John McCain picks Alaska Governer Sarah Palin as VP.

[The Germanator]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/...ate/index.html

Thoughts?

It seems like quite a gimmicky pick. I mean, I understand they are trying to steal the Hillary supporters, but picking a governor with one year of experience? Doesn't look good to me.

edit: I miss spelled "governor" in the tile, durr.

[BreakABone]

It has my interest. Just saw it on the cover of MSNBC.

Either way, we will either have our first black President or first female in such a large role.

Curious he would pick someone with such limited experience now that reading more on her.

I guess he wanted the youth/women appeal, but it just seems odd especially since one of the things attcking Obam for.

[mickydaniels]

Originally Posted by The Germanator

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/...ate/index.html

Thoughts?

It seems like quite a gimmicky pick. I mean, I understand they are trying to steal the Hillary supporters, but picking a governor with one year of experience? Doesn't look good to me.

edit: I miss spelled "governor" in the tile, durr.

So, picking a senator without even 4 full years of senate experience for the MAIN job is any better?

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by mickydaniels

So, picking a senator without even 4 full years of senate experience for the MAIN job is any better?

4 years is better than one...And considering Obama has had the correct judgment on Iraq and Afghanistan that many didn't? Yes, I'll trust that man's judgment over McCain's any day.

[mickydaniels]

Originally Posted by The Germanator

4 years is better than one...And considering Obama has had the correct judgment on Iraq and Afghanistan that many didn't? Yes, I'll trust that man's judgment over McCain's any day.

Obama is the one running for president, not Palin.

Obama can say whatever he likes about Iraq and Afghanistan, the fact is he was not in the Senate by the time voting came around. I'm pretty sure he would have joined Hillary in voting yes.
Then again, it doesn't matter because he didn't have to make that choice.

[Fyacin]

Looks interesting, what I can find out of her policies sounds good. She has more executive experience then any of them, she is the only governor, the rest are senators, but I don't know if that will make a difference. Kind of a wait and see for me, simply because I don't know much about her.

[Bond]

Palin isn't a gimmick. She had been touted as a possible VP pick for McCain a few months ago. She's attractive and intelligent. It's an interesting pick, but it's a huge gamble. Of course, it's what McCain had to do.

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by mickydaniels

Obama can say whatever he likes about Iraq and Afghanistan, the fact is he was not in the Senate by the time voting came around. I'm pretty sure he would have joined Hillary in voting yes.
Then again, it doesn't matter because he didn't have to make that choice.

"In October 2002, before being elected to the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama made a speech opposing the Bush Administration's plan to go to war in Iraq because he felt it was an ill-conceived venture which would 'require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undermined cost, with undetermined consequences.'

Does that sound like somebody who would've gone along with Hilary voting yes? You can say all you want about how he wasn't there, but the only actual information says that he didn't. He's also pushed for time-tables for a long time now which the Bush administration has even started to agree to in the form of "time horizons" to exit out of Iraq safely.

You can say all you want about experience. I'd rather have a guy who has been right for a few years rather than the guy has continuously voted with the guy who has done the wrong thing for the last 8 years.

[Fyacin]

Thought Palin did a pretty good speech.

[GameMaster]

Looking at the picture, I would definitely bang her.

McCain has my vote. He's rich, he's a decorated war hero, and he has wisdom only obtainable with age.

What an honorable and magnificent team these two will be.

[BlueFire]

Well, I have to say.. this is surprising. It's interesting, though. McCain always comments on Obama's (lack) of experience and he chooses Palin as his running mate, who has been governor of Alaska since 2006, and before that was mayor of Wasila. I can't say I know much about her, apart from being socially conservative, fighting corruption in the Alaskan government and.. well, that's it. I read up a bit on her here.

I can't help but think this is a somewhat gimmicky, even if it isn't. If not gimmicky, then definitely a ploy to pick up some Clinton supporters.

[Bond]

Originally Posted by The Germanator

Does that sound like somebody who would've gone along with Hilary voting yes? You can say all you want about how he wasn't there, but the only actual information says that he didn't. He's also pushed for time-tables for a long time now which the Bush administration has even started to agree to in the form of "time horizons" to exit out of Iraq safely.

You can say all you want about experience. I'd rather have a guy who has been right for a few years rather than the guy has continuously voted with the guy who has done the wrong thing for the last 8 years.

That sounds a lot like the Obama talking points...

Just as a side note, if you go by the "McCain has voted with Bush 90 percent of the time" fact that the Obama staffers are throwing around, you should be aware that Obama voted with Bush 60 percent of the time. More than half.

Fair statistical attack? Probably not. An argument to polarize our country? Probably yes.

[Professor S]

More on your point, Bond, its very easy for someone who is completely outside of the conversation to make a statement against a war that their opinion has no bearing on, and of its details he had no knowledge of. Its like me saying "I'm completely against grilled cheese sandwiches" when I've seen pictures of bread and only heard about cheese in conversation.

There was no poltical gain he could make by giving a favorable response considering his constituency at the time, and nothing for him to lose by being against the iraq war because his opinion at the time was LITERALLY irrelevant and heard only on a large scale in hindsight.

[The Germanator]

Heh.

[Professor S]

Germ, that is an interesting question that she'll have to answer in interviews I'm sure. Her pick intrigues me, but I am very skeptical or her ability to perform in that position. There is no question about the fact that she is politically advantageous, though.

1) The Obama camp can't question her experience, because they are the no experience necessary ticket. If they argue that Palin is not experienced enough, they can simply answer "I know! Thank God she's not running for President!" If Obama or Biden attack experience, they attack themselves. The press can push Pain's inexperience, and they will, but the camapign can't without casuing a serious gaffe and McCain's group know this. And the more the press mentions Palin's inexperience, the more they inadvertently will raise awareness of Obama's and see it as a negative.

2) She is the ultimate outsider, non-beltway, salt-of-the-earth candidate. You can't say someone is elitist when they regularly eat Mooseburgers and their husband is a firefighter.

3) Evangelical through and through. Hello bible belt, and she'll make many Godly folks much more confident in choosing McCain.

4) Policy-wise, she's Ronald Reagan with a vagina. Her pick energizes the conservative base and with bring many of the bloggers and radio hosts strongly behind the ticket, even with her lack of experience.

5) She has a vagina. Many women who are disaffected by the whole Democratic primary might consider voting for McCain because of the chance for a woman to be elected to national office. Plus, its a media blitz. Anyone talking about Obama's speech anymore? NOPE. One part of the mission is accomplished.

Now these points make her a decent candidate in that she helps the ticket, but thats also a big problem with American politics... its all about helping the ticket and not nominating the right people.

I like Palin. I think she is a hell of a Governor and truly acts on what she thinks is right, and not what is "in the people's best interests". I love her speaking style too; straight forward and humorous, often pointing out the obvious which is rare in today's politics. I think she could have been an excellent candiate, and in only a few years, but not now. To be honest there is NOTHING in her record that justifies her pick to national office and breath away from the most powerful position in the world.

Honestly, you can't criticize Obama for his inexperience, and not criticize palin's choice to accept this nomination. She's not ready. Not yet.