youth vote’
Up next Daddy Yankee teaching him some new steps
Like maybe, well, a secretary?
starting with ‘another inept woman’ were my comments.
Is noted McInsane supporter Daddy Yankee there to sing his hit, “Gasolina”?!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD81Clgmr90
That would be kick ass, and really help get the female vote.
I can see it already. She will back shooting terrorists from planes. This will solidify her support with the NRA, bridge over differences with environmentalists, and establish her cred on the GWOT.
oops, rally not ready to start
motorcade delay
In typical Rethuglican fashion, Palin makes a big deal about her fetus “God’s gift…” and then abandons him to someone else’s care three days after he’s born?
Thx, didn’t realize that was it in the background.
I’m a little worried that this is a bid to put California into play for the rethugs, by mobilizing the burbs and the central valley
He works on an oil rig in the off-hunting season.
are you kidding,how will she have time to help her disabled child
That’s a really disrespectful comment. They’re going to be his cabinet.
yup BPO…she wants to openANWAr for HIM
Cheney will babysit.
so how many showed up for McCrazy?
That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
five planes crashed…that’s the McCain gamble.
I don’t think he is an engineer. He is a fisherman during fishing season and works for BP in the off season
The pictures of Palin on CSPAN alternate between her being a blond and having dark hair.
Then this isn’t true?
from wiki
“Outside the fishing season, Todd works for BP at an oil field on Alaska’s North Slope “
RoseSarahs Baby….. rut oh
actually no:
“Todd Palin, who took college courses, but does not have a degree, said he is grateful for the training he received from the multinational oil company BP starting in 1989.
Until recently, he earned hourly wages as a production operator in a BP-run facility that separates oil from gas and water. Palin was making between $100,000 and $120,000 a year before he went on leave in December to make more time for his family and avoid potential conflicts of interest. London-based BP is heavily involved in the gas pipeline negotiations with his wife’s administration.”
ET has said in the past Palin is capable and popular in Alaska. He was a fan until the recent police scandal. And I don’t think going after the fact that she has a new baby is going to bring us anything but grief.
Complete inexperience on the national and international stage? Go for it.
I think they know they’re gonna lose and are pre-positioning her for a future run.
It’s great when dads can be “stay at home,” but nothing compares or can replace a mother’s bond with a baby in its first year, especially the fourth day after birth! Truly bizarre.
mccain at nutter center, 15,000 people..dayton, ohio……announcing his vip.
ummmmmm that’s not many….
remember, boehner country is right down I-75…..little over an hour away.
sad.
very sad.
An aide to McCain said that she has foreign policy experience because she was head of the nationa guard and the mother of a son in the army.
and don’t forget she’s locked up the gay hunter vote
From Palin’s wiki re her husband
It is a ridiculous and reckless choice.
She has been governor of the State of Alaska for a little over a year and before that was on the city council of a town of less than 12000 people.
It is preposterous on its face.
Seriously, how silly, crazy, fruitloops, is our political process becoming?
motorcade delay in DAYTON?????????
uh, i’m not believin’ that one.
“Disrespectful” is my middle name. heh.
They’re going to be his cabinet.
Who? Other pervs, or the cheerleaders?
oh, more shots of the teen cheerleaders. Very creepy.
She was mayor also.
Good news for Dems, to be sure. Paling brings absolutely nothing new to the ticket, and she absolutely kills McCain’s only resonant argument – Obama’s lack of experience.
She doesn’t bring any new female voters to the fold because of her anti-choice positions. She doesn’t bring any add’l EC votes, as Alaska was already solidly GOP anyway. She has positively zero policy chops at the federal level.
McCain is throwing in the towel on this one.
personally I thought that based on name recognition alone she’s wrapped up the Monty Python vote.
They’re really going whole hog on this drilling thing. And Obama puts polar bears first.
cspan said traffic was a problem
They saw her pageant hairdo, and stopped to give Palin a quickie makeover.
That’s it…“Even you have more experience than Sarah. And you have ethics.”
Can someone email Obama’s campaign. I’d say that’s the Ad!
Good news for Dems, to be sure. Paling brings absolutely nothing new to the ticket, and she absolutely kills McCain’s only resonant argument – Obama’s lack of experience.
—————–
heartbeat away from the most serious job in the world
Ready on day 165?
amen. you can bet they see this child’s condition as some kind of kryptonite, much like McKept’s POW schtick.
I’m really looking forward to Senator Clinton’s response to this
Andrea Mitchell just made a Dan Quayle allusion …. hmmmm
She was mayor also.
Commander-In-Chief material, fer sure…..
oh they just said Joe Biden is AGGRESIVE
I kind of doubt this is going to do her a lot of good with Hillary voters. Leaving aside choice and her state’s status as a prime pork depository and the fact that pretty much every national Republican from her political machine is under indictment, this isn’t a woman with lots of experience. He passed over more experience women for a good-looking young woman with no serious national experience.
It’s got a whiff of Deborah Norville replacing Jane Pauley. Not a popular choice with the Hillary voter demographic, as I recall.
No one expects the
Spanish InquisitionAlaska Governor.She has a certain juneau sais quoi.
LOL
i’m sorry, i can’t quit laughing……
dayton? oh my. they didn’t have a few cops clear the way?
i’ve been in funeral processions there, during rush hour, i don’t get it.
maybe people are blocking the streets.
rofl
and John is very old and sick
hehe.. unlikes poppa bush, mcsame has bigger issues to worry about than a need for impeachment insurance.
leave it to the rethugs to choose a VP who is currently involved in an (albeit minor) ethics scandal. talk about playing to the base!
Must be a talking point, I heard it earlier too…and they are saying that McCain could win even with a laughable candidate..
Voting machines!!!
Hill is VERY against drilling in Anwr
pas mal du tout!
personally I thought that based on name recognition alone she’s wrapped up the Monty Python vote.
dammit!! Now I’m conflicted…..
rofl……..rofl……….rofl……
So last night Obama was talking about passing laws that would allow mothers to stay home much longer than they can now, without fear or losing their jobs and pay cuts. More like many European countries. Palin goes back to work three days after her child is born. Seems to be a fair point to illustrate who values family more.
Given her reactionary Repub stands on so many issues, I wonder if she wold even have supported the Violence Against Women Act that Joe Biden introduced.
Hopefully women voters will understand this distinction between the two campaigns.
fair game: her experience, her positions, her qualifications, her ethics
not fair game: her family situation
This is the most massive example of poor judgment imaginable. He’s doing this to try to bolster his position with women, and it will do just the opposite. I just received this from a friend – and it is precisely on point:
McCain’s judgment AND Palin’s own judgment are now squarely in the cross-hairs.
I see Palin as a logical choice.
Similar to defending every valid criticism of McCain’s character with the POW card, criticism of Palin will be answered with “so pro-life whe chose life for her Down’s Syndrome baby, and her sensitive husband gave up his career to stay at home”
Pluse she has ‘reform’ credentials (what’s an investigation or two between friends)
Shooting them from palindrones?
Sorry.
Don’t miss dailykos.com today, where McCain’s VP choice, Gov. Sarah Palin, is excoriated as far worse than worse than George HW Bush’s Dan Quale.
• Palin has said she doesn’t know what the VP does
• She has been gov of Alaska for just 1-1/2 years following being mayor of a town of 6000 (so much for the “isn’t experienced enough” argument)
• was produced by the Alaska GOP which supports the indicted Alaska Senator Ted Stevens
• has been charged with a Troopergate scandal where her sister’s ex was fired from the State Troopers, with her possible instigation
• her husband works for Big Oil
• she wants creationism taught alongside evolution.
But she’s a woman and a right-wing Conservative. WOW.
I think McCain went with Palin because Pamela Anderson wasn’t available.
“She’s a mother of five, she’s a mother of five, she’s a mother of five”..Mika
I believe the Mccain camp didn’t understand till the DEM convention how important it was that we were making history in duplicate. I think it hit them in the face the past 4 days. But they don’t understand, Hillary has dedicated and devoted supporters. They will not be able to duplicate that in 5 weeks, it is impossible. McCain waited till we had a candiate, then he waited till our candiate named a VP. He squandered abt 3 months that he could have been name branding his VP pick. They are just not making wise decissions in that camp.
dammit!! Now I’m conflicted…..
let’s see who they propose as Minister of Silly Walks
MSNBC is waiting breathlessly.
she is a mother…who wants to destroy7 the planet through GLOBAL warming
selfish bitch”g”
Three thoughts. First: McCain wants a non-VP. I think he holds women in disdain. Look how he treated his first wife. Look how Cindy acts with him, always behind him, always silient, like a dutiful Stepford Wife. This is not a man that treats women as an equal. It says he is looking for a subserviant running mate.
Two: How will the social conservatives view a women with five children including a bady with special needs basically abandoning motherhood for political office?
Three: This would be a great time for Obama to strike a deal with Hillary and offer her a cabinet position or a leadership position from the Senate to become the Heath Care Zar. This would appeal to many women across the country. She has called this her passion. Let her lead on this issue.
OK McCain’s in the house
CSPAN 1
well, pun, you first make decisions and judgements about yourself, then your family, then your neighborhood, then your community, then your city, then your state, then your country…….
so, i think the decisions and judgements she makes with/about her family reflect her.
sorry. disagree.
not bonding with a downs newborn is criminal.
she has fought listing polar bears as endangered. ordered Alaska to sue Fed Govt over it’s listing
link
good luck with that Gov.
say hello to my little friend
Cindy is MUCH taller than McJlub
agreed
but see my 165
I honestly see her family situation as her strongest qualification
bom dia pups
interesting news huh?
Amen, brother, notwithstanding what some expert moms, ahem, are saying around here.
from wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
The crowd is being nice. They’re reminding him what his name is.
Obama averages more people at his events than live in the town where Palin was mayor.
this child needs extroidinary care ,no?
She’s on CSpan, talking Exxon Valdez as a culprit.
McCain, however, has someone new to jump out of his bday cake.
Zero foreign policy experience and were McCain to keel over, only JFK and TR would be younger presidents. With better credentials than administering over 8,471 residents and shooting Bullwinkle.
he is having troubles talking
I believe that would be juneau sas quatch.
shake rattle and roll
Hee hee hee.
reading from cards poor soul
Looks like they set up the teleprompter too low. Makes it look like he’s talking with his eyes closed.
Lemmee get this straight, it’s a no-no to talk about her family situation but it’s totally cool to stick it to him for his?
This has all the makings of a parody.
Uh, I’m surprised by this post. Maybe I shouldn’t be. After being burned by the GOP for eight years, voting for someone just because they are a woman, or because they are not black just isn’t good enough. #### symbolism. We need leadership, competent leadership.
Just knowing Palin is Alaskan GOP was enough for me to give the bronx cheer. That is my share of punditry and it’s good enough to air on CNN, so there.
She encouraged her children to be involved in sports wow
This VP pick means that McCain still does not have his hardcore base nailed down and willing to vote for him in the numbers they voted for Bush. Just when is McCain going to move to the center?
oooh, she was a point-guard?
Well that, and the Monty Python connection, has me re-examining my options.
HA !!
Palin’s wikiscanner page.
even with a 44-year old VP the average age of the GOP ticket is still higher than the Dems.
In the Grand Old Political traditional history comes
Tippecanoe and Tylor Too
Carrying on that Grand Worthy Old Tradition, For McCain
DippityDooDoo and Bimbo Too
/ss
I live in the Dayton area. Believe it. I70 is under construction basically from the airport to 675. It takes only one fender bender to generate a backup of miles. I70 is a heavy truck road. If they get off on I75 (I70/I75 interchange is being rebuilt) they can then deal with the construction at I75 & route 4.
Nutter will only hold about 15-20K. The tv shots I’ve seen so far make me think it’s pretty empty, they’re cropping to a very small area around the podium.
Boxturtle (The Nut is located just across the interchange form a major shopping mall. On the last Friday before school starts. Good plan)
I think taking this tack of criticism will be quite sufficient to bury her through ridicule. McCain will protect us from the terrorists, Palin from…the polar bears.
Hell, I’m a man and I’m not going back to work for a week after my son is born next week!
I think that Hillary is not on the ticket more because of her DLC affiliation than anything else. Obama not only is trying to win the Presidency, but also is working to (with Dean) to build the Democratic Party to a 50 state organization with grassroots credibility, in defiance of the DLC trend.
The alleged 28% of Clinton supporters who “won’t vote for Obama” most certainly is a canard. Informed feminists are not stupid. They’re not going to throw away decades of activism against oppression by voting for someone who is pledged to shackle a woman’s right to control her own body.
As a wise friend once said to me, “A vote for Phyllis Schlafley is not a vote for feminism.”
Just so a vote for Sarah Palin (via John McCain).
It’s a tone-deaf choice that simply highlights McCain’s ignorance of feminism…and a thousand other things.
john is pathetic…quick hide his cue cards
VP debate should be interesting. caribou in the headlights?
Could she go to her left?
McCrazy exhibiting poor judgement once again. Who would trust her to be president if he keeled over.
Well, she certainly has more presence than Dan Quayle.
im gobsmakked
Again, McCain is playing the Victim Card by choosing a Victim VP (isn’t she wonderful? she chose to have her baby with Down’s Syndrome!).
I do think it’s a wonderful personal choice. But I don’t owe her my vote because of it. I don’t owe McCain my vote because he was a POW. They are both doing quite nicely, thank you. I wish them well.
They are all wearing the same lapel pins as Barak, I think it’s a secret service deal.
I think McCain’s VP has some very interesting political views I hope the put her on National TV soon to explain those views.
Or will McCain hide her and let her speak only when the press is not there or when topics have been cleared before hand.
Point-Guards rule !!
McCrazy – “I am very pleased to introduce to you, the next Vice-President of the United States, and the sister of Michael Palin, ummm, errr, Sarah!, yeah, that’s it – Sarah Palin of the great state of…. ummm, er, Alaska!!!”
That was a short speech, why couldn’t he memorize it in stead of reading it?
She talks like a “hoser”.
Cindy looks like an aged Barbie Doll.
So they are rewriting her resume as we speak huh?
Dan Quale won also.
My husband “Taaaad” just like Gilda!
Could she go to her left?
Obviously not – look who she’s standing next to…. *g*
MSM questioned Edwards vis a vis Mrs. Edwards cancer and his ability to focus on running the country. Palin went to work three days after giving birth to a special needs baby.
No problem with focus on work. Round up nannies and former nannies for interviews. This woman may be a meanie. Colder than Hillary has ever been.
I feel like I’m watching the twilight zone.
Maybe she needed the money or was worried about being fired?
Was thinking the same thing, but then the republican media will say Joe was mean to Sarah.
this is parody ,no
Did she agree to allow McCain to call her a clown car?
Well, it is said that Palin is a wolf blitzer from a higher plane …
isa Loopner: Thanks for walking me, home, Todd!
Todd LaBounta: Well, uh.. if I didn’t take you home, uh.. Robert Demintz would’ve. [ nerdy laugh ] He’s so stupid, he takes a ruler to bed with him to see how long he sleeps!
Lisa Loopner: [ groans ] Ohhh! That joke’s so old, the last time I heard it I fell off my dinosaur!
Todd LaBounta: Watch this! [ presses fingers into Lisa’s forehead ]
Lisa Loopner: Oh, stop it, Ted! [ giggling ]
[ Mrs. Loopner enters living room ]
Mrs. Loopner: Hi, Lisa! Hi, Todd!
Todd LaBounta: Good afternoon, Mrs. Loop-ner! What smells so good from the kitchen, Mrs. Loop-ner.
Mrs. Loopner: Oh, nothing special, Todd – just pot roast, mashed potatoes, and fresh spinach.
Todd LaBounta: Oh, you always serve a balanced meal, Mrs. Loop-ner.
Mrs. Loopner: Thank you, Todd. Would you like to stay for dinner?
Lisa Loopner: No, Mom! No!
I think we’re past that. This is parody.
Didn’t mean to offend you yesterday. I appreciate your knowledge of history and humor. I thought the image, er smellage, of your post was icky and disturbing.
Biden is going to have to be careful. His normal attack is like a werewolf: Instinctive, noisy and directly to the heart. This is probably the wrong approch with Miss Congeniality. Not sure how to handle her without her making political hay out of being picked upon.
Boxturtle (I doubt she’s anywhere close to a match for Biden)
the voice … oh lord
The All-American Woman.
What a refreshing change.
This is going to lose male and senior votes in a huge way.
coming off as a chatty sycophant to me.
And shallow – very, very shallow.
Do Beauty Pageant contestants have a cheerleading competition? She seems a natural.
MSM questioned Edwards vis a vis Mrs. Edwards cancer and his ability to focus on running the country. Palin went to work three days after giving birth to a special needs baby.
———————–
bingo,and her voice makes me want to commit sepeku
He’s the one dribbling.
Is Palin’s husband with her?
Yay, and congrats early.
The R’s will attack Biden no matter how he treats her. It’s what they do.
707…………….spit up coffee…i like to work with my hands…John should like that
voting for someone just because they are a woman, or because they are not black just isn’t good enough
I agree with your statement, but have no idea how you got that people here have said anything close to that.
which bubbly beverage may i serve you?
the gravitas is stunning.
I think. I’m certainly stunned by – something….
Corruption in AK’s energy world? color me shocked.
rethugs don’t like surprises or change. He should’ve just stuck with Pawlenty and counted on racism and mysogeny to make his case for him.
She makes me think of Quayle: Photogenic, likable enough, but a lightweight.
Boxturtle (Whatever became of Dan?)
No fair. I resisted posting a comment when she was coming on stage, inquiring whether she’d have her pom poms. If I can muster a modicum of self-discipline, I expect others to do the same.
One word: 9/11.
Can you see this person dealing with or having the least clue if another 9/11 were to happen?
from wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
Ahh, that how the much needed campaign dollars will come in.
This pick defies logic…who is running this campaign? Sybil?
“I said thanks, but no thanks, on that Bridge to Nowhere.”
umm, didn’t that money end up in Alaska anyway?
You didn’t offend, I should have stifled the over-reaction. ;-)
Biden will go all ga-ga at a debate. I think that was part the reason for choosing Palin.
Thanks. Looking foreward to it (except the sleepless nights).
“were McCain to keel over…” should probably be “when McCain keels over…”.
heart beat away from the presidency
ugh who wrote this speech?
Jane, are you still here? Would you care to weigh in on what you’re observing?
I am responding to the GOP trying to fool us. And I’m responding to the mythical hard core Hillary supporter that the media likes to conjure up. I didn’t mean to admonish anyone on the board. Just stating my feelings, period.
I feel slapped in the face. How much more evidence do we need that repubs do not take governing seriously? If they steal another election, Palin could actually be our president some day. It’s like Harriet Miers all over again. Totally not up to the task. More than reckless. Shows a total lack of respect for the office and for Americans. I can’t even celebrate this lousy choice, that’s how angry I am.
Gotta love that Country First crap.
ok.. this is scarily interesting. Comments from friends within my facebook network now popping up suggest that many people think that the Palin pick was a shrewd move. And these are mostly Dems.
sorry – great minds…
I’d owe you a Coke, but you’re more of a wine-drinker, right? Got one of those wine-in-a-box things headed your way. *g*
Why would Biden go all ga ga?
I think Amy Adams could do a good job with any parodies of this person. Same voice and emphatic qualities.
Also, no experienced pol with a future is going to hitch their wagon to McCain.
This is probably the wrong approach with Miss Congeniality.
yeah, the Fargo/woodchipper rhetorical approach may have to be dialed back a bit.
As if the MSM would treat a democratic nominee with fairness and facts. Biden, obama will be smeared and attacked relentlessly.
The only possible rational argument the McCain campaign has made is the experience issue. I don’t see how they can ever mention it again.
Her attacks will fall flat as if coming from a little girl. Sorry if anyone is offended by this comment.
Oh yeah. But Biden can handle the worst the R’s can dish out. This country still considers beating up on a lady, even verbally, ungentlemanly. So unless (until) she get’s herself classified as a b***h, there’s risk of bad publicity.
Boxturtle (Seen Layla Ali fight and Hillary debate, no longer worry about beating up on ladies)
When did Palin come to the main land? I have a feeling this decission was made recently without much thought.
Palin – “I am soooo on-board with the POW thing.”
“Gimme a “P” !! Gimme an “O”!….”
(((solai)))
She would just be a placeholder president while the Cheneys and PNAC people continue to pull the levers of power in the back rooms.
John McShame is not wearing a flag pin – what is with this
Why would Biden go all ga ga?
Teefs ‘n Tufts fancies himself a bit of a charmer, perhaps…
Palin is probably the most photogenic of any of the GOP VP choices.
McCain hopes that Biden will push her too hard in the VP debate make her cry and cause a huge sympathy vote like when Tweety was mean to Hilary and the “Tweety Effect ” flipped New Hampshire.
absolutely not fair game.
Which is not going to stop the evangelicals. I don’t think they’re going to be too pleased about a young woman with a baby in tow being one elderly heartbeat away from headship over the army.
Obama could have locked in the democratic-ish/independent woman’s vote by picking Sebelius or Nepolitano. In such a case, McCain would have chosen a male VP on some other basis. He clearly only picked Palin because she is a woman (and probably agreed), irrespective of her the ethics investigation against her. He also intends to wield her in the anti-abortion debate by using her CHOICE to have a Down’s Syndrome child as a reason for ALL women to have choice taken from them regardless of the disease/defect their embryo might harbor.
What a coincidence.
It is shrewd. He is going after female voters (clinton voters). But this choice is insulting as well. She is anti-choice and anti-women and he thinks that women will blindly vote for him because she is a woman. jackass
Fortunately our fine vets are on board with going after McCain to respect their service as much as we’re expected to honor his. let’s hope their voice becomes much much louder from now to November.
treat her like an argument with his respected wife period
Oh. I thought you meant this post. Thought that’s what you said.
The GOP doesn’t fool me. Period.
Myths don’t fool me either.
Crap Native American votes in the Western States.
Yes, the fourth branch would be unaffected by her selection.
Biden does not have to beat up on her. He is very smart, knows his facts and she won’t know diddly. All he has to do is talk and she’s toast.
Biden had better not call her “articulate.”
I got $10 the POW drops a c-bomb on her first time she goes off message.
I find putting a 4 month old Downs syndrome baby at the center of the campaign a completely disgusting ploy.
According to McCain, since Palin is a woman, she is going to need a lot of training, a lot of training to be equal to a man. Clown car.
She likes to hunt moose. I am told that is not very sporting, it is like hunting a cow, you can pretty much walk up to one and shoot it. Something Dick Cheney would undoubtedly enjoy.
I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I remember him questioning Condoleeza Rice with about the right demeanor. He knows this election is serious.
But will McCain’s people use that, its hard to target Native Americans and not piss off Stormwatch and the Klan.
1,749 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Come on Sister Hamsher, you aren’t really serious about Sarah Palin pullin’ ANY significant number of Mrs. Clinton’s supporters, are you??!! First of all, if she ken pull enough women voters to make an iota of difference on a ticket with John McCrazy and the GOP policy stands on womens issues, then that’s an indictment of the state of political intellegence of that segment of the womens vote. Secondly, if Palin succeeds in attracting any even marginal number of Clinton voters then we are VERY lucky that Mrs. Clinton did not succeed in gaining the nomination. Do you, as a feminist, really want to watch the terrible bloodletting that will be Joe Biden debating the beauty queen from the soon to be topical Alaskan tundra? Good God Sister Jane, they jest took the age and experience argument against Obama right offa the table!!
The one positive for all of us in this nomination is that womens issues may come up front and center, but I doubt it given the GOP policy stands and legislative history. I think that the corporate bosses have given up on winnin’ this election and instead will try and crack certain suture lines in the Democratic coalition to set up the 2010 Congressional elections and the 2012 big one.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION BUT HOLD YER FIRE UNTIL THEY STOP SHOOTIN’ AT EACH OTHER!
So, Do you really believe that HRC was ever going to be a choice? What about vetting of Bill? Better yet,what all of you HRC supporters don’t seem to understand is this; The republicians hate both the Clintons with a passion. They had hundreds of ads in the can castigating both Bill and HRC. It would have been the repig wet dream come true if HRC had won, it would matter slightly less if she had been the VP pick. Most people around here-where I live- are unreconstructed repigs. You should have heard some of the things that they said about HRC and were prepared to put out on TV commercials. Also, considering how HRC went to rove tactics when she realized she had lost and had ranted to get both Mi and Fl full voting rights, even tho it was on record-and tape-that she was in full agreement about not letting them be seated at all- before she started to lose. Same thing with her popular vote meme. She knew from the git go that the only thing that counted were delegates, not a popular vote. She knew that Mi and Fl were breaking the rules, yet she left her name on the ballot so she could claim (a tainted) victory. She proved, at least to me, that she was not ever presidential material when she and her team attempted to move the goalposts every time Obama won another state. She ran a very poor campaign, one filled with personnel problems and bad tactics. She ignored the Caucus states, then said that they did not matter. Her organization was amateur, while Obama’s was totally professional from the grass roots to the very top. HRC never went to the grass roots but instead went with very highly paid ‘consultants’ who served her poorly. In addition, she not only ran out of money, she lent herself $10M, and still fell another $12M in further debt.So you believe that at least 28% of the HRC supporters will rather vote for mccain-who is at least 180 degrees from her on every position- than vote for the winner of the dem primaries-who beat her fair and square? Is that what you are saying. In that case those women were never democracts, they were just dilettantes.
Perhaps the best strategy is to just ignore Palin and continue to pound on former prisoner of war McCain’s (What, he was a POW!? Nobody told ME!) judgement, age, and utter clueslessness about the country’s predicament. People cast their votes for President, not vice President. Palin’s record, such as it is, will be picked up and examined by the blogs and eventually makes its way into the MSM.
There’ll be no need for Joe to beat her up at the debate.
I am pretty sure they can be as hypocritical as any other GOPer or moralizer. It is such a “bad” or “sinful” thing until they are the one doing it OR until the one doing it serves their ends.
Jane,
Why not pick Clinton as Obama’s running mate?
Aside from the fact that Clinton may not have wanted the job, the VP being essentially a place filler, there’s the fact that Clinton, and her campaign, were the polar opposite of the Dean/Obama/Progressive movement within the Democratic party, and I’m surprised more people don’t get this. Hillary’s campaign was ten years behind the times and right out of the DLC playbook: massively centralized, dependent on TV ads and big money donors, with absolutely no organization on the ground and no promise to keep making the party stronger. Hell, Carville tried to have Dean replaced with Ford just before the ‘04 midterms.
A Clinton presidency would likely have been one in which the party withered on the vine, like it did under Bill. Given that I think it’s more shocking to think that Obama would’ve picked someone so clearly stuck in the past. As much as I wanted to vote for her, I think Hillary’s political career is in jeopardy unless she jettisons her associations with the past and gets current.
It’s 100% about abortion. They are seeing it as a win for them even considering the “negative” of her being a mother with a VERY young baby and deciding that her career is more important than family.
This would be unpardonable if she were a Dem but since she is a GOPer, it is perfectly OK.
Good idea Biden should ignore her and attack McCain. We do not want to attack Palin we want her to feel safe and talk about her views as openly to as big as an audience as we can get on video.
Citizen puravida:
“There is no reason for Joe to beat her up at the debate?”
And why not…let me remind you of what happened when Joe Lik*derman damned near died of blood loss from the chapped lips he got kissin’ Darth Cheney’s hemorrhoids…no, for the good of the country and for the dignity of intelligent women everywhere, Joe must directly and decisively put this once and future beauty queen down of the count in the first round!
Pooh – C-span call in now. Palin is so courageous because she knew defective baby and went ahead with the pregnancy. What a ringing endorsement for VP
OT prediction Bush will release oil from the National Petroleum Reserve to help McCain with the election especially if the Hurricane really hurts oil production.
This is assuming Bush has given up attacking Iran otherwise we will need that oil.
This whole thing is just another grand distraction. Things threaten to truly progress in this country and the repugs jump up and down, wave their arms, yell, and beg everyone to ignore the man behind the curtain.
This smells like a setup Palin has no experience the GOP wants Biden to crush her, they want a “Tweety Effect” like when Chris Mathews was mean to Hilary before New Hampshire and his comments gave Hilary all the independents.
Biden is good at talking though lets see if he can dance her into a corner, without interrupting her when she is tying to make a point, talking over her, gotch questions, or just flat out accusing her of lying being wrong when she isn’t.
You know the Fox News debating playbook.
I would like to see if Biden is as good as he is suppose to be, I would like to see a real debater at work.
HUH? We are all now qualified to be CIC because courage in the face of adversity is all that it takes to qualify.
Josh says Palin comes with a pre-packaged scandal.
Perfect.
After vetting her a bit and seeing her, I think this was about as good a pick as McCain could have made:
Pro:
The American West–Democrats should take heed here;
In no way, shape, or form related to George Bush;
A DC outsider;
An American girl; an American story–much better really than McCain’s;
Even her so called scandal, even if it proves out, makes her look good;
It says something about McCain’s willingness to avoid being stale;
Photogenic–a younger “first lady” beauty queen model than his wife–Ms. Buffalo Chip (this one cuts both ways, but probably helps with younger voters, though I doubt those old pants suits gals will go for it).
Con:
Her McCain advocacy is the lame old same old–the nation needs more than a good soldier or a Maverick who can’t when push comes to shove stick to his guns on maverickism and getting elected;
OilCo pockets;
If the press and media does its work, ie asks her questions rather than expressing doubts, a big if, what will she have to say about foreign policy;
Previous comments about the Vice Presidency being unworthy of her consideration because (after Gore and Cheney–her adult lifetime) she didn’t think Veeps did much.
Utterly undercuts the idea of Obama not being ready, especially since Obama already seems at least as well versed and a bit smarter on foreign issues as McCain, and far more in touch on domestic issues than McCain will ever be.
Can she possibly compete with the sheer joy Biden brings.
And FWIW, what does that tell you that a Senator from Arizona as a Presidential candidate “needs” an inexperienced governor from Alaska in order to be competitive in the West?
Shouldn’t a Senator from Arizona have a leg up in the West and not need the “help?”
Jane,
Why don’t you just give it up on the “why didn’t he pick Hillary” bit. It is OVER and every time you or someone like you brings it up, it just keeps the story alive that the MSM and the Repugs want. GET OVER IT. PLEASE
Nonetheless Dems tend not to pay attention to the west, which has a libertarian and rural as well as openminded and progressive streak. Not enough was made of Governor Schweitzer at the convention who was far more exciting and just plain smart than Warner who preceded him with the only truly ho hum address in the convention. Colorado, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico.
And “esperience” is not going to be as big an issue in this election because Obama is making an extraordinary case that some people have the stuff to be leaders of people, and others no matter how well experienced never will, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Palin does so also.
Given his choices, I think McCain, whom I despise, has made a good one, far better than Romney, Huckabee, Jindal, or Pawlenty would have been. The bigger spin Dems need to put on this is: look, even John McCain has to listen to what Obama and the Democratic party rank and file are saying: youth, women, fresh perspectives–McCain follows but the Democrats and Obama lead.
Looks to me like Palin is McCain’s attempt to woo the Evangelical/”Family Values” crowd.
She has a baby with Down Syndrome, which means she probably didn’t get tested and clearly didn’t abort. That will play big with those folks.
It really is apalling that JH sees it as simple that the Clintons would be a value add to the Obama candidacy. Thank goodness that the Clintons are finally toast. And if Obama is elected what a contrast to the Clintons’ presidency with its nonsense and irresponsibility. Bye Bye Clintons and their tall tales and fairy tales. Welcome a Democratic Party resurgence.
I heard somewhere that he’s going to be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars. [Not kidding!!]
A woman’s right to choose means just that. She chose to have a Down’s Syndrome baby. I respect her choice, no matter what I think I might do.
But she, like McCain, would appoint Supreme Court judges that would – on the first one appointed – take away that right. So let’s be realistic about who Hillary’s supporters were.
Many were feminists and they won’t be giving aid and comfort to McCain.
Some were older women, could be of either party, voting for her because their lives are growing short and they want to see the glass ceilings broken while they live. Will they vote McCain? Some might, on that basis.
Some were blue dog Dems who will never vote for a Northerner perceived as a liberal. Though she’s NY/Chicago, her Arkansas time makes her acceptable out of regional bias.
Some could be racists even. A significant number of Southern Dems are.
My point is, all of Hillary’s support doesn’t fit the GOP/pundit stereotype of being feminist or even female or progressive. So if a big chunk refuse to vote Obama, that’s really not surprising. George Wallace Democrats still exist.
But don’t forget that many of them live in states Obama was never likely to carry. And with John Paul Stevens so old, it can’t be emphasized enough that McCain poses a powerful risk to womens’ rights, but by picking Palin, advances his image as a supporter of women.
No voters know whether Hillary sought or would have accepted the VP position despite her publicly stated position. So let’s let that go as some flaw in Obama’s decisionmaking. At best, it’s a guess that he even had the option.
“She has run a town and a state. He has only run an expense budget.” Blah blah. They are a *mix*, experience with youth. Blah blah. And wake the fuck up–it’s a *plus* for the fundies that she’s a heartbeat from the preznitcy. She’s one of them. Her foreign policy doesn’t need to be anything more than “USA!USA!USA!” She is not appealing to disaffected Democrats. She is there for the fundies. She may scoop up a few of the dimwitted types who voted Bush in ‘04 because they were scared by the relentless hyping of Al Qaida, but now are looking for other reasons to vote for Someone Other than the Scary Black Guy. “Inexperienced” does not mean “has not held office long enough”. It means “he’s an uppity negro”.
I hate the “she’s dumb because she was a beauty contestant” meme, and seeing it on a “progressive” blog sucks. She won a scholarship in the beauty contest, didn’t she? She used what she had to get to college and that makes her dumb?
”She has a stay at home husband who takes care of the kids.
I wouldn’t push this particular argument.”
***************
All I can say is that this is a STRONG reaction. And I am a mother of three. I cannot understand a mother who wouldn’t be strongly affected by this decision.
Do I believe strongly in working mothers? Sure! I was one. Do I believe in stay-at-home fathers? Yes! I wish I had had one. But working as a mother, and coming home every night is one thing. Running for vice president, and being away from your family weeks on end is another.
This isn’t like anything else. A MOTHER of an infant running for president should put off any woman who has been a mother.