Some quick thoughts this evening…
- An interesting contrast from Obama’s rallies (including his speech yesterday) and Palin’s speech today: at Obama rallies, folks in the crowd regularly chant “O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!” Today during Palin’s speech, people in the audience kept chanting “USA! USA!” I’ll take that compare and contrast any time. (And yet, Obama has the audacity to keep telling us his campaign isn’t about him… it’s about all of us… sure, Barry. Whatever you say. The only thing your campaign was ever about was you. You and your cultlike followers.)
- In a purely political sense, I like that Sarah Palin also has a son going to Iraq - it levels the playing field a bit between her and Biden and denies him some sort of imagined high moral ground on the issue when they debate. I also highly respect her son’s volunteer service to this country.
- So now the race has come down to this: two tickets. On both, we have an old, white haired boring guy who’s been a creature of Washington his whole life and is strong on foreign policy issues coupled with a young, energetic reform-minded Washington outsider with less than a term’s worth of political experience. Yes, the two tickets generally cancel one another out now. The only difference is who’s on top (insert Michael Scott Office joke here).
- It’s interesting that for all the talk about McCain possibly choosing someone who would not be the GOP heir apparent, it is now Obama who chose someone who won’t run for President next time. Palin, if McCain wins, could be a powerful force in the GOP for years to come. If McCain loses, it sets up another wide open primary in four or eight years and her stardom will have been a flash in the pan.
- I really like the rollout of team McCain today - this was impressive politics. Hardly anyone is talking about Obama’s speech now - any political conversations I’ve had with friends and coworkers today has been about Palin, not Obama - so this ought to negate a lot of the positive bump Obama is receiving from his convention. I also like the fact that it was in a demonstrably Democratic portion of Ohio, showing McCain is not afraid to take on the “enemy” on their own turf. And I like that Palin keeps getting described as a “surprise pick” and a “gamechanger”. In a political world where secrets are impossible to keep, McCain’s team did a remarkable job today.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I think there is Computer problems again.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Test.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
1. yes, my comments are spammed as well.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
spammage?
August 29th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
everyone is calling McCain a maverick again….how is this not a great choice?????
August 29th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
That was huge. I’m amazed it was kept so tightly.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
The way they kept this a secret was amazing. Putting BO’s team to shame.
Here are some pics taken today by People Magazine-
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20222685,00.html
August 29th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Matt,
” If McCain loses, it sets up another wide open primary in four or eight years and her stardom will have been a flash in the pan.”
I think that depends on how Palin conducts herself in the campaign. If she shows more of the intelligence, energy, and dynamism that she showed today, she could still be the heir apparent, even in loss. And the GOP always nominates the heir apparent.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Think about how well Palin did today with very little time to prepare for that speech today, now think about what she can do with time to write and prepare.
Her speech next week will be a home run.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Kristofer,
I just noted on another thread how impressed I was with her ability to speak without a teleprompter and barely looking at her notes. McCain is horrible at that, as evidenced today, when he was looking down even as he was directly speaking “punch lines” to the American people.
Not Palin. She took a couple quick glances during applause, but spoke intelligently and eloquently, and extemporaneously (unlike a teleprompterless Obama).
I think that McCain should let her do all the talking for the next two months, and just stand back behind her and smile.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
MWS,
Wait till she gets going….she is one of the best Republican communicators we have.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
#8. I was so excited this morning that I took the day off and spent the day reading different posts at different blogs.
Even if McCain/Palin loses,the Republican Party still wins. I read numerous posts from democratic and independent women (and men) who said this puts the Republican party in a whole, new, POSITIVE light. This re-branding of the Republican party will reap rewards for years to come.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
It was only kept a secret becasue nobody thought he’d be dumb enough to pick Sarah Palin.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Big S, weren’t you pushing for liberal pick like Ridge or Rudy?
I’m glad an honest clean conservative got the VP slot.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Big S, I am a pro-choice, pro-gay rights Republican…..what is your issue dude?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
HearMe,
Yes. I think this could help re-brand the Republican party in a year we desperately need it. Most VP picks probably don’t make more than a 1 point difference. I think this one will be much, much different.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
She’s a flashy pick, but I think we can all agree that we don’t want her in the Oval Office - and with McCain at the top of the ticket (happy 72nd!), this makes me really uncomfortable.
I’m also disappointed at the obvious pander to the female vote. We can admit this in good company: if she was a dude, she wouldn’t be veep.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Sarah Palin is not qualified to be president. That’s my issue.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
The best political satire yet of this campaign… classic: http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=183509
August 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I feel the same way, Kristofer. That’s why I asked my question on the other thread.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Will,
“She’s a flashy pick, but I think we can all agree that we don’t want her in the Oval Office ”
I totally disagree. I think she shows a helluva lot more class and judgement than 95% of the jokers in Washington. Yes, her resume is fairly thin, but to be honest, I’m so disgusted with the usual crap that we get from Washington, I’m glad she’s never spent time there. She has enough history to show that she is a strong leader with a crapload of integrity and a sound philosophy. That’s good enough for me.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The ONLY DUTY of a veep is to be a potential president!! Why are so many GOP bloggers creaming their pants over Palin?! Right…they’re all guys…
August 29th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Will,
If you have a grown up rebuttal, let us know.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
MSW,
If McCain has a grown up veep, I’ll be happy.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Good overall comments, but…
“On both, we have an old, white haired boring guy who’s been a creature of Washington his whole life and is strong on foreign policy issues”
I take issue with both comments. McCain spent a significant portion of his life upholding the honor of this nation and his own honor in what can only be described as a barbaric hellhole. Please don’t equate McCain’s life with the cushy life of a guy who bearly lives outside the Washington Beltway. And I’ve already grown tired of the bromide that Biden is some foreign policy wizard. Granted, he’s chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. What treaties has he negotiated? What international conflicts has he resolved? What WMD program has he successfully gotten some rogue nation to give up on? The title on his business card looks impressive, but I don’t think napping through thirty years of Senate committee meetings makes this guy some untouchable guru of foreign affairs.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:09 am
#18. Neither is Obama, and isn’t that the issue?
I’ve gotten pretty sick and tired of the naive perspectives and comments of armchair political analysts on this and other forums this year. All the naysayers…just STF up. Gawd, you all disgust me.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Final comment: You bellyachers have bitched for over two years now about this upcoming election. Nothing pleases you. No candidate appeased you. You’re so locked in and in bondage to your own negativity your opinions are skewed and frankly pretty damn worthless. We’ve got a great ticket, and a huge challenge. If you’re not willing to get down and do the work of good foot soldiers in this election battle, please go somewhere else with your depressing viewpoints and comments.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:50 am
I’m with Greg. Quityerbitchin.
August 30th, 2008 at 5:01 am
As someone who lives and works virtually next door, and goes to college literally next door, to the place where McCain’s VP announcement took place, I do have to correct you a bit on the latter half of your fifth bullet point.
I wouldn’t say the announcement really took place on Democratic turf. The area where McCain made his announcement straddled the suburban conservative strongholds of Beavercreek and Fairborn, right next to the sprawling Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Now, if McCain had actually gone into downtown Dayton, that would be taking on the enemy on their own turf. Dayton is a completely different world from the suburbs of Dayton. Lol.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Right on Greg. Let the Dems do the complaining.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:24 am
The bottomline–the Palin selection makes it more likely that McCain will be President–though he may not win. Scott Rasmussen said a while bacvk that Palin was the best political choice McCain had. Socialism is not a change I can believe in.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Right on, Greg!
For those complaining about little experience, you only focus on holding an elected position. Gov Palin has real experience in taking on corruption and the powerful and winning! She’s a real fighter, and she’s learning all she’ll need to know at the foot of an experienced legislative fighter. Sen McCain went and found a younger version of himself (but who I think sounds better on the issues). It’s the right message for this election cyucle, and she’s going to surprise and shine!
August 30th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Well, I guess I’m an idealist, but all this pick says to me is that McCain cares more about winning than governing well.
August 30th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Well, both side are complaining… meaning this was a great pick! You can’t make everyone happy all the time!
As a female, I am so happy that Gov. Palin is on the ticket and on the right side (GOP and VP) and it wasn’t Hiliary!
The Dem’s have pushed their worst females
on this country and it will be a breath of fresh air to have a GOP woman show them how to run this country the right way…
for the people, not for the special interests groups or for their book tour! Sarah might not have 20 plus years of “Washington”,
which is a good thing, but she has shown that she can learn on the job and has a mind of her own! This will be interesting to
for the next 60 plus days… I am calling the left side will imploded and eat their young over this….