McCain chooses Palin for VP

[BigSqwert]

Nicely stated...

 

Did the Rovian type advisors to McCain just cynically think that throwing a young attractive inexperienced woman into the mix would satisfy women who long to see a woman president? Women, and Republican women, are not so stupid as to fall for that! It is reminiscent of the Republicans putting up Alan Keyes to run against Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate just because he was black. Voters saw through that pretty quickly.

 

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Im not trying to be antogonistic, but I have no idea what her stances are on the issues are. I know she likes guns, is pro-life and doesn't like those gays... but thats about it. Who is this woman?

THat's what most Americans are asking today. This is why it is such a HUGE gamble. The McCain campaign needs to brand her nationally in a HURRY. If they dont, Obama will jump on it and they will be the one doing the branding and McCain will be trying to play defense when they need to be out front.

[WCSox]

The point with her experience is that it can knock the wind out of the sails of McCain's attacks on Obama over the same issue.

 

That's probably fine with the McCain campaign, because Obama arguably has more of a judgement issue than an experience issue. Obama's section of Biden may have taken that issue off the table anyway.

 

The Palin selection also erodes Obama's arguments that McCain has no identity with blue collar workers and that a McCain administration would be Bush, Part III. Palin ain't exactly Dick Cheney.

 

McCain is basically trying to beat Obama at his own game. I'm not saying that it'll work, but his chances of winning are MUCH better today than they were last night.

 

[bmags]

So, if the country doesn't have a problem with a guy with no substantial executive experience running for President, I doubt that they'll much mind somebody with executive experience (albeit slightly less overall government experience) running for Vice President.

 

You can make this argument if you acknowledge that Obama is where he is today by proving to people that he belongs by convincing them of his policies and knowledge in the economy and foreign policy for months while running a huge nationwide campaign, he did not get tapped on the shoulder suddenly to be second in line to the presidency.

[kapkomet]

That's probably fine with the McCain campaign, because Obama arguably has more of a judgement issue than an experience issue. Obama's section of Biden may have taken that issue off the table anyway.

 

The Palin selection also erodes Obama's arguments that McCain has no identity with blue collar workers and that a McCain administration would be Bush, Part III. Palin ain't exactly Dick Cheney.

 

McCain is basically trying to beat Obama at his own game. I'm not saying that it'll work, but his chances of winning are MUCH better today than they were last night.

I think the jury's still out on that one.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

McCain is basically trying to beat Obama at his own game. I'm not saying that it'll work, but his chances of winning are MUCH better today than they were last night.

I think the opposite is probably true.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Here is my prediction:

By Sunday, Obama will have a 12+ point lead in the Gallup Poll.

Monday starts the "subdued" GOP convention. It wont get really the "conflict" coverage that the DNC convention did. So, they wont be able to get those 12 points back. This VP pick wont hit many swing voters as game changing. (If Obama can push the lack of experience thing on her, it might actually hurt McCain).

 

By Thursday of next week, Obama will have a 4-6 point lead. And that is just the tracking poll. many other non-tracking polls have shown Obama with a 3-5 point lead already before the convention. Those might go sky high.

 

EDIT: For what it's worth, I thought Obama would have been very lucky to get a 6 point bounce and he's already well past that. So, I'm not exactly having a good record on poll predictions.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[WCSox]

You can make this argument if you acknowledge that Obama is where he is today by proving to people that he belongs by convincing them of his policies and knowledge in the economy and foreign policy for months while running a huge nationwide campaign, he did not get tapped on the shoulder suddenly to be second in line to the presidency.

 

Obama is where he is today for a number of reasons, but those don't include a supreme knowledge of the economy or foreign policy.

 

BTW, you DO know that Biden will be 67 in November, right? I don't see how he's any less of a health risk than McCain.

 

[WCSox]

I think the jury's still out on that one.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think it's much of a stretch to speculate that Palin will garner him more votes than Romney or Pawlenty would've.

 

[DukeNukeEm]

[mr_genius]

Pat Buchanan: Biggest Political Gamble in Recent Political History

 

[mr_genius]

It's a good VP pick

 

Of course the rapid Obama supproters HATE it, but that is good.

[NorthSideSox72]

It's a good VP pick

 

Of course the rapid Obama supproters HATE it, but that is good.

I don't think it will play well with most of the independents - that is why I think its a bad move.

 

She is VERY conservative, especially on social issues. Nowadays, the independents are mostly socially moderate or liberal. And the Clinton-supporting women they are theoretically targetting will not necessarily be attracted to Palin as a candidate, given her opposite stances to Hillary.

 

I really see this as a loser pick on most (though not all) levels. I think he made a mistake here.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think it's much of a stretch to speculate that Palin will garner him more votes than Romney or Pawlenty would've.

True on Romney, I'd agree. Not sure on Pawlenty.

 

[bmags]

Obama is where he is today for a number of reasons, but those don't include a supreme knowledge of the economy or foreign policy.

 

BTW, you DO know that Biden will be 67 in November, right? I don't see how he's any less of a health risk than McCain.

 

Well, I guess it's good that Obama is twenty years his junior then and health records fit on one page. Vice Presidents dying doesn't lead to a new leader of anything other than their duties in the Senate. The difference here is: Biden is Obama's VP candidate and is a "health risk", while McCain is running for President. Subtle difference I know.

[mr_genius]

Oh wow, there is no one I'm reading through this thread. at least 14 pages of snark and meaningless posts.

[WCSox]

I don't think it will play well with most of the independents - that is why I think its a bad move.

 

She is VERY conservative, especially on social issues. Nowadays, the independents are mostly socially moderate or liberal. And the Clinton-supporting women they are theoretically targetting will not necessarily be attracted to Palin as a candidate, given her opposite stances to Hillary.

 

I really see this as a loser pick on most (though not all) levels. I think he made a mistake here.

 

While most of the Clinton-supporting women tend to not be NRA members, most are working women (many with children) who can identify with a VP with five kids (one of them being an infant). Many of these same soccer moms voted for Bush, who is no less socially conservative. And keep in mind that Obama has not been polling well (for a Democrat) in this demographic.

 

I'm sure that the truth is more complex than either of us have outlined, but I woudln't simply dismiss it as a bad pick.

Edited August 29, 2008 by WCSox

[NorthSideSox72]

Oh wow, there is no one I'm reading through this thread. at least 14 pages of snark and meaningless posts.

Eh, I'd call 60-70% of it snark and B.S. There is that 30% that is worth reading.

 

[BigSqwert]

That's probably fine with the McCain campaign, because Obama arguably has more of a judgement issue than an experience issue.

I'll be honest...I haven't been hearing a lot of talk that Obama shows poor judgment. Experience was his big achilles heal.

[mr_genius]

Eh, I'd call 60-70% of it snark and B.S. There is that 30% that is worth reading.

 

well 14 of 18 pages being total slop would be about 78%

 

with 22% being worth reading and possibly responding too. maybe my assessment was a little bit off

[GoSox05]

Im not trying to be antogonistic, but I have no idea what her stances are on the issues are. I know she likes guns, is pro-life and doesn't like those gays... but thats about it. Who is this woman?

 

 

Don't forget she wants the teaching of creationism in public schools.

[BigSqwert]

...but I woudln't simply dismiss it as a bad pick.

I'm sure you dismiss it as a bad pick if the roles were reversed and Obama picked someone with her credentials and McCain picked someone with a wealth of experience.

[WCSox]

Well, I guess it's good that Obama is twenty years his junior then and health records fit on one page. Vice Presidents dying doesn't lead to a new leader of anything other than their duties in the Senate.

 

I'm not sure what your point is, other than the fact that Obama is significantly less experienced than Biden, but is a slam-dunk to be sitting in the Oval Office if elected. It would literally take a tragedy for Palin to occupy that chair.

 

The difference here is: Biden is Obama's VP candidate and is a "health risk", while McCain is running for President. Subtle difference I know.

 

So are you saying that there's a good chance that McCain will suddenly drop dead in the next four years? His 96-year-old mother, who has been on the road campaigning for him, sort of suggests otherwise. Geez, even Dick Cheney is still alive and fully-functioning.

 

[WCSox]

I'm sure you dismiss it as a bad pick if the roles were reversed and Obama picked someone with her credentials and McCain picked someone with a wealth of experience.

 

No, I wouldn't. I told my wife last weekend that Biden was the smart pick for Obama, because he could deliver where Obama couldn't. I told her this morning that Palin was the smart pick for McCain, for the very same reason.

 

[EvilMonkey]

I'm sure you dismiss it as a bad pick if the roles were reversed and Obama picked someone with her credentials and McCain picked someone with a wealth of experience.

I would have been livid had he picked Romney or Huckabee. I could have lived with Pawlenty. And the roles were almost reversed. I seem to recall Tim Kaine as very high on the potentail list. Less there than with Sarah, but nary a peep in the negative from anyone here.