After trying to make experience the issue of this campaign, John McCain celebrated his 72nd birthday by appointing a former small town mayor and brand new Governor as his Vice Presidential nominee. Is this really who the Republican Party wants to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency? Given Sarah Palin’s lack of experience on every front and on nearly every issue, this Vice Presidential pick doesn’t show judgement: it shows political panic.
That’s genius, Rahm. McCain picks a VP choice in order to attract the 28% of Hillary Clinton supporters who think she was disrespected, and Rahm responds with — sneering condescention.
As Big Tent Democrat says, Tim Kaine has the same experience that Palin does, and he was both vetted and seriously considered by the Obama campaign. This is very dangerous territory. Or did Rahm not watch last night as Obama spoke about equal wages and domestic violence legislation? Does he not realize that this is where the front line of this campaign now moves?
His inability to grasp the obvious never fails to impress.
Palin, like McCain, has a nifty lingering scandal in Troopergate, and she’s also tied to Veco. For a country sick of a politicized government full of incompetent cronies, it’s much more fertile territory.
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Enough!
Woohoo! First Frist in a loooong time!
Sarah Quaylin.
Potatoe…potahtoe…
Rahm, as usual, fails to understand what is really in play here. But so does about 80% of the press, from both left and right.
For those how missed it downstairs. This comes from a Nutter center employee who would know.
They haven’t posted it yet (might not), but the tturnstyle count for the Nutt was just under 10K. That includes in and outs, but does not count anybody who came in via the back like McBush. Looks like all three area TV stations had their cameras locked in position, the views are very similar.
So the Nutt was likely about 2/3 full. Not 15K, but his biggest crowd yet.
Boxturtle (Better than I expected.)
This will only help if the press covers it.
No mention of Troopergate on NPR’s top-of-the-hour news.
And WaPo described her as a reformer.
So women should vote for the ticket just because a woman is on it?
Is this a pro-woman woman? Not likely at all.
Not gonna work.
Nixon had his Spiro Agnew – 2 yrs as Gov and a scandal. Only this one is a church lady who wants the government to own your lady parts. How Mavericky.
never thought I would hear you say that jane
Except that Obama and his camp haven’t made this about experience. McCain (and Hillary) did. Rahm’s got it exactly right. Nobody in Obama’s camp made this all about experience, McCain did, and then showed this hypochrisy. I don’t have any problem with Rahm pointing out this obvious hypochrisy, and I don’t understand why you do. And I don’t understand why you’re calling it condescension, either.
I keep hearing people say this. What’s your statistical evidence? Because everyone in both the Obama and McCain campaigns seems to be quite consumed with that 28%. It might put their minds at ease.
Michael Palin would have been a less unexpected choice….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldlyTjXk9A
aha, now I see jane, that was snark
errr…nevermind
I’m just not seeing this pick as getting him any votes he didn’t already have.
I’m beginning to agree with a prior poster, the GOP braintrust knows this is a lost cause and they’re not going to sacrifice anybody worthwhile.
Boxturtle (I was thinking Dan Quayle, but now I’m thinking Stockdale)
ET’s in the house. Please, tell us about Sarah Palin?
And they had to truck in people from Indiana and Kentucky .. and yes .. the cameras seemed to not move at all .. I wonder why .. maybe they didn’t want to embarrass Cranky McSame.
I have to disagree with Big Tent. Yes, Kaine was considered, but the distinction is that he was not chosen. This is despite Kaine holds a BA in economics, attended Harvard Law, taught legal ethics at U. of Richmond law school, etc, etc. In all, a far more rounded background for someone moving into the VPOTUS seat.
Jane Hamsher:
This is crazy.
The Democrats aren’t supposed to offer “sneering condescension”? Any of the Republican vice presidential picks would have merited it, why not her?
And this is deluded:
“Troopergate” gives Democrats nothing; don’t even deign to go into her political biography. Palin merely needs to be mocked as the ex-mayor of Wasilla and the nemesis of polar bears, or better, cubs. Then the subject needs to be changed to this: She’s a “heartbeat from the presidency” as the 72-year old McCain’s running mate. That is the only issue: She is a reflect on McCain’s judgment and temperament.
I can’t wait to see her debate Biden, although after he eviscerates her in Prime Time the McCainStream will whine about him being a meanie.
It doesn’t matter what you think, or what I think. Hillary Clinton got 18 million votes. 28% of those could swing the election. I’m guessing a public relations campaign telling them they’re stupid and to just suck it up probably isn’t going to work, but I may be way off base.
And yes, the words “lack of experience on every front and on nearly every issue” is probably going to be perceived by many as disrespectful and condescending.
Does anyone expect any less from Rahmbo? He’s as condescending as Wolfson, Mark Penn or Lanny Davis. Asshole is their middle name.
Why pick Palin, especially with the Troopergate and Veco scandal baggage, over Mitt Romney, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Joe Lieberman, Olympia Snowe, or even Tim Pawlenty? Hell, Pawlenty, lightweight that he is, was House Majority Leader in Minnesota before he became governor.
We’re not the only ones wondering this — Romney and Pawlenty are wondering, too:
Poor Short Ride must be feeling used, as well. snif snif
she also wants schools to teach the following in science class;
“if we can’t explain it then a grand wizard did it and if you look any further, that wizard is gonna be mad at you”
she wants to teach that in science class…ughh
omg disney’s pr people just stepped in..
they had not meat on the woman, so,
they’ve turned it into a cinderella story…
msnbc talking head said from mayor in a small town in alaska to vp candidate!!!!!
next thing, she’ll be a lottery winner….oh, wait…….
‘ain’t amerika great?!’
Happy Birthday, Wetstart!
Kaine was not selected for the same reasons my fave Sibelius wasn’t picked -
having spent the last 18 mos introducing himself to the country, Obama did not have the luxury of introducing an unknown
Regardless, Tim Kaine was not picked. His lack of experience may well have been a major factor in his elimination.
Kaine was rejected by the Obama campaign in favor of a much more experienced choice. Prior to his service as governor — actually a year more than Palin, as Virginia elects governors in the odd year after the presidential — he was mayor of a city twenty times the size of Whatsit, Alaska.
Rahm’s criticism isn’t about gender. Aren’t Clinton supporters insulted by McCain’s gender-pander? Palin blunts the McCain’s campiagn’s experience argument; that seems to me to be the point Rahm was making.
That’s quite possibly true. If this could be close enough for Dibold and SCOTUS to put McCain in office, the Bush family would have placed Jeb as VP.
cnbc has palin interview coming up….
It has already been said, but Palin is no HRC.
Rahm Emanuel is not a democrat. He is a whore for the highest corporate bidder.
If you really believe in AccountabilityNow you have to work to get him out of any official capacity with the party.
Rahm is as dangerous to Democrats as Steny Hoyer.
from a few days ago.
This is selective use of statistics. 28% think she was disrespected? By whom? If by Obama, how many McCain voters does 28% translate into, or even voters against Obama?
I’m open to argument, but my sense is that this is manufactured division, particulary after the coverage of day 2. Two types of Hillary supporters would actually vote for McCain: 1) supporters of the war, who really would switch parties over the matter, a la Lieberman; 2) narcissistic kooks
Hey, it’s Elaine from Seinfeld for VP!
Saw her on CNN at lunch with no sound – spitting image.
Ku Klux Kreationism…?
Mitt’s a Mormon. The fundies will never vote for someone who’s a member of that church.
I agree with the post. After perhaps noting that the McCain campaign has obviously decided that experience alone is not an accurate measurement of qualifications for the Presidency and that it should retract its previous statements and advertisments, experience not be mentioned again by Democrats, unless the other side starts again. Judgement and disposition are different.
McCain’s pick of Palin, a woman with very little executive experience, a woman who has approved a 26 billion dollar oil pipeline to Canada instead of the United States shows that McCain’s decision was made from an adlolescent place of “I’ll show you mentallity” instead of one of wisdom and judgment and will be a disaster because this is not a game but serious, deadly business! Maybe McCain really is senile and confused and incapable of making sound judgments. This woman will be a heartbeat away from being in charge of the highest office in the land. If she was Qualified, that would be different but she is not and that is the bottom line. Not to mention that his argument that Barack has no experience And Is not Ready is out the door, his strongest argument against Barack.
Is this decision Historic or Hysterical or a mockery to our political system? A game changer or a roll of the dice? And should a Presidential candidate play russian roulette with the people’s business? It is sort of sad to me personally, that McCain with all the problems we face here, did not have the People’s interest at heart but rather a desire to win for winning’s sake and did not think of the consequences of his actions and what it would mean for this country if she had to be sworn in as President of the United States!
Ironically, the very things he belittled Barack on — empty suit, no experience — he got in his own V.P. Pick, Sarah Palin!
However, in this evil ploy to pull Hillary women from Barack with no consideration as to whether or not this woman has the ability and experience to lead the United States here and on a world scale shows a very adolescent way of thinking, and a lack of sound judgment and as McCain’s first executive decision, a disaster! Through this pick, McCain has just shown that he is NOT READY TO LEAD, and it also proves that he is not really serious about solving America’s problems!
I think Steny runs in second place to Rahm.
The Obama campaign has been using JUDGMENT vs. experience…. This just shows how POOR McBush’s judgment is…… and how caught in a bubble his campaign is to thing that there really is a divide in the party and that there are millions of HRC voters waiting with bated breath to be “saved” by the big bad meanies at Obama-land…
I dunno, I think the play for Hillary supporters is blown WAY out of proportion to reality. It seems pretty hard for McCain to continue to tout his “experience” when he chooses a “co-president” who has virtually none.
Yes. Let’s have a link to that one.
And Christy’s earlier post saying she couldn’t find one delegate who was still angry about Hillary. It’s a bunch of MSM bs.
And Michael Beschloss is the gossipy rabbi.
I agree with you.
Having the cameras locked is a legit security precaution. It’s also handy in cases like this where it might be desireable to exaggerate the size of a crowd.
Boxturtle (Bet the Secret Service requested it. I won’t speculate as to the source of their orders)
Local Alaskan tv report nails Palin lying about firing scandal. What was McCain thinking?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UojMnCgqVA
What’s Alaska saying today?
Imagine how different the Dem convention woulda been had Hillary won. Rahm, Lanny Davis, Harold Ford, Jr., etc would’ve all been given major speaking slots. Shivers just thinking about it…
McCain picks a VP choice in order to attract the 28% of Hillary Clinton supporters who think she was disrespected, and Rahm responds with — sneering condescention.
… toward McCain and Palin, not the Hillary Clinton supporters. Did McCain’s choosing Palin automatically sew that 28% up? I’m not convinced.
So, because she’s completely unknown on the national stage, has eighteen months experience governing a small state, was a mayor of a town smaller than some big-city apartment buildings — that’s an anti-woman argument? How could those arguments not be made against any man with exactly the same experience?
I am not seeing the gender construct around Rahm’s criticism, sorry.
“I told Congress, thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere.” – S. Palin
Let the lying begin.
Per wiki, Tim Kaine was a lawyer for 17 years specializing in fair housing advocacy. He taught legal ethics at the University of Richmond law school for 6 years. He was Lt. Governor of a major state Virginia (12th in population; Alaska is 48th) from 2001-2005 and has been governor of that state for the last 2 1/2 years. He is fluent in Spanish from a year he spent in Honduras as a Catholic missionary during a year long break from Harvard Law School.
So no, Kaine and Palin are not the same. And I have no problem with Rahm or anyone else being critical of Palin for her lack of experience.
Also small typo: condescension
Blowback from making the country more religious. Great when it happens to the other side.
ET- okay spell it out for us. Please! People have been mentioning your name.
I said down below- strangely enough I was thinking about you earlier today. *g*
Here’ something from EPUland, FYI.
Just got a call from my wingnut son to tell me he’d just been rearended while at a complete stop. Perps fled before anyone could record their tags. He’s OK & car can be fixed.
The reason for bringing this up is that I asked him about Palin. He thinks it’s a great choice. Her inexperience doesn’t matter cause she’s not at the top of the ticket. Her taking on corrupt members of her own party is just what the Rs need now. And she’ll attract the woman’s vote.
Silence ensued when I started to counter those points, followed by: We’ll talk about this later, which is how our political conversations always end.
But thought you all would be interested in a sample of one wingnut.
Here’s a bit of the wiki biography on Palin:
Palin was born Sarah Louise Heath in Sandpoint, Idaho, the daughter of Sarah (née Sheeran), a school secretary, and Charles R. Heath, a science teacher and track coach.[5][6] She has English, Irish, and German ancestry.[5] Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant.[6] The Heaths were avid outdoors enthusiasts; Sarah and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school, and the family regularly ran 5 km and 10 km races.[6]
At Wasilla High School in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin was the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[6] She was the point guard and captain for the basketball team. She helped the team win the Alaska small-school championship in 1982, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds, despite a stress fracture in her ankle.[6] She earned the nickname “Sarah Barracuda” because of her intense play,[6] and was the leader of team prayer before games.[6]
In 1984, Palin won the Miss Wasilla contest earlier, then finished second in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant[7], which won her a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[6] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.[8][9]
Palin holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho, where she also minored in political science.[10]. She married Todd Palin, who had been her boyfriend from high school onward, on August 29, 1988, and briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherwoman with her husband.[6]
Pre-gubernatorial political experience
Location of Wasilla, AlaskaPalin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged and defeated the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[6] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[6] Palin followed through on her campaign promises to reduce her own salary, and to reduce property taxes by 60%.[6] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[6][11] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[12]
In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a four-way race. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[6]
Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission,[13] where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the “lack of ethics” of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[14][6] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican Party’s chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[15] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[6]
Isn’t the issue that he has broken his main campaign theme? This selection is purely political. He is putting his election ahead of the good and security of the country. Passing much more qualified candidates is equivalent to “McPOW treason”
Okay, I’m already bored with Palin.
When can we start talking about Charles Humphrey Keating Jr., “best known for his criminal involvement at the center of the savings and loan scandal of the late 1980s?”
Since the economy is the top issue right now in the minds of voters, I think McCain’s trustworthiness is an issue we ought to look in to.
here’s the thing, there is so much critisism going on, she will probably withdraw
on the other hand, I also have to take out my tin foil hat;
this is suicide, this cannot be a realistic candidate and it will not add voters to the election, can he even expect an election with a vp candidate like this?
maybe not
Yes. This is the only issue. Palin’s personal or political biography don’t even merit attacks, unless mocking asides. This pick indirectly brings McCain’s age and infirmity into relief and directly calls his judgment and temperament into question.
“Troopergate” may not resonate but “Governor using power of office to interfere in a family dispute and punish her ex-brother in law and get him fired” will resonate.
Teddy- I agree with you.
palin interview/report on cnbc right now.
and how many were at obama/biden event?
from downstairs—
count in the turnstile count there all of the people who HAD to be there…..and i think it’s low, cuz boehner country, the bastion of republicanism in ohio, is right down I-75…….the biggest event of his campaign and it’s not a full house…..vp announcement. under 10 thou….
nope.
There’s plenty of condescension on this one to go around. If McCain thinks that simply by putting a woman on the ticket he’s going to attract disaffected Hillary supporters, that’s pretty damn condescending on his part.
Perhaps McCain missed Hillary’s speech.
This should not endear Hillary fans to Palin.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/…..%e2%80%99/
49-41 Obma according to latest gallup poll released today- which doesn’t include anything from after Obama’s speech. We may see a higher number tomorrow. So far the gallup convention bounce is ten points- highly respectable.
Lindsey Graham in the Situation Room, looks and sounds absolutely gobsmacked.
It is beyond the pale to think that 28% of Hillary voters were voting for her only because she was a woman and not because of that plus (or mainly) policy reasons. I find it insulting that anyone would demean voters by thinking the only reason they supported Hillary is because they want a woman President. That a woman on the ticket who stands for the stoopit that Palin supports will bring the Hillary 28% over.
Hillary’s supporters deserve a LOT more cred than that. Palin is an insult to everything Hillary stands for, IMO.
Graham Lindsay:
“If she can take on Ted Stevens, she can take on the Russians”…
Are these people on crack????????
Wolf gobsmacked now, as Lindsey sez, “She took on Ted Stevens, she can take on the Russians.”
ET
What do you think of your fellow Alaskan’s take on Palin?
http://www.washingtonmonthly.c…..014463.php
Never thought I’d say this, but I think Rahm is right.
Just love watching them sweat to make lemonade out of lemons.
I think this is going to get a whole lot sillier very quickly.
No. It is we who live in an EPU, or at least I’m feeling that way more each day.
Don’t even dignify her with the criticism; it just muddies the message and gets you a retort about Tony Rezko. Think of Palin nothing but a character from that show about the quirky town in Alaska a few years back. She can protect us from polar bears, but do you really want her as Commander in Chief?
How do the fundies wackadoos square their women-submissive-in-the-home views with a woman being governor, running for Veep, with a five-month-old special needs child?
Is this something that Mukasey can throw a blanket over and hush up until after the elections? Or is it an independent investigation?
Bob in HI
I don’t see Hillary supporters, no matter how disgruntled, voting for a virulently pro-life candidate just because she’s another woman. The only way it would make sense is if they were really dumb.
1) She does better on TV than people outside Alaska realize
2) She clawed her way to the top of Alaska’s GOP with big oil fighting her very hard, the whole way. She’s won almost every trick in tht contest.
3) Alaskans are already pissed at the total misunderstanding of our state portrayed this morning in the national media.
4) Alaska Democrats were poised to possibly take over the state legislature and a US Senate and House seat. This changes that profoundly. The negative stereotypes of Alaska and Alaskans I’ve already seen and read in the national media this morning will rally AK GOP and independents to the state GOP ticket, just when we had them cornered.
Once every four years the faculty at my alma mater (a small womens’ college) performs “Alice in Wonderland” for the community.
I’ve always wondered why that particular choice until recently.
Expecting consistency from fundies is like expecting desiccation from a hurricane.
LOL
Desperation, panic, this is what he has to say because he, McCain, and Palin have nothing else. I’m just surprised that he didn’t say “Anyone who is for shooting wolves from planes can take on the Russians.”
Palin’s husband is a proud member of the Teamsters. So that should play well with the white men, but Rs hate unions, and AZ is a right-to-work state. How’s that gonna work out on the campaign trail?
Trooper-gate on top of this, I mean, is the McSame Stream Media gonna pass on this? It will remind those same white men of their hatred of Big Dawg.
I find the whole thing bizarre and think it just is too flip-floppy for words.
Perhaps the Republics selected her because she knows how to handle a special needs child. They need somebody experienced to get McCain through the next two months.
I would also like to add that, as a female who has worked in male-dominated fields for nearly three decades, I find it rather distressing that apparently any criticism of women on the basis of their work backgrounds seems to be considered condescending to women. If anything, treating women with kid gloves, as if we may burst into hysterical tears if our feelings are hurt, is sexist and condescending. Politics might well be different if women were proportionally represented, but as the game is played now women who go into it need to be tough. Many women on the national scene, perhaps most especially Hillary Clinton, are tough enough to take it. There are nationally-prominent and experienced Republican female politicians as well who would have been better choices if McCain genuinely wanted a woman and did not make this choice purely for cynical political reasons. Apparently, however, they either do not like him or they are insufficiently anti-choice, or both.
That said, I do think that we should rely mostly on our female Democratic politicians to take the fight to Gov. Palin.
He was in what should be pretty strong GOP turf. Beavercreek is full of yuppies, soccer moms, and DINKs. It’s right next to Wright Patterson AFB, in the heart of Dewine/Boehner country. Fairborn is all Air Force, as is Mad River. Kettering’s mayor was head of the regional Right-To-Life. Oakwood is all old money. And outside of those areas, it’s mostly conservative farmers with a business mindset.
He should have had no problem filling it up locally, if he had any significant support.
Boxturtle (Could the citizens of this area FINALLY be sick of GOP corruption?)
McW, the dinosaur, takes an interest in Palin-ontology
Palin instructed her subordinates to investigate charges of bootlegging in the wilds of Alaska. Better tell McCain’s wife to watch out if she starts poking around into their bootlegging background.
Next, someone will say “Heckuva job, palin!”
Because it’s a terrific way to fuck over Hillary Clinton, who the Pubbies have hated from Day One. This is Hillary’s worst nightmare come to life. When she runs again in 2016, she won’t be the only woman running any more – she’ll be up against a younger, charismatic female Republican who has been a vice president for 8 years – easily trumping Hillary’s experience – and, who, hell, could well be a sitting incumbent at that point. Said female possible President will preside over the abolishing of Roe v. Wade, the further gutting of civil rights protections and health care – the destruction of everything Hillary has fought for her entire life.
And here’s the most delicious part, as far as the Pubbies are concerned – they are going to use her own voters to do this to her. They must creaming their jeans at the prospect.
I agree with you.
What pisses me off bigtime is Rs choosing incompetent members of disadvantaged groups so the Ds have to attack them.
We have been reminded that the first rule of veep selection is “do no harm”. Too early to tell- but McBush may have hurt himself with this one.
Why would McCain choose a Veep candidate who has a Special Investigation Tip Line associated with her current service as Governor? I think it was political panic; she could not have been fully vetted.
This has Tom Eagleton written all over it.
How about that Dem convention? I thought it was fantastic from beginning to end. Plan to re-watch Obama’s speech, Beau Biden’s intro, Michelle’s speech and the girls afterward, and all the other great stuff.
Even though we’ve known this for years, at least now the Dems should be the “family values” crowd to much of the electorate. Imagine Alan Grayson and Mark Begich joining Donna Edwards on Capitol Hill working with an Obama Admin. Let’s get out there and make this happen!
That’s a cheery prospect.
oh
my
Tim Kaine has the same experience that Palin does, and he was both vetted and seriously considered by the Obama campaign.
This has bugged me since I first saw it floated. I’d suggest not playing the GOP talking point game. Bottom line is Obama did not pick, so it’s irrelevant whether or not he was vetted. In fact, the correct argument is that through the vetting process it was ultimately decided Kaine was not the choice.
Agreed. This is a great opportunity for Hillary. Let her comment on Ms. Palin, who in my estimation is “palin” in comparison to Mrs. Clinton.
so it came to me while I was over at the wheel’s coral and I have it
john mccain picked palin who will withdraw, making any choice made after her palatable
for instance, how could the base critisize him for picking lieberman or romney after palin withdraws?
it’s genious
I believe “Troopergate” is strictly a state level deal so Mukasey would have zero say.
VECO may give him some control but with the indictments already of Toobz Ted, he’d have to move very carefully there as well.
ET can correct me if I’m wrong.
I think this is a very very bad move on McCain’s part. It seems clear that this is not a true “this is the best person for the job” pick on his part; this is a gimmick pick. It showcases McCain’s bad judgment, which is already in play in this election.
I do think people have to be careful on how they criticize her, yes. I think that’s true to a certain extent. I think Joe Biden has to be very careful not to treat her like she’s an idiot.
Her Down’s Syndrome child is going to played like the P.O.W. card: “How dare you criticize the mother of a special-needs child!”
But let’s not go overboard. Let’s not act like this is isn’t the desperate move it is. Sure, she’s a woman. OK. McCain picked a woman. But did he pick her because she’s a qualified woman?
Or is this like nominating Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court?
That choice didn’t deserve respect. And I don’t think this one does, either.
The fact that Palin invoked Farraro and HRC as the reason she is the VP pick just made me sick…… Has Geraldine Ferraro said she will campaign for Palin?
McBush has family values- I mean his family has a lot of VALUE $100mm or so.
Here’s a woman who won’t protect polar bears, because of oil deals, and who won’t stop the vicious brutal slaughter of wolves…so, Biden should feel no hesitation to eat her alive in the debates. She’s the bully.
I primer on Alaska politics from a progressive perspective I wrote late last year. A lot has happened since, but it a fair one-stop read with gobs of hyper-links.
Blah, screwed that up. I meant Obama didn’t pick Kaine in the end, so it’s not comparable to Palin at all.
Saw this somewhere earlier…can’t remember where…
“Paleo/Palin ‘08″
you can’t spell Palin without ‘pain’.
I believe Rahm got it exactly right in this instance (it pains me to say that about…him). This attack IS appropriate and correct. McCain and the GOP have made lack of experience in Obama as a key focus and yet McCain, on deaths door, picks someone with NO experience. Period.
As for Kaine, so what? The key is that he was NOT selected as VP. Instead, Obama picked someone with a LOT of experience (not that I believe Biden is correct in foreign policy – Iran is NOT a threat, Russia is NOT an enemy to be contained or controlled, and Afghanistan is a disaster in the making for the Dems who are set to make it their disaster).
Unlike Hillary, Palin is a nobody with no experience at all. It IS OK to disrespect those deserving disrespect, whether they are male or female. I don’t respect McCain’s choice just as I disrespect ALL GOPers.
Yeah, because Hillary Clinton supporters vote with their vaginas.
[I’m gonna put a snark tag on my comment]
This pick will be fatal to McCain, not because of any inadequacy or inexperience or extremism on Palin’s part, but because it exposes McCain’s weaknesses. It was the definition of desperation: it got Obama off the tv for a day (who cares when 38 million people saw him unfiltered), but the Sunday talk shows will not be kind to him when they assess his judgment, and I think they really will do a good job of exploring the fundamentalist pressure that made him pick the mayor of Loon Lake to be a heartbeat from the presidency. That’s not even taking into account her likely weakness in the remainder of the campaign, and the inevitable Quayle moment she will offer.
Obama picked Biden because he thinks he would complement his administration. McCain chose Palin hoping she will help get him elected… PERIOD. The comparisons with Bush Sr. nominating Dan Quayle are exactly right. As was the case with Quayle, the head of the ticket isn’t doing Palin any favor. She rose to become a governor pretty quickly. Left to her own devices, who knows how far she might have gone? If she is a washout as a VP nominee or forever linked to a corrupt and incompetent McCain presidency, her political future will be kaput.
Hillary gave a very bland comment that was read on CNN about 5-10 minutes ago.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.c…..014467.php
Seems like it’s a talking point.
A really f*cking stupid one, but a talking point nonetheless. Red meat for Daily Show writers.
ET- thanks for the info and the insight.
I hope you will put up a post with more about this at your blog Progressive Alaska. I kept checking to see earlier what your thoughts were. (And, it would be great if FDL had you do a post- you have so many fans/ followers here.)
I for one would find your insider’s perspective fascinating.
Right! Utter desperation.And these fools talked about what a risk Obama took scheduling his speech at Mile High.
Um, there’s a premise here I’m not sure everyone would accept.
Uh, If something totally off-the-wall were to happen and McCain actually win, then Hillary would be running again in ‘12 agains an incumbent President McCain and VP Palin.
If McCain loses to Obama and HRC runs in 2016 for an empty seat, Palin will most likely be considered pretty much like Ferraro is – a footnote to history and not much more.
no need – you’re correct. The “troopergate” investigation is on a very slow track, being handled by Steve Branchflower, an honorable guy, but he has a teeny weeny budget. There’ll be more pressure now, but the legislature is out of session, and I doubt it will do anything to speed Branchflower up.
who says Palin can’t handle the Russkies? There’s no other politician in America whose name is closer to Putin.
Hillary should be placed front and center as the hardcore attack dog on Palin. Biden can get his licks in during debates (so long as he does so without appearing condescending) by just proving she is way outclassed.
Hillary can go where no one else can in her attacks.
Bullshit. Tim Kaine served as Mayor of a city which (today) has 200,000 people. Then he was elected as Lieutenant Governor in 2001 and Governor in 2006. Virginia has a population of 7.7 million. There’s no comparison.
I dislike Emanuel greatly, but there’s nothing wrong with what he said.
I realize you do puns, but how about taking a stab at a palindrome?
Palin was runner up Miss Alaska….
What the hell.
Couldn’t McBush get the WINNER to come onto the ticket?
Lindsey Graham talking about what great judgment she has! Killing Polar Bears, denying scientific fact, opposing woman’s basic rights is good judgment???
I’m not 100 percent convinced it’s manufactured BS, but that is more because I have not found one shred of empirical evidence saying that Hillary voters will vote for McCain. The inhabitants of Larry Johnson’s House of Crazy (TBogg ™)[Palin is qualfied as CIC because she’s the Commander in Chief of the Alaska National Guard!], and that crazy lady from Wisconsin don’t count.
The first time, I believe, a fossil has done this.
VG – I had a piece almost ready for fdl – was going to finish it today. But that piece just became toast. Working on a new one right now…
A perplexing choice for McCain – he had the bigot vote sewn up but as they’re a subset of the misogynists, he’s likely lost that part of his base now. Aside from hoping to gain disgruntled Hillary supporters (which I agree have been grossly overestimated in terms of numbers and Obama-hostility) there is another angle … Granted there is only one VP debate so maybe it’s of no consequence but McCain being very much old school may calculate that Joe will take it easier on a woman (both in the debate and on the campaign trail). I’m not sure that’s bad math either. In the end I doubt it will matter I think the Republicans (other than John with his delusions of grandeur) have written off this election.
Does that require some special apparatus or just phenomenally good anatomical control?
I should probably add that the “beat the bitch” condescention and misogyny regarding Clinton from the “left” (*cough*) is also driving a big and extremely unhelpful wedge here, and watching it resurface with Palin would be frustrating — but perhaps inevitable.
We’ve got a long way to go.
Northern Exposure
Did you mean Palin Drone?
There seems to be a strange coincidence with his appointing her as losing mate. He would be told by Karl and Mucous/Gonzalez at justice if she were being indicted by the DOJ as Stevens has been. Or would he? Since everyone involved in the goop in Alaska has dirty hands, she is just as likely to be named in a new indictment connecting her to old “tubez” Stevens himself before long, perhaps even before the election?
strange contradictory signals about someone known to be on the take now with big oil. Who knows what?
Palin was a basketball star.
Why doesn’t she go one on one against Obama for all the marbles?
Hmmm…I saw Meghan McCain, Cindy McCain, John McCain…but I didn’t see the adopted daughter. Was she there? I never see her.
what he said
Sarah Palin isnt Hillary Clinton.
Choosing a far right wing woman, who stands in stark contrast on every issue important to Hillary supporters won’t win him a single state. Hillary’s supporters are much more intelligent than that, and I’d imagine they’d most likely be offended by the inference.
Learn the difference on the issues, and vote smart.
http://www.SarahPalinISNTHillaryClinton.com
The good news: we can probably afford to give her the swimsuit competition against Joe Biden.
BTW – pronounced to rhyme like Halen in Van Halen
and I must question, attack Palin? all anyone would need to do is giggle and throw facts at her and she will fold like a house of cards. attack what she says. First however, simply show she is a meaningless twit inserted for big oily.
I think she looks like a cross between Shania Twain and Geena Davis, not at all like Julia Louise Dreyfuss.
ET- oh goody! Looking forward to it. I assume you weren’t expecting Palin to be McCain’s VP pick.
Third place went to an incredibly hirsute woman who during the talent competition jumped into an icy stream and emerged with a salmon in her mouth. Obviously, the voting was rigged, because that’s who should have won.
“but the Sunday talk shows will not be kind to him when they assess his judgment, and I think they really will do a good job of exploring the fundamentalist pressure that made him pick the mayor of Loon Lake to be a heartbeat from the presidency.”
The Sunday talk shows on Jupiter, presumably? ;)
I’ll ask Alaska.
(not a palindrome, but it’s best I can do on short notice)
I pointed this out earlier today but the chance of having a Down’s child after 35 skyrockets and by age 45 (Palin is 44) is about one in 30. Her having 4 kids already, I find this almost willfully tempting fate and irresponsible, especially in an age of vasectomy and/or tubal ligation,
What stands out in her record:
She’s YOUNG
She’s a part of the religious right
She’s pro life
She fought big oil on several occaisions and did some whistle blowing against goopers who had their hand in the cookie jar..
She’s a western governor..
The last two points may be most important…McBush will use her to enhance his Maverick schtick-and he needs help in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Montana.
Misrepresentation of Alaska?
Alaska, the state that takes the MOST federal dollars even though every year the state government hands nice big checks to every Alaska citizen because of a plethora of oil money? Bridge to nowhere: use that oil money to build it instead of tax dollars and quit giving state citizens government money.
Alaska, the state where most people don’t give a f*ck about ANWR and want to drill the crap out of it? Because it would mean BIGGER checks from the state. Screw the environment and biodiversity, there’s state checks to pass around!
I’m just trying to place a little reality into any discussion of “misunderstood” Alaska. It is all about greed and free money from the state government.
Oops. That is a downside I had not thought of. I hope the AK Democratic candidates can recover -maybe they will if the McCain candidacy continues to self-destruct.
I noticed the sudden return back to populism and reformer maverick today -the GOP focus groups must have been brutal.
Some themes do seem jarring. Seems like Russia has been promoted to another major challenge of the next 100 (or 1000) years -which does not fit well with Palin, unless living next to the Bering Straight gives one foreign policy experience and judgement on Russia. Not sure that is wise. McCain will find his erratic and unstable behavior during the Russian-Georgian crisis hard to defend unless he is going to go full-on jingo. I am not sure enough voters will find disputes over ethnic enclaves in Georgia frightening enough for that to work.
If Palin looked like a toad, she wouldn’t have been chosen. It is that simple.
Palin later had her shot.
Jane has a new post upstairs—->
Yeah- but she was endangered- or maybe not.
Let us not again make the mistake of misunderestimating our opponents. I agree she should be attacked, and ridicule is perfectly OK, but let’s not fool ourselve. This is one bulldog of a woman, it seems at first blush. She’s not going to fold.
She’s no Hillary Clinton, but she’s also no Dan Quayle.
Maybe he wants to pimp her at a biker rally…
hey from taxi saw sean Penn and spoke briefly with gavin newsom. folks on plane very excited about Obama and scratching heads why palin
Except at the debate — when Biden will now be onstage not just with one woman (moderator Gwen Ifill) — I expect Obama and Biden to ignore Sarah Palin completely. They will both train their criticism directly at McCain.
If any criticism of Palin is going to be seen as gender-driven, then female Democrats should make it. Debbie Wasserman Shultz was spot on today: “Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton.”
More of that, please.
Can’t wait until HRC chimes in. Any woman knows we won’t vote for a woman just because she is a woman.
I disagree. She and her husband wanted a second son, and got a second son.
That worries me also. The trouble is that people don’t keep close tabs on source attribution. During the primaries, all unfair criticism of Hillary, whether from pundits, self-appointed surrogates, bloggers or commenters ended up being attributed to the Obama campaign by many Clinton supporters.
Oops I misspoke, it’s Phoenix Woman’s post (slaps forehead)
Well, OK.
Iowa: ethanol
Michigan: autos
Delaware: financial corporate shells
NV: gambling
Santa Barbara County: oil or tourism, depending on what seems best right now!
CO: Colorado water allotments
I don’t see AK as being all that different from other states.
Without oil, AK was second poorest state in the union, that difference would affect anyone’s thinking.
You really want ot invite that comparison? Bush/Quayle actually won.
How does Ms. Palin feel about McBush’s habit of referring to women using an old Anglo-Saxon expression for female genitalia, I wonder.
I guess it’s “traditional”.
If a similar selection happened in any corporation that I have worked in- the employees would immediately assume that the two were fucking….I wonder if….NAH!
When is everyone on the left gonna stop using the term ‘pro life’? You’re either prochoice or anti choice. We are all prolife.
I think this nomination is a fake. Scandal will ensure and he’ll pick someone else, a rescue, like romney, to save the day and all will flock to him, remembering he DID nominate a woman, albeit one he knew would never run.
Whose private plane is Gavin flying home on?
sorry, meant Scandal will enSUE
For all the damage he does, Rahm is best explained as a republican plant.
How does that work with a touch screen?
Thanks ET!
What happened in Don Young’s primary race?
Which facts should scare the be-jayzus out of the McCain camp. Since when should a Senator from Arizona running for the presidency need help in shoring up his creds in other western states?
At what cost?
Jennifer Palmieri, formerly of the John Edwards campaign, calls Palin a sexist pick, since McCain assumes women who supported Hillary will now support McCain because he chose an anti-choice conservative governor as his Veep.
More of this please.
Hi Dave,
My take is that this is a “dog whistle” pick for the Christian Right. My tip off is that the various Right wing foundations were tipped off last night so that they could prepare spin and talking points.
They couldn’t pick Huckabee because he obviously was one of theirs without alienating the people that McCain is trying to court, the low information Clinton supporters.
What do you think?
True but Dukakis/Bentson was no Obama/Biden.
I don’t think he could do that very easily….Is he going to UNSELECT her? Makes him look like an idiot no? If she withdraws before next week- that makes him look like an idiot too..
If he admits he made a mistake with this- I think it’s all over for him.
I haven’t read earlier posts on this, but has anyone pointed out the absurdity that she might attract any residual Clinton supporters—she is against abortion and a woman’s right to choose. I simply can’t see anyone who supported Clinton turning about face on the issue of abortion and voting for a ticket that has a woman who is dead set against abortion!
The experience argument is weak. It’s also possible she’s a lightweight, but eight years ago a known lightweight became President, and Americans still have no problem voting for them. Pointing it out to people is not effective as a campaign strategy.
She’s got skills too. She knows how to dogwhistle (”servant’s heart”), and she and her goateed snow-machine-riding husband can easily win over many, many white people.
Why would a woman with a great job, lives in a beautiful place, who loves all outdoor activities, and has a newborn baby…want to move to D.C.???? Power tripper or is it all B.S.
Palin has a history as a fighter and an underdog. She has an incredibly high approval rating in Alaska with the people who know her best. The Republicans may fall in love with her, depending on how she performs. Don’t equate lack of experience with lack of ability.
McBush had one and only one campaign argument going into this- Obama has too little experience to be prez- by selecting a person who has even LESS experience- he just gave away his only argument…WHY? This is strange.
Disaffected Clinton voters who are considering McCain don’t care about policy. It’s identity politics for them.
This is a strawman. Palin has no experience to qualify her for the second highest post in the country. It is not misogynist to say so. Same thing with Clinton, to take issue with her old style Establishment DNC positions is not misogynist. I think it is condescending in the extreme to treat women politicians differently because they are women.
I don’t know if this has been mentioned but Sarah Palin believes that creationism should be taught along with evolution. She is one scary person.
Oops in my 189 that should read DLC positions.
You prove my case. I wasn’t talking about any of the points you brought up.
I have friends with kids with Downs. I like the kids. They love them. They grow up to be real people, Hugh.
Agree with you. This is a condescending pick by mcinsane. Has anyone done polling as to WHY the diehard Hill supporters are voting for her? I doubt she would have got this far if she was opposed to a woman’s right to choose.
I agree with you. Made the point sometime today (I’ve made a lot of them) that the issue is that Palin, just like Quayle is unknown, but palatable to the Christian base.
The GOP came to the conclusion that “experience” was a dead end. They needed to come up with something new. Palin, being unknown, allows them to paint a picture as they have decided to completely shift the campaign towards shoring up the base while courting low information voters – the Ah-nold strategy in other words.
The country is totally different now than it was in 1988. Dubya is no Reagan and the economy is much worse, especially long term, than it was then. This strategy is going to fail, but they are throwing a Hail Mary at this point.
1,749 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Sister Jane, I think you have this one only half right…now I ain’t a friend of Rahm “Tiny Dancer” Emmanuel but he’s got the other half you are ignorin’. There IS a very real legitimacy and experience issue given McCrazy’s age…Tim Kaine is an experienced politician, new governor of a large state and woulda been a heart beat away from a 40 somethin’ president. Palin is a once and future beauty queen, new governor of a small state and would be a heart beat away from a 72+year old coot. Raisin’ this issue is a twofer in that it hits at the seriousness of the choice and McCrazy’s judgement as well as gettin’ folks ta think right away about the old coot’s life expectancy.
The issue of the blatant politics of choosin’ an unqualified runnin’ mate in order to attract some mythological 28% of Clinton women IS a real issue and is NOT fraught with danger. We have all seen Sarah Palin and she ain’t Hilary Clinton…bring it on if they are gunna try and get Palin ta attract Clinton supporters who share Clinton’s politics and positions. I’m afraid that you are over thinkin’ this thing, Citizen Hamsher, Sarah Palin is not a threat to attract Clinton supporters who would otherwise vote for Obama…if those folks would vote for McCrazy because of Palin they weren’t gunna vote for Obama anyway.
No, Jane, this is an example of Crazy John McCain’s terrible judgement and, I believe, is a “Hail Mary” for this election but is really an attempt to open cracks in the suture lines the Democratic coalition and to bloody up some a the weaker partnerships in that coalition for 2010 and 2012.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, BUT DON’T FIRE UNTIL THEY’RE DONE SHOOTIN’ AT EACH OTHER!!
I doubt the MSM hype about disaffected Hill voters voting for mccain is real. BUT i do hear many many women call in on cspan morning journal saying they will write Hill in. I seriously doubt they’ll actually do that at the last mmoment. Any woman who has followed Hill’s campaign, and one must presume her most ardent supporters have done that, would never vote for an ANTI choice candidate. They’d be insulted .
Also, we learned a sorry lesson here in Maine when we voted for (arrgh, alas) Snowe and Collins who professed to be PRO choice, then voted for Bush’s SC nominees, not to mention other crap.
DBaker, you’ve got it. Christian Republicans will see her as a by-the-book right-wing Protestant and come out to vote for her.
Low-info voters will see her as a working class “hockey mom” who with her husband enjoys petroleum sports, and even has an accent – they will I.D. with her and her family.
The new baby will appeal to everybody.
They are still going to get smashed in the election.
I think that she is a last minute pick as a sop to the Christian Right. Beside her abuse or executive powers scandal, her very hard social conservative positions should be highlighted.
Citizen nostick:
“They are still gunna get smashed in the election.”
Right on!!
I can just see him packing the Vi**a on the campaign plane.
Rahm and his knuckledraggin’ friends in the DLC are Republicans in drag.
ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
I just saw McCain kiss Palin. Ugh! And I just ate.
“low-information Clinton supporters” is a BEAUTIFULLY accurate turn of phrase.
Tom Allen is coming to your rescue.
I’m not criticizing the kids but the selfishness of the parents, especially in this case where the age related risks are well known, screens and tests are available, as well as contraception, and Palin already had 4 children. YMMV
his tv ads are sooo lame. it kills me to watch them. Collins’ are hard hitting and FALSE> he and i have had so many disagreements over the years, but yeah i’ll vote for him.
Watching an Allen ad now, and a Collins ad. Tons of em at local news time. This union voting issue is killin him. The Collins team is painting him as a pal of gansters and mob guys and he’s done NADA to combat it.
painful
Sarah Palin is McCain’s Monica Goodling, and I think we should spin it that way. Just like Goodling, she’s the hopelessly inexperienced debutante fundie/theocon commissar, put in her place solely to appease the American Jihad. ‘cept Goodling was never in line to be president.
OK
Hey ET! What happened in the Don Young primary?
We’ll know on September 5, when they count the last 5,000 to 12,000 votes. Nobody knows yet…
Rahm responds with — sneering condescention.
I’m sorry, but what about this woman are we supposed to cheer? That she possesses a vagina therefore calling her inexperienced is bad? Calling her a right-wing radical who thinks drilling for more oil is a good thing? That she’s ensnared of a scandal of her own making? That teaching creationism in schools is a good thing? That she appears to a panic pick by McCain is sneering? What a load of horseshit.
Yeah, let’s compare Alaska, which has a tiny population, not even 700-thousand citizens is akin to running a state with a population of 7.6 million.
And by the way, you spelled condescension incorrectly, or is that too much sneering?
Having a Down syndrome child is something many people have to deal with. It was a decision she made with her husband, they’ll deal with it. They might be the best parents in the world for all you know, regardless of their political orientation, and I wish Trig as happy a life as he can hope for.
That truly was their CHOICE and beliefs. Slight correction. I do not want anyone in office who will take away CHOICE.
It’s important to note that the situation is not symmetrical. It is quite likely that, if elected, John McCain will not serve out his term. The job of being president visibly ages people, more than one would expect just from the passage of years, and McCain’s health isn’t that great as it is. McCain’s VP is more likely to become president than Obama’s VP, so even had Obama picked Kaine (which he did not), Gov. Palin’s lack of experience would matter more.
In any case, Obama picked Biden.
Um, this woman has a resume that would fit on half of one page. She is the Clarence Thomas of VP picks, picked for her immutable characteristics even though she is against most of the civil rights issues women have been fighting for for decades. She’s anti-abortion even in the case of rape and incest.
I’m not understanding why I can’t criticize her lack of experience because she’s a woman. And ain’t I a woman?
From the sound sample I heard earlier today, Palin does not Drone. In fact, her voice doesn’t sound very presidential, compared with Hillary, or even DiFi.
Can you imagine joint appearances of Palin and McLame? I think they’re going to need to give Palin a sedative, and give John a few extra cups of coffee (definitely not decaf), or maybe even an upper.
Bob in HI
i just watched her accept the potential job and she sounded really shrill. but hey, she probably has good legs, and they may take her far (snark)
The more I ponder the more I realize that this pick insults women and exposes McCain’s misogyny. To think that Hillary supporters would support an anti-choice, Global Warming denialista and creationist, with no foreign policy experience, would vote her because she happens to be a woman? (And I wish you guys would leave the genital references out-that is misogyny!) t
The lack of judgment McCain showed in making this pick is astounding and disqualifies him to be president.
As will the wider society which will have to deal with and pay for many of the health and behavioral problems of Downs children. Again I am in no way criticizing the children but this is one of the reasons that a truly universal healthcare system is so hard to create in this country. We would like one but then act like its resources would be unlimited. They won’t be. And it is precisely in a case like this where you have a high risk pregnancy, and the parents decide they just won’t pay attention to or care about what the consequences might be. That is why I say the parents in this case were incredibly selfish. Under a universal healthcare plan, hard choices will have to be made. Not everybody can have access to everything so you really need to ask yourself are you willing to commit resources, maybe a lot of resources, to this kind of behavior at the expense of using them elsewhere where they can help many others.
I didn’t say not to criticize her. I said don’t underestimate her.
Wha…?
Some Hillary supporters think she was disrespected, so Rahm’s supposed to… what, *praise* the Republican VP candidate because, like Hillary, she is female?
My head is spinning. Unless I’m seriously misunderstanding, Jane couldn’t be more wrong.
I agree. The fact that she was selected by McCain only to attract potential votes and (I suspect) NOT to help govern if elected is an insult to all voters, particularly women.
It is an insulting pick. If McCain wanted a female Kay Bailey Hutchison and Condi are heads and shoulders above her.
After months of excoriating Obama’s supposed lack of experience, McCain picks someone with absolutely no national or international experience.
I love how the Repubs are rationalizing it: “It doesn’t matter, because she’s #2 on the ticket” – But with McCain’s health issues, she could rocket to #1 really fast.
Then we’ll have a President who believes the Earth was created 6,000 years ago. If I wasn’t already an expatriate, that would do it for me.
can anyone comfirm what my friend just told me? He says that NPR announced that Sara Palin’s wikipedia article was vastly rewritten last night ..after the convention. If it’s true… wow
I heard the same story just now on NPR.
http://www.npr.org/templates/s…..d=94118849
hmmm.
Is she qualified?
Idaho, Alaska!
After every first tier VP candidate turned him down, knowing that the Republicans are going to be savaged in Nov., who was left but Palin. McCain’s counting on the press to carry her for the next 2 months and the brain dead corporate media will be more than obliging.
What I didn’t understand in that story was why the Wikipedia editor mentiond a username but nothing about having IP information on the client where the changes originated.
Remember folks–like McCain showed in the Saddleback Forum, today’s Republicans will cheat as long as they can get away with it.
I have to agree with you, and respectfully disagree with you, Jane. If Tim Kaine had been 1.5 years as the governor of a small state (in population) after having been mayor of a small town (not a city), and if he were chosen as the VP pick of Barack Obama, I would have been making these criticisms about experience and be depressed. There is a qualitative difference between being the mayor of a large and diverse american city and governor of the 12th most populous state, but it speaks to Obama’s judgement that he did not pick Kaine.
I do not see this as sneering condescension; I see it as a politically harsh statement of fact.
Would you have said the same thing, Jane, if those words came from Claire McKaskill?
Just took a look – the massive revisions appear to have initiated yesterday morning. Amazing in this day and age that no one thought to check Wikipedia as a leading indicator!
Look for yourself:
Sarah Palin Wikipedia revision history
The article’s been edited nearly 1200 times in the past 24 hours.
“That’s genius, Rahm. McCain picks a VP choice in order to attract the 28% of Hillary Clinton supporters who think she was disrespected, and Rahm responds with — sneering condescension.”
I didn’t hear sneering condescension in Emmanuel’s remarks. He was simply stating the obvious fact that this person is singularly unqualified to be president (and therefore, to be vice president). Are you suggesting we pretend this is not so in order to grovel for the votes of some very stupid people? Because, anyone who supported Hillary and would now consider voting for a ticket consisting of a pair of extreme right-wing Republicans is a very stupid person indeed.
Because Palin is so stunningly unqualified, the pick is a masterpiece of cynicism, and a transparent attempt to pander to this particular voting block. Hillary’s supporters should be insulted it, not intrigued by it. Anyone inclined to the latter attitude is a fool and I say to hell with ‘em.
To you oisin, and to calscientist, I totally agree with both of you, and I have to say that I am flabbergasted by Jane’s apparent ignorance, or willful blindness at least, regarding the difference between Tim Kaine and Sarah Palin. She is the Clarence Thomas of feminism – a totally unqualified token, and a completely cynical choice. I am depressed at the choice, and even more depressed that someone like Jane Hamsher would rise to the defense of this travesty. (By the way, not only was Tim Kaine mayor of a populous, racially diverse southern city that is the capital of the state, but he’s also a Harvard law graduate, has been a civil rights attorney, is married to another Harvard law graduate who did legal aid service and served as a judge. He knew more about law before he got his first job than Sarah Palin knows about it now.)
I did not know that about Kaine – did he overlap with Obama at Harvard Law?
I do think there is a place in politics for those with `real world’ experience – Harry Truman comes to mind – and while I have some Ivy in my background I would not want to pretend that academic elitism alone makes the candidate (I can think of at least one yale grad that is unfit for office!), but I do understand your point to be that Kaine has a depth of understanding about law in his life that Palin does not have.
No, Kaine graduated in 1983 (according to Wikipedia) and Obama attended several years later. But you should read Tim Kaine’s Wikipedia entry – he’s had an interesting life full that’s been full of public service. Both he and his wife (the daughter of Governor Linwood Holton, who escorted her to an integrated school when he put an end to Virginia’s massive resistance to forced integration) have been exemplary members of the Richmond community – people who lawyers (in particular) look to as heroes. I have nothing but respect for both of them. He has gotten a bad rap from liberal Democrats in other parts of the country because he doesn’t have a media physique, and his heartfelt Catholicism (which is more of the liberation theology – help the poor – type, rather than the anti-abortion, anti-gay type) has caused him to get a “pro-life” reputation. He is personally “pro-life” and against the death penalty, but in both cases believes that the law and constitution trump in the area of his public decisionmaking. I absolutely adore Tim Kaine. I used to live in his neighborhood, and I have family who still lives there. I can’t say enough about his intellect, his respect for the Constitution and his devotion to people who aren’t as fortunate as he is. Not to mention the fact that he has shown an interest in the world around him, unlike Sarah Palin, who is very provincial in her interests.
Sorry to rant, but Jane’s comment spreads a view that I’ve seen often by people who know nothing about Tim Kaine, and it hurts my feelings on Tim’s behalf to see a progressive, intelligent woman be so wrong.
The story here is that you might very well use Wikipedia as an indicator for McCain VP pick in future.
If you check for the substance of the changes, they’re the type that happen at Wikipedia all the time. Updates as facts change, spelling and grammar edits, format edits, etc. So people weren’t rewriting history, they were revising as necessary to be current with what is known on the subject.
My two cents: I think if McCain thinks that he’s going to pick up the part of the Hillar-istas who got pissed off at what happened to her, simply because he put a woman on the ticket with him..he’s shown himself to be someone who really doesn’t do the homework. Women did not get on the HRC bandwagon because she’s female. Yes, there was a certain fillip of excitement to the whole ‘first female presidential candidate’ thing. The true passion that many women felt for HRC’s campaign had to do with HRC/what she went through/what she stands for/what she supports. It’s not the ovaries, McCain…it’s what you do with ‘em that counts. Just sticking the female version of an empty suit(an empty bra?) on the ticket doesn’t GET McCain anything. Even the most pissed off HRC supporter is going to be insulted beyond words that McCain fished Gov. Palin out of the the ‘Female GOP’ suitcase and started waving her around. Not good enough, Johnny…not good enough.
Tim Kaine also served a full term as Lt. Governor of Virgina before he won the governorship. And 7 years in the Richmond, VA council/mayorship. Then years of law practice before that.
Sarah Palin’s resume just isn’t that deep. Are we really going to say that the executive experience in a town of 5,500 is anywhere near equivalent to the executive experience in a city of 200,000 embedded in a metropolitan area of 1.1 million?
Tim Kaine has minimal chops for the national stage, which I’m sure is one of the reasons he was not selected for the VP slot. Sarah Palin’s experience pales in comparison even with that minimal bar.
I don’t believe that 28% of Democratic women will refuse to vote for Oabama. Maybe 1-2%. And frankly, these are RACISTS.
Even if it is true that 28% feel, as Jane’s article says, that she was ”disrespected,” it is VERY depressing. Once again — this is NOT a tetherball game in 3rd grade. This is the campaign for the America presidency. Grow up.
The high end Clinton supporters are certainly not going for someone who denies global warming and preaches creationism.