Presidential candidates have a single task to perform expertly between securing their party’s nomination and Election Day: the choice of a running mate. Everything else is politics and speeches. (And, by the way, wasn’t our guy’s just swell?)
Campaign appearances, photo-opportunities, and even debates are grist for Villagers and other rubes who read into them all kinds of sillliness as they fondle and interpret them. But the only thing a presidential candidate actually does that the American people can really evaluate is this: pick a running mate who doesn’t embarrass yourself, your country, your dignity and your honor.
Don’t pick a candidate whose family and staff leaned on one of her direct reports to fire a guy who had a messy divorce with her sister, then fired the direct report and replaced him with a guy with a sexual harassment history who lasted only two weeks but got a nice severance.
Don’t pick a candidate whose foreign policy experience is based on her state’s proximity to Russia.
Don’t pick a candidate to shore up your rapidly peeling-away base, the Beltway gasbags who enjoy nothing more than dramatic narratives, but who haven’t had the country’s best interests at heart since the Clinton impeachment drama.
Don’t pick a candidate to enrapture the base of your party that’s never fallen in love with you: the fundamentalist evangelicals who have captured your party and turned it into a voice for theocracy.
Don’t pick a candidate as a cynical sexist ploy because you think her gender will make women who supported Hillary Clinton swoon, especially since Hillary’s name still elicits boos at your own rallies. This will really bomb if your Veep’s own views are antithetical to liberal progressive feminism — a creationist who favors state-forced birth, is anti-gay and anti-environment, who may (?) favor The Surge and is pro-gun.
Show good judgment: pick a candidate who is ready to lead the country on day one, especially since you are the oldest-ever first-time candidate for the presidency and a four-time cancer survivor.
Respect your own service to our country and those who’ve chosen public service alongside you: pick a candidate whose public experience summary needn’t highlight her PTA service.
Honor the women, if you want to run with one, whose public service does not prominently feature a current public integrity investigation. Maybe choose based on more than one phone call?
Choose honorably: respect those who stood in battle with you, tested you and made you a better candidate for the office you now seek.
Think of your country first: completely research your choice, so that Americans are not embarrassed by rumors within hours of your choice, stories that reflect badly on your skills as a chooser of talent, someone who could face impeachment at home. America has had enough of poorly chosen, poorly vetted, ideologically pure office-seekers and -holders. Can’t you show some contrast with the Bush Administration in that regard?
Finally, do the honorable thing: don’t grab the quick news cycle, in an attempt to tamp down enthusiasm for an historic event the previous night with an impulsive wild card choice. Don’t leave others hanging if you’ve really chosen someone else. Don’t set your running mate up to tell untruths about the "bridge to nowhere" on her very first day. Don’t try to tell us your new running mate didn’t really support Pat Buchanan in 2000. Don’t look like you are captive to a faction within your party. Don’t try to sell America someone you’d only met once. Don’t try to tell us she’s ready for primetime when her own husband says "she’s not wired normal."
Does this choice show good judgment on John McCain’s part.
No.
Does this choice acknowledge the experience John McCain’s told us throughout his campaign is so important to be President?
No.
Does this choice illustrate John McCain’s honor?
No.
Does this choice mean John McCain puts Country First?
Hardly.
Is this choice about Sarah Palin, or is this choice about John McCain?
Related posts:
- RedState Fundraising Drive for Wingnut Senatorial Candidates: Epic Fail
- Kiss of Fail Palin Gets Un-vite, Sulks, Pouts, Prevails. Sorta.
- Frank Rich Annoints Palin the GOP’s 2012 Favorite
- McCain Rediscovers His Passion for Screwing Us with Bad Telecom Policy
- David Brooks Still Confused About Who’s Destroying the Country
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Hi Teddy!
The problem with this analysis is that NOTHING he’s ever done shows good judgment or honor.
john mcsame wishes he had honor but his black heart knows he sold it for greed
Honor? Respect? Dignity? Country? POW! POW! POW!
Let’s not be silly. This is Johnny McCrazyOldBastard we are talking about here. He is going to be the same craven, pandering, political opportunist he always has been.
At best, McCain gets a “C” for consistency.
McCain’s wife Cindy Warbucks is as qualified as Sarah Paylin to be the R VP. Cindy would reflect a Bloomberg type on the ticket.
Hi, Betsy, Are you mending well?
Nope. Speaking as an educator he gets an “F” for FUBAR.
Teddy, remember he’s a POW! It’s all good!
We are so bombarded with nonsensical governance and lack of accountability that when (or if) accountability returns, we will be struck dumb by it.
How did we let this become the rule?
Hi, Teddy!
Sorry to drag things off topic so early, like everybody I’ve seen the lines of cars as people flee N.O. but does anybody know if they have done a better job of evacuating non-driving residents this time around?
Hello, all!
Hoping to change the focus here, from Sarah to Choosing Sarah….
She’s rich, she’s rich and doggone it, rich people like Cindy.
Oops, I owe ya a cold one, Doc! ;-)
mcsame’s temper choose her when he was told he couldn’t have hojo
For the most part yes. Still have not attacked the 4 days of dishes in the sink, but my body was quite happy with a restful day at home today. Even got some work done to make up for taking Thursday off.
Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Sunday, August 31, 2008 — 4:19 PM ET
—–
Republicans Suspend Most of Convention Activities Monday
With Hurricane Gustav heading toward the Gulf Coast, Senator
John McCain announced that Republican Party activities on
Monday in St. Paul would be suspended except for necessary
business. He called on his party members to “take off our
Republican hats and put on out American hats.”
Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na
Does that mean they can release all the arrestees now?
NOW!!!!!???
Great post, Teddy. McCain wouldn’t know judgment if it bit him in the butt. He’s going to go down to the Gulf and draw resources away from aide efforts just to keep an irrelevant wrinkly old white guy safe.
Goodnight, pups. Here’s to everyone in the Gulf area staying safe.
OT some pictures of Gustav
Current infr-red image (Not permalinked)
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/EVENTS/EG24.JPG
3 day storm cone of where it might go
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refres…..y#contents
Infra-red loop (Takes a couple of minutes to load on dialup. Not permalinked)
Night JimWhite
Per Senator Clinton:
And now, Senator McCain has crossed that threshold back again going in the opposite direction. His ready-fire-aim selection of Palin prior to vetting her, which he is doing only now, shows a propensity to go off half-cocked on important decisions. Definitely not commander-in-chief material. (And I doubt the judgement of anyone who ever said he was.)
Oops. The loop link
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t1/loop-avn.html
I am glad things seem well. I hope you can ignore the dishes; I do that pretty well ;)
Also, above: Coverage was pretty clear about bus and train transportation for those without a car + access to operators/etc. to make the requests. The planning was there. I also saw a family where one older member had again refused to leave. Hard choices.
Siri they will find a way to cancel the VP speech night as well.
As a former Hillary supporter, I am absolutely insulted in this choice. Maverick, no. Gambler, yes. An absolute crap shoot.
sleep well jim
g’nite jimwhite
As Bill said last week, in his first decision as president, picking a vice-president, Obama hit it out of the park. McCain just fouled out.
This caught my attention. Asked by Chris Wallace if McCain could honestly say that Sarah Palin was the best person to put a heartbeat away from the presidency, he replied “Oh, yeah. She’s a partner and a soulmate.”
Palin, Putin… there’s no difference if you stare deep in their eyes. Bush really is Bush Lite.
G’nite, JW.
Alaska receives over 80% of its funding from the sale of it’s oil and the remainder from corp fees etc, It gives over 10K/yr to each of its citizens. Palins budgeting and econ skill can more apropriately be defined as a primer for being a Saudi sheik than any thing relevant for the other 299,360,000+ people in this country
I do enjoy the fact that Women aren’t buying it… As pointed out here
Arrgh, should have been McCain is Bush Lite.
Choosing Sarah. Yes. That is the point.
Do we really think he did this choosing?
‘Course I wouldn’t know the back door DC Beltway goings on.
Poor choice for all the reasons you listed above.
I’ve been one of the stragglers on the Obamatrain, but I’ve never considered voting for McCain, but, really I can’t imagine what goes on in the minds of those who will or who are still on the fence.
Thanks you Teddy. This post looks like it took a lot of work. Better you than me. :)
Doesn’t the Vice Commander in Chief need POW experience?
Gustav is a freaking gift to McCane. He will exploit the people suffering this disaster for political gain.
somewhat OT, but aout judgment:
Watching a Nascar race right now.
Obama is advertising here. Goin’ with the commercial about McLame not knowing how many houses he owns.
Good choice for the Nascar crowd, methinks.
Does this choice show good judgment on John McCain’s part. No.
Depends on what you mean by “judgement”. It looks like you had the country’s benefit in mind, and if so you’re correct. However, if by “judgement” you mean finding someone who will appeal to a country full of voters who judge based on appearance more than reality, and who will turn out in droves for someone who shares their prejudices, then it is very good judgement.
McCain’s not interested in progressives. He’s not getting our votes. He’s probably not trying to appeal to “PUMAs”, either. If he were, he should have chosen someone who at least was pro-abortion. He’s after his base, plus those independents who aren’t much into thinking.
Here’s my take on the subject, by the way.
OT: Has there been any MSM coverage of the police raids, etc.?
And he’ll go back to his bro-mance RGJoe when Sarah is taken off the ticket, I predict.
That’s looking really close to New Orleans. Even if the storm doesn’t go over it directly, there’s going to be lots of water around there.
That does not look good. Looks like it is headed straight into NO.
They just found a way to HIDE. They don’t actually have to take the national stage, bluster and bloviate (sp?) while avoiding every single issue and disaster propagated by Bu$hCo, take NO responsibility, not even SHOW UP, and call it PATRIOTISM.
disgusting chicken S*#^!s!!!
The “war” party, hiding in each other’s panties, PROUDLY!
Sounds like an admission that the Repubublican hats are un-American.
John Kerry said today, “John McCain’s not a maverick, he’s erratic.”
I like that one; not as much as Casey’s “That’s not a maverick, that’s a sidekick” but it’s pretty good, especially for Kerry…..
Wallace’ father would smack him upside his head if he was still ali…
Oh, wait…
he (McCain) replied “Oh, yeah. She’s a partner and a soulmate.”
geez, for an old wrinkly guy, he still pulls off a fast courtship. How many times have they met face-to-face now?
And Cindy must just *love* hearing about her hubby’s new soul-mate.
This election may very well be the most important in the history of our country. The Republicans have turned it into the Three Stooges. I have never seen anything like this. I just keep laughing. AmericaBlog has a post about what kinds of earrings you wear to a disaster with a picture of Sarah with her hair down and biiiiiiiig hoops. It doesn’t get any better.
Selection Process:
Mitt, John McCain here. Click.
Tim, John McCain here. Click.
Tom, John McCain here. Click.
Mike, John McCain here. Click.
Bobby, John McCain here. Click.
Who else is on that list?
Sarah, John McCain here.
Oh, Hi John!
The Religious Rightards’ heads would implode…! From pro-life to pro-choice in one fell swoop…! ;-)
LOLOL!
GOOOOD point~
Watch how funny when the “American hats” don’t fit!!!
LOL! ratfood!
i prefer the term maverdick
Sounds like an admission that the Repubublican hats are un-American.
Oh, they’re American all right – made right here in the USA.
Problem is – they’re ass-hats.
You are welcome. It was a day I’d rather have spent outside, at the Bear Fair, but it was important. Now that Andrew Sullivan has run with the pregnancy idiocy, it’s crucial to keep the focus on Choosing Sarah.
Otherwise The Enquirer aspects will swamp the screen.
Judgment
Experience
Honor
Country First
huh?
Jayzus!
Here’s what a really good person (republican) responded with:
Poor guy. And he used to be really smart, but apparently he’s been brainwashed.
Of course the deceit here is the notion that they have anything other than Republican hats. Of course there is always deceit in everything the Rethugs say.
Make pro-BIRTH and pro-choice.
McCain knows he’s in trouble,but if he can distract and confuse enough people ,then maybe just maybe……..
Probably really glad about that prenup right about now.
yep
really. And they will exploit it. All the “country first” horseshit. But it occurs to me that in addition to the obvious benefit of keeping Fucktard & Dick away, by shortening the time of the convention, people aren’t going to get to see so much of that “re-invigorated” JesusFreak wing of the party. That would surely turn off alot of people.
Teddy, you really think she’ll get dumped? How they gonna arrange that, ya think? Another immaculate conception?
You can usually tell when Republicans do something incredibly stupid. They go into overdrive with their spin. All the loony justifications just go to show how unqualified they know Palin to be.
Heh, is Trig really hers…? ;-)
Maybe when McCain talks about catching Osama Bin Laden, he is referring to the number of wives they both have.
i actually like kerry’s better. kerry’s been great lately.
the baby will need her
And she will be taken off the ticket. This is why Gustav is such a gift for the republicans.
Sarah Palin? No comment
And this is why I am in awe of William Rivers Pitt
The best McCain takedown I have seen yet (h/t twain)
None
I would bet 75-25 that he is not.
The worst storm track for Gustav is one that takes it slightly west of NO. This will allow the entire right side of the storm coming straight off the Gulf to hit the city without crossing any land.
agree 100%. enquirer can handle that. there’s so much more important stuff people need to know about her. besides, even if the baby story is true, it’s kinda weird but that doesn’t disqualify her. the fact that this time 2 years ago she was a part-time mayor of Mooseballs , AK, disqualifies her.
I was surprised to see Laura Rozen chime in on Trig…!
I Dugg it, nahant!
OMG, did you see McCain trying to hug and kiss her at the initial introduction? She was grossed out!
can you say thomas eagleton?
And Lake Charles is smack on target. Gonna be some problems.
What does it say that bloggers and the National frackin’ Enquirer will give Palin more vetting than McCain did?
Gustav also helps the Republican convention because it gave Bush and Cheney a great excuse not to attend.
lol
I think I agree with Glen’s take from this afternoon. If he drops her from the ticket he loses the race. He has to keep her on. Depending on just how this thing blows up in his face, he may be able to spin it that there is no substance to the charges and he is being loyal and mavericky in sticking by his pick. Could work. Worst case scenario is no worse than dumping her and best case scenario he picks up some low information voters.
The bigger issue is – we are a country made up of people who love their reality tv shows and this is one of the biggest ones going. Two beauty queens will probably rate higher than intelligence, unfortunately. I dunno… I’m scared for this country, I truly am. If the Dems loose it this time then that signifies America is now a fascist country run by right wing, xtian morons who want everyone to think and act the way that they do. Has anyone seen the movie or read the book “A Handmaid’s Tale?” That’s where we’re headed…
That’s a great essay, all right.
Sarah Palin? No comment
Well, ya gotta admit – Joe Biden could never get away with wearing that outfit. *g*
another gift from all the distractions of Gustav…. in an interview tonight when mcCain was going through Palin’s credentials, he mentioned her service on the PTA. that would have been a source of ridicule for several days. i expect olbermann and Maddow to run with it. and Bill maher is back and definitely in obama’s corner.
Well, they are vetting her now, so who knows what they’ll find.
Wonkette had a story yesterday that Too-odd, her husband, has a John Edwards problem times 1,000. I don’t know how a guy can pay $400,000 for a haircut, but there you are.
Check out KOS for Palin/Trig/Teen Daughter updates. The child is the daughter’s.
Another viewpoint on that episode, from Shannyn Moore.
I have an issue with the idea that Sarah Palin is going to energize the fundamentalist base…..I think that is a crock…. This is a woman who is a working mother, who is willing to accept the #2 slot and participate in a national campaign…. the traditional fundamentalist christian view of women is to stay home, take care of their families and children and put their families first…..
So my question is one both of a former working mother of three children and a professional woman…… Palin is the mother of a 5 month old infant…. when she is VP who and what is she going to put first….. AND does that fit with her fundamentalist christian views?
IS she going to drag her baby on international trips?
What is she going to do when family does need to come first but we are a nation at war?
Will she risk a high risk infant to the riggers of travel & the possible health risks?
I only had to balance work and home life, I wasn’t THE #2 to the leader to the free world….. If I took a family leave day…. I didn’t f*ck up critical negotiations with international leaders…
Inquiring minds want to know?
did you watch the rebroadcasts f McCain’s 2004 RNC speech this weekend?
all militaristic and George Bushitistic.
frightening.
But discernible difference, imo, in cognitive ability between then and now for McCain.
[after telling Jay that they’re going to check the “hot sheets,” Kay pulls up to a newsstand and buys a pile of supermarket tabloids]
Jay: *These* are the hot sheets?
Kay: Best investigative reporting on the planet. But go ahead, read the New York Times if you want. They get lucky sometimes.
From Men in Black I
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119654/quotes
I dunno, I think anybody who can keep a firm grip on Mooseballs deserves a little respect…
Alaska is a beautiful state but it is unlike any other state in the union. It’s largest city, Anchorage, is 250k it has no farms or ranchs. it does not provide any relevant experience in dealing with a single problem that faces the US. What the hell was this clown thinking? This whole nomination is just perfectly illustative of the fact tnat McShame doesn’t know shit from shinola. He is so totally out of touch with this country – he really doesn’t want to be president just warlord.
No way a guy with McCain’s ego will admit to making a mistake, anyway. And you’re right, his standin’ up for the little lady will appeal to less informed voters.
i remember that. i was thinking about that year seeing how magnificently the dems choreographed their convention. ‘72 was a zoo and mcgovern didn’t get to give his speech til about 1 in the morning. It was a good speech, too. “Come Home America.”
what up, soooze?
How can you tell if someone likes Moosehead?
By the antler marks on their belly.
Tell me that’s a photoshop.
Can’t wait to see what John Stewart does with that. 8-)
sez he’s a dick.i gotta think of somethin’ better.
I don’t see how we can go there, as feminists. Or how I can, anyway.
OK, what happens if she is ACTUALLY nominated and then drops out? What happens then? Eagleton dropped out BEFORE the convention.
That kiss had way too much tongue for an introduction. Could have been worse, though, at least he’d remembered to put his dentures in.
I’ve seen her in quite a few photos with that baby in her arms.
Nothing about her views on religion, abortion, or science convince me that she’s anything other than just what they want in a leader, aside from gender. They seem to like Anne Coulter OK. They can probably learn to like Palin.
Egad, that took an ugly turn.
well, to me the big issue is what with all this vice president stuff, will she still have time for PTA?
Have to say, she actually looks worse if it really is her kid.
Is that a pic of Palin or Dukakis, I cannot tell.
Maybe you and your honey can get outside tomorrow…perhaps something that’s not sponsored by Budweiser?
It is important to keep the focus on what’s important…John McCain’s inability to be an affective chooser guy.
(btw, I had a job interview last week for the Salvation Army’s transitional housing for Aids/Hiv folks on Sunset. Contract stuff to keep the paperwork with government funding. Any lifting up will be appreciated. Let’s of pressure, maybe more than I need, but it would be rewarding.)
Night all. Tea’s ready so, adieu.
lol
To many GOP’ers have slithered the point of the “Palin Proximity” thesis of experience with Russia.
Someone,
What I still want to see is Cindy McCain, Lindsey Graham or any GOP saliva hacking operative produce any such evidence of Palin’s Govenorship that supports their claim that Palin has experience in Russain relations?
With or without proximity of her PTA to Russia?
You can diss Palin all you want, if you’re accurate. You can diss Ted Stevens and Don Young similarly.
Alaska does have many farms, many ranches. Some of my best friends are farmers. Alaska can be on the forefront of critical thinking regarding climate change. Mark Begich has been very cretive in his thiking on this issue.
Ding~!
Well, ISTM that Hurricane Gustav is a blessing in disguise for the Republicans, who were about to have a train wreck of a convention anyway. By canceling everything but the bare essentials, they’ll be able to sneak out of town with only minimal damage to a campaign which has wheels falling off left and right. Probably there are a bunch of Republicans heaving a sigh of relief.
Instead of the convention train wreck, they can show Administration officials strutting around looking like they’re doing their job to deal with Hurricane Gustav, taking a week of bad news about Palin off the front pages.
But I’m wondering about Ron Paul’s Libertarian convention during this same week. Are they planning to proceed, full speed ahead?
Bob in HI
McCain and Co broke a fundamental rule of Republican politics. They obviously did not sneak and peek Palin’s underwear and sock drawer.
photoshop
I personally feel she will be a wash for McCrazy. She will pull in some of the fundies and related, but will turn off just as many.
Maybe you can’t but I can. I have worked since I was 17 years old, raised three children of my own and 6 foster children.
I want to know if and when McBush can no longer hold office, how will Palin balance her family life with work. I think it is a very valid question. If she is Veep, what if she has another child? All these are very valid questions when as McBush puts all the time…. We are a nation at war….. HOW can he risk our country with a Veep choice where we don’t know the answers to these questions?
they’ll probably be more thorough in deciding whether or not to hire you than mccain was with palin.
Palin at Ft. Wainright, summer 2007.
Mavrickety?
Hey, give her some slack… She is the CinC of the AK Guard…! ;-)
It is, a pretty amateurish job, actually.
Bush Lite may have a lot less houses to NOT worry about, if Cindy feels threatened by Sarah.
We don’t need to go there. They will do it themselves.
McCain wants to go to NOLA ,just what they need down there, Mc Cain and all his people in the middle of a disaster zone. What are they going to do ,fill sandbags to shore up the levees that were never repaired or maybe he can help retrieve a few floating corpses.
Politicize the suffering of thousands ,nice touch!
my sis-in-law and i were joking about that… “hey, it’s close to Russia, that counts….” stuff. and now I hear they’re pushing that seriously. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
It’s like the FOX graphic that the municipal budget of Moosecock, AK, doubled while she was mayor or some such shit. Pathetic stuff.
To many GOP’ers have slithered the point of the “Palin Proximity” thesis of experience with Russia.
Someone,
What I still want to see is Cindy McCain, Lindsey Graham or any GOP saliva hacking operative produce any such evidence of Palin’s Govenorship that supports their claim that Palin has experience in Russain relations?
With or without proximity of her PTA to Russia?
*putting on tin foil ensemble, completely accessorized with hat, gloves, and shoes*
mcsame is the presumptive nominee – i keep thinking there is gonna be some sorta floor show that is supposed to top the d’s convention.
Yep. The worst thing that could happen to the Goopers is for the nation to see them all in the same place at the same time, cheering for this ticket.
ET, in the vote tallies, did Ted Stevens get more votes than Begich did? Last I saw he did, disappointingly so.
Eagleton dropped out the week after the convention, McGovern selected Sargent Shriver (actually his earlier choice after several others said no, but Shriver couldn’t be reached in the Soviet Union in time) then the DNC Executive Committee met in DeeCee to ratify the decision.
That Shannyn Moore article mentioned that the permafrost is no longer permanent. You’d think that would focus Alaskan minds on the greenhouse effect.
BTW, in my youth I remember there was a valley somewhere in Alaska that was famous for its gigantic vegetables. There had to be some farming going on there.
especially after she made certain promises about childcare before becoming governor, then changed her mind, and then had a 5th child.
forgot to credit Daily Kos for the link to that picture
There appears to be a blackout of reporting on police harrassment of potential RNC protesters throughout the Twin Cities. That’s not just the mainstream media, but also HuffPo and Dkos seem to be ignoring this story. What’s up with that. (Or maybe stuff has appeared and I missed it.)
You need to study the rules again. She’s not a Democrat.
yes
Even Cindy McCain was sent out on Geoge Stepho’s show and touted Gov Palin over her knowledge built on proximity to Russia.
None of these media folks willask what does that mean or what has she done in russian relations?
Bush Lite may have a lot less houses to NOT worry about, if Cindy feels threatened by Sarah.
Have divorce papers ever been served during the Acceptance Speech of a party’s Convention?
Cindy – “Who’s looking mavericky now, you asshole?”
Four times with cancer hmm I want McCains medical plan.
It’s not Palins political skills McSames interested in ,I think it’s her other ASSets .
when she travels, she could leave the baby with his mother…
McCain’s gonna tell them New Orleanians to buck up, suck it up, and pick yourself up by the bootstraps b/c big gubmint can’t do a thing for ya! Merca is a Free Market System. The market is self-correcting. See how LA turned Republican last time?
Vote McCain for mo’ of da same! Hotcha!
i think it’s just best not to get into the “how can she be vp if she might not be done breeding yet” line.
Cindy wouldn’t divorce him just as history is being made, as in, first beer baroness to serve as First Lady.
Dubya declares marshal law, voids the constitution, and suspends the election?
A woman as President or Veep and her priorities within her family has not been an issue as most women who run are past the point of raising their children, Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir, Bhutto, Libby Dole, Cynthia McKinney … these are all women who had completed raising their children and there wasn’t a conflict between how to prioritize their life.
These were also valid questions I had for John Edwards on how he would handle his wife’s illness if he was the President.
i know, that’s sad. i did see somebody follow up on this talking point re: palin’s “executive experience.” Follow up was :”well she has more executive experience than McCain, is she better qualified than him, too?” that question is ignored.
I found it in a link in a diary at Kos, near the top of the Recent Diaries list. It did not occur to me that it might be fake, I have been known to be gullible at times.
I live on the outskirts of what you call “Moosecock, Alaska,” beerfart liberal. Never heard that term before.
AOL headline:
“McCain’s choice electrifies the base.”
People need to be told that the base is the 27% Bush cultist wing of the GOP.
Repeatedly.
-G
Sarah Palin makes a mean White Russian.
aHAHAHA, how is that possible, topping Obamas’s speech?
I’m looking forward to seeing the the mavericky one’s sputtering failed attempt.
hahahahaha
i duuno. it just reminds me of when Ferrarao was running and people would say “What if there was a nuclear showdown and she was on the rag?”
McCain’s gonna tell them New Orleanians to buck up, suck it up, and pick yourself up by the bootstraps…
Well, that would a good opportunity for McLame to show America how quickly he can recover from a concussion….
Ahh I didn’t realize he dropped out AFTER the convention. So McCain can just pick another running mate if Palin’s entry into the race “goes south” ?
Hey ET,
Things in your neighborhood have gotten decidedly interesting.
-G
that’s where she was mayor.
question for you: her 80% approval rating… not true is it?
Correction: HuffPo has convered the RNC raids, as have the Minnesota papers and the SF Chronicle.
there are still some “McGovern-Eagleton” buttons around.
Did they mention that she ran up about $3K per person in public indebtedness while she was mayor? I’m guessing they left that out.
Totally:
Excellent article. Thanks, newtonusr.
well, at least I didn’t make any claims about its authenticity…
Another case of KBR doing the wiring?
i didn’t say it made sense – just that my inner rethuglican is saying that mcsame failed with his veepstakes. since no rethug can admit to failure, they gotta come up with something that is gonna drive it off the news shows and be replaced with some big dramatic theatre on the floor.
and, unless its big, it aint gonna work.
Government can’t always (they mean ever) be the answer to people’s problems. If you haven’t got a boat, put on some waders (with bootstraps).
I thought she was only the mayor of Wasilla. Can you be mayor of two different towns in Alaska?
I still need the questions need to be asked….. As a mother, as a working mother… who comes first…… this has nothing to do with the sexist crap about women…. Give me a plan how you intend to balance your family and your work life.
I still have the same questions for any family of young children but a 5 month special needs infant, additionally….
I admire your restraint, ET.
I made a number of predictions regarding the Bush presidency early in 2001 such as, he will invade another country to prove he has big cojones like his old man. He exceeded my lowest expectations on all counts except one, which was that if he expected to lose in 2004 he would invent some reason to declare martial law and suspend the election. At this point, I’d like to believe even the Republicans won’t go that far to keep their grip on power but there is always that little bit of nagging doubt…
I found it in a link in a diary at Kos, near the top of the Recent Diaries list. It did not occur to me that it might be fake,
If it isn’t, that might be a Republican Cabinet choice for Obama.
Which Agency is in charge of MILFS?
Stevens — 59,123
Begich — 55,993
I covered last Tuesday’s Alaska primary results Saturday at the Campaign Silo, at the bottom of my Palin essay.
Sarah adds three houses to the ticket, by the way.
How’s that for a big John-McCain-Maverickety :Fuck You: to everybody who is losing their ONE house this week?
Someone needs to start digging through Limbaugh’s and the rest of the Republican Media’s records and start earthing up some of the digs leveled at Hillary Clinton.
If Sen. Clinton had been quoted as saying she “wouldn’t miss a speech” even though she was ready give birth the catcalls about being a political climber at the expense of her children would be deafening.
-G
agreed and I don’t think for a minute it’s sexist to inquire.
Gov Palin has siad in a recent interview that, ” I don’t have much of a opinion on Iraq, I haven’t given it much thought” (para).
So I have to ask,
-Doesn’t Alaska have Nat’l Gaurd/Reserves in Iraq?
-As Gov of Alaska,does she know how many of her statesmen are in the Iraq occupation?
-How many of these troops have returned in Bags?
-How many returned missing body parts?
-How many are still presently in harms way?
-does Alaska miss the state military funding that was trimmed to support the Occupation?
-What of the families of the deployed Alaskan troops?
-Has the Alaska Governor been in need oif the Nat’l Gaurds emergency equipment the state relies on in emergencies?
-What of this child of hers that is supposed to go to Iraq. Their are only so many safe cushie jobs for special parents there. Someone has to fight and be killed.
But Palin the Gov of a state, states she hasn’t given Iraq much thought?
I am not ready to believe that they actually will do that, but I certainly believe they are capable of doing it and would do so in a heartbeat if they thought they could get away with it, at least if, as seems inevitable now, Obama wins.
They have to dump her, no choice. She isn’t next door to being able to take over if need be.
Thanks. that’s what I thought I saw, that in the totals Stevens got more votes. Do you think in the general election Begich will beat Stevens?
that didn’t sell well with the voters, at least in 1972
it speaks to competence and judgment
Actually, every time somebody outside of Alaska combines reasonable outrage against he idiotic choice of Palin for Veep with insulting remarks about Alaska and Alaskans, her popularity here goes up.
Yeah, it was in the high 70s to low 80s early last week, before this nuttiness began. I haven’t seen a local poll since she was selected by McStrange, but I suppose it will be up when the inevitable poll comes out Tuesday.
Being out of work, Dick Cheney can act as nanny and raise the kids in his image.
Not. Gonna. Happen.
Me too.
There’s no reason to mock Alaska just because they’ve elected Sarah Palin governor.
Choosing Sarah to be his Veep candidate is the issue, folks.
We won’t hear Glenn Beck saying that he can hear Sarah Palin’s voice telling him to do the dishes or whatever.
But we do have the most patronizingly creepy thing ever with Black Toothed Charlie Black telling the world that Paling will learn foreign policy “at the feet of the master”.
-G
Looks like Leighton Woodhouse gets it:
In other words, same shit, different sales[wo]man.
very nicely said, teddy – and much more polite than what i kept coming up with in trying to address the issue
Absolutely. If McCain dumps her, or she leaves, the judgment issue explodes bigger than an A-bomb and his electoral chances vaporize. Keeping her and spinning like mad, he has a chance to keep at least some of the base and uninformed voters.
Maybe The First Dude could replace her. Nevermind he’s in the middle of the baby ruse too. I just wanted to say First Dude. Gag me with a spoon.
Stevens wil beat Begich, even if convicted, unless we can force the GOP to remove Palin from the ticket. That wasn’t the case before her selection, I don’t believe.
It has only been five days since our primary, so along with the Veep news, our state is on overload. And who knows, maybe the FBI will indict another GOP corrupt bastard Tuesday.
Someone left a link to a graphic that makes that point at my site.
yes it does,
and McCain is incompetent and obviously has poor judgment — twas a rash & reckless decision.
New Orleans is fundamentaly safe ,and the people are just a bunch of whiners. Right John?
Midnight on the east coast, wicked tired, g’night all!!
Let’s face it. Either way he’s fucked. This McCain choice is a joke.
g’nite billybugs
sleep well
It would constitute an admission of fault and there is no historic precedent for a Republican doing that. Well, at least not since Tricky’s Checkers speech and that was a half-assed admission at best.
they did leave that out. howdja know? mccain says she knows how to balance a budget so I guess that was good enough for fox.
Do you think they will declare marshall law cause of the hurricane?? After all, it is named in the language of the alien poplulation.
Everybody, regardless of how badly informed, knows a Sarah Palin. Few would choose her to be Vice President.
sounds like a bad horror movie
G’nite BB.
I”m out too, see y’all. Keep your fingers crossed that Gustav will fizzle, unlikely as that seems.
For McCain, this is experienced Judgement at its finest.
Remember, Cheney had experience going back with Rummy and the others. Going back all the way to the Nixon white House.
He sold it for greed with Chuck Keating. Everything since then has been complete 169 percent pure-d bullshit.
g’nite ratfood
Same way our President balances a budget – borrow the rest.
That too.
This is a joke. Just ask Dr. Laura Schlessenger. Can’t be done.
It’s outrageous that these foreigners are taking work away from American hurricanes.
-G
i don’t know. those are part-time jobs, no?
I’d have included Jon Stewart’s Penguin/Cheney impression but couldn’t figure out how to spell it… (waaaugh?)
Liberal Floridians took (take) a lot of crap. We’re among red staters who don’t know how to read a trick butterfly ballot. We had JEB and other R’s wrecking the state for eight years and we elected Gay Jesus Crist to continue the dismantlement. Topping it off there’s Feeney and Ric Keller and low level Repub ops throughout.
Everybody, regardless of how badly informed, knows a Sarah Palin. Few would choose her to be Vice President.
Again, a striking resemblance with Lurita Doan.
that’s pretty good…
ayup – that’s my take on it too
Can I use that line, Teddy?
LOL! Very good.
It is the loyalty & maverickiness of McCain that would sell. Let’s be real here. All of the studies I have heard of show that the VP choice has minimal impact on the election, as long as you don’t make a totally bugfucked choice (like Eagleton and possibly Palin), and almost never affects the outcome. People vote for the top of the ticket and it is what his choices say about him that count. Palin is only important to the extent she reveals his inadequacies.
We’ve more than few of her type in Arizona. There were two several years ago in the state legislature that would have made Palin look good.
I’m not mocking Alaska. Try being from NJ like me. No state gets mocked more than NJ. It’s not a big deal, really. Whatever that place she was mayor of is called, it don’t qualify he to be president. can we agree on that?
Night rf.
I’m with you. I’m Missouri on this.
I just realized, that graphic is from Bobby G’s site.
nighty nite
My sense of it–and this is not about the issue of the baby’s maternity–is that if this had been a normal Republican convention as planned–at least, as normal as they could make it after the Democrats’ slam dunk last week–the synergy of thousands of Republican delegates meeting in caucuses and rubbing elbows at cocktail parties for two or three days in a political hothouse atmosphere could have led to a rebellion among the party rank and file based on the totality of Palin’s faults and shortcomings, and McSame would have had to force her to resign and replace her with someone like Romney who could shore up the base.
But with the Repub Convention virtually shut down to the bare bones, the distraction of Gustav, the cancellation of the major speeches, festivities, etc., the decreased media coverage (MSNBC and CNN have gone to ALL Hurricane All the Time format) I think that there will be somewhat of a lack of focus and this issue will not percolate as quickly as it would have in a “normal” convention week, and that her nomination will be approved for a lack of collective political will on the part of the Repub Party.
So they will be stuck with her. And her standing will sink as more Americans become more familiar with who she really is. And McCain will realize he made a terrible mistake and want to dump her, but if he does it will be political suicide, and besides, he can be pretty stubborn. And if he doesn’t, it will be the death of a thousand cuts.
We’ll see.
Hell, we had a Gooper woman governor here who makes Palin look like Einstein and Lincoln rolled together.
This time the Veep is more important. Cheeney elevated the Status of the veep. The veep, as we now know, can be the brains behind the operation. Maybe that’s what McCain is thinking.
DrDick at 82 and Loo Hoo at 196 said it more concisely
the ballots we have in Orange county are atrocious. you have to color in circles like on the SAT. if you don’t color good or with a proper writing implement, bingo, you’ve been disenfranchised. and , of course, there will be no way to tell.
Excellent point. Will these questions be answered?
who that?
so did we, but some fool sent him to washington dc
gustav update upstairs
Ian’s upstairs…!
One thing they can’t cancel – the debates.
This is going to be where TeamObama will really be ready for Governor Palin, and Senator Biden will show his value.
It’s going to be frightening to watch.
Well, either five fools in DC or a few thousand in Florida, depending on your view of events.
Excellent point.
You are probably right. The smart choice for McCain to capture the demographics he seems to be targeting (except the mythical PUMAs and the like), would have been Huckabee, who might actually have brought something to the campaign. Romney was clearly the choice of the money boys and my personal guess of who he would pick, but the fundies hate him as did some other elements of the base.
Same here. Black felt tip pens are provided for the voter to color in the oval. Then you place the ballot in a magic machine that belongs to Tom Feeney.
i wouldn’t count on it. bar will be very low for her. as long as she doesn’t ….. gotta watch it. can’t be insensitive about alaska,,,,,,, long as she doesn’t fuck up big time, she’ll have “proved she belongs” or some such shit.
Judy Martz. She was Marc Racicot’s handpicked successor and final fuck you to the state before he headed off to DC for bigger and better things.
my rep. asshole.
Heck yeah, the Alaskans always win the vege wars during the summer because they have 23 hours of sunlight.
i remember him. he was all over tv during the recount.
Hate to admit it, but Judy Martz even made Dubya look good. Dumb as a box of rocks. Once said in a public arena that her husband had never hit her because she never gave him cause to do so. Can’t remember the venue, but it was a really bad choice for that statement.
Don’t keep asking these questions. You, too, may be arrested.
Debates aren’t about ideas any more. Hell, maybe they never were, but they haven’t been since the age of television began, that’s for sure. They’re about theatre. A poorly thought out script performed well is better than a great script that’s phoned in. Anyone who thinks Palin’s sure to be a pushover needs to read the memo again.
The best thing to do about Palin, I think, is the same thing that we need to do about McCain – show who they really are. That’s frightening enough when you think about it. Do a good job of that and they lose, but don’t expect them to do it for us.
Remember, she’s just a regular gal – only has three houses.
I used to wonder why Hillary didn’t divorce Bill during the icky. Guess we know.
Well, that’s my point. Palin cannot portray herself as capable unless the questions lack all depth. And they wont.
Biden has so much depth of knowledge that it will be very plain – and he can afford to be as deferential as he needs to be.
i agree. she’ll benefit from low expectations. debates are crap, really. barack said those town halls mcCain proposed were a great idea but he won’t do them now. what’s his explanation on that?
Goodness, me too. No negatives intended, dear neurophious.
When it comes to expectations, there is ‘low’ and then there is ‘no.’
All she has is dogma. Biden will be ready.
It’s Huge. It’s Gustav.
Hey, did Charlie get the ring back from the little lady yet, or is he holding out for the Palin implosion?
yup!
You vastly overestimate the audience, I think. Well, folks interested in politics, the ones who will watch the whole debate or read the transcript, they’ll figure it out. They’re the minority, though. The important thing is good visuals and good bumper stickers. You don’t get those from thoughtful answers, you get them from attractive people who are sure of themselves, or who are at least sure of the script. Palin is an ignoramus – not unintelligent, she just isn’t that interested in ideas or nuance. Reduce your universe to a simplistic version, and it’s a lot easier to be assured that you always know the answer. That’s why these people sound so convincing. They aren’t troubled by seeming contradictions or contraindications of their positions, because in their worlds there simply aren’t any.
Biden (or Obama) could wipe the floor with her on an intellectual level, but that won’t matter. It’s all about the performance, and how it’s spun afterward.
I sound like a pessimist, but living through the last few decades made me this way.
i thought biden was an excellent pick and i think he’ll be fine. but mccain says she’s very well read, ya know.
I don’t understand. He seems to be pretty good on his feet, from what little I’ve observed.
Excuse me, ratfood. Normally I agree with you totally. But Big Cajones? Where’s the proof.
This fucker is a goddamn cheerleader. Nothing more.
see Reagan, Ronald, See also :”There you go again.”
Just ask Laura Schlessenger.
who? obama? he’s ok. I was just wondering what’s his reason for not doing the town halls with mccain after obama said it sounded like a great idea. i don’t care, really,if they do them or not. but i was curious because mccain brought it up again today.
Being a fervent watcher, I know one thing: When Palin is asked about Iraq, the economy, foreign relations, energy, she will parrot McCheese and Chimpy. That is the deadliest formula for the Goopers, and they have absolutely no choice. They are boxed in.
I’m not saying she will or won’t seen cogent – I’m saying that she has a very narrow issue window, and Senator Biden has a acres to run with.
Disagree. Why do you think they called off the convention? For the love of New Orleans? Get real. They were not willing to take on Obama. Pure and simple. McCane was given a gift.
True, and for some of those who are really listening, it will be an education.
Actually, I think they just didn’t want to see another set of contrasting photos of them partying while New Orleans drowns. It didn’t go so well last time, and if the Presidential election had happened in 2005 rather than 2004, I think Bush would have lost. McCain has enough baggage already, as Newtonusr pointed out just a moment ago.
Even if I’m wrong about 2005, they’re still bad visuals. Seeing them enough will make all but the dimmest minds aware that these guys shouldn’t be in charge.
Yep. They need very badly to keep that tarmac cake moment off the news for a number of reasons, and they may just get their way.
I agree with you re the power of the vibe during the sound bite. What was that line from A Chorus Line. Dance: 10, Looks: 3 as sung by one of the characters who was rejected.
Also, amazing how charming, calm and in control sociopathic types can be when facing a camera. No conscience lends to no sweat, no obvious indication of guilt. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF GUILT. NEED A CONSCIENCE.
I am not saying this about Palin. But just saying … people trust the tube when they should be counter-intuitive about the persona presented.
I remember Ollie North had such a bad rep when his scandal hit and then he appeared in the magic box handsome and passionate and psuedo-patriotic and he turned it around for himself.
And then you have the talking heads telling us all what to feel, dispensing the kool-aid. Have to be counter-intuitive about them, too.
And SP looks like Tina Fey, and everyone loves Tina Fey.
Anyone out after curfew, sunset, will be sent to prison. Ray Nagen says so.
Great job, Teddy. Thank you.
ps. Any talk of Cindy as being bookkeeper of Keating 5. That wouldn’t have slid by if it were Michelle for sure. Also, about stealing prescription drugs during her charity hospital work?
Barack doesn’t have time to do the small town circuit. McCane does. Obama is simply too focused and busy to do this.
Granted. But America is a big old country, and Minneapolis is a long old way from New Orleans.
The republicans gave up the convention for two reasons. 1) McCane wanted to prove that he didn’t treat NOLA as Bush did, or 2) McCane didn’t have the guts to have his acceptance speech compared with Obama’s.
This saves many republicans, many of whom had already decided not to speak.
Yes, I had most of those things in mind – except Tina Fey.
Gwen Ifill, Villager Extraordinaire, will moderate the Veep debate. As a professional African American woman, she can hardly be excited by the sexism and tokenism of the Palin pick. Also, Biden is loved by the Village, although he isn’t, of course, of it.
“Don’t pick a candidate to enrapture the base of your party that’s never fallen in love with you: the fundamentalist evangelicals who have captured your party and turned it into a voice for theocracy.”
I must admit, though, that the American Taliban seems pretty enraptured right now. In that way, McCain’s cynical move seems to be working. Whether it’s enough to put him over the top, I can’t say. In fact, I dread to say.