McCain clutches at straws and comes up short

John McCain's curious pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate really has to make one wonder about his judgment. Palin - a governor for only two years - previously was the mayor of a town of less than 8,000 people. She already is embroiled in a scandal in her home state. And just last month she said she didn't understand what a vice-president does.

In an interview with Larry Kudlow of CNBC, Palin said, “[A]s for that V.P. talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the V.P. does every day? I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that V.P .slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question.”

What about McCain's oft-repeated "experience" claim in this election? Well that flies right out the window with Palin. Can you imagine if McCain - now 72, having survived cancer - were president and she was suddenly called upon to lead the country? What does she know about foreign affairs or even Washington, for that matter? I would think there are many Republican politicians who are better-qualified vice-presidential candidates, including Kay Bailey Hutchinson. For that matter, most of us would be more qualified to be vice-president than Sarah Palin.

Does McCain really think the lingering few Clinton supporters and independents who haven't been won over by Obama would vote for him, simply because his vice-presidential pick is a woman? How deluded is the man?

Palin, a mother of five, is also a creationist, so maybe McCain thinks he's appeasing certain elements of his party. But he's obviously not considering the good of the country, otherwise he would never put such an unqualified person's name forward for an important office with critical responsibilities.

Comments

[amber]

Other than her education v's Obama's, I guess I just don't agree that her experience counts for nothing. I don't know if I like her yet, but I just think a lot of this judgment is typical of the game. It makes my ass itch. And it may be wrong to some, but I freely admit that I am happy SOMEone looked to a woman-- even if it was only because she was a woman that they looked at all. It matters to me, and it matters to many women. And it should! Why don't we actually insist on women getting further in politics? INSIST on it! Nothing will change until we stop acting like it is all equil ground these days, and it "just happens" that men "just happen" to get the jobs. So I DO hope she is not a lost cause, I guess. As a woman, I WANT to see a woman come through. I want a woman in the money seat. I really like Biden, but I am a little pissed this is not a Obama/Clinton ticket. I really am.

But you are right that their may have been many others he could have looked at. I also thought he would pick Kay. I wonder if she thought that would also be the case, and I wonder why not?

Either way, you know, I am probably tossing my vote to the Dems this year. If for no other reason, because I don't think I can take another four years of the pissing and moaning. Lets see what the D's can do. Maybe not the best reason to vote that way, some would say. So what? I feel like when it really comes down to it, both parties are full of crap anyway. What I really want is to lose our two party system and really get something new in Washington.

[Sharon]

This is another hypocritical, cynical move by the party of Karl Rove to pander to the most extreme factions of the Republican party. (I don’t really believe they think they are going to get more than a few disaffected Hillary supporters to vote for this anti-abortion, NRA loving VP choice.)

Would I be supporting Obama if his experience consisted of PTA, City Council, Mayor of a town of 8,000, partial first term governor of a state? Unlikely. Obama’s resume: community organizer, constitutional law professor, lawyer, state legislator for 8 terms, U.S.Senator for 3 and ½ years, serving on the foreign relations committee. No comparison.

But even beyond the resume, one is struck by the issue of judgment. Palen has said creationism should be taught in the public schools, she denies there is a man-made link to global warming, is opposed to endangered species status for polar bears, and wants to drill for oil in the Artic Wildlife refuge. She recently said she didn’t know if John McCain had a plan for getting out of Iraq, but she hoped he did. Does this really sound like someone who is qualified to be leader of the free world and commander-in-chief? (And these are just the few bits of information which have appeared so far...)

With her nomination, the Republicans may have handed the Dems a very big present. I'm certainly looking forward to the debates!

[Sharon]

This is another hypocritical, cynical move by the party of Karl Rove to pander to the most extreme factions of the Republican party. (I don’t really believe they think they are going to get more than a few disaffected Hillary supporters to vote for this anti-abortion, NRA loving VP choice.)

Would I be supporting Obama if his experience consisted of PTA, City Council, Mayor of a town of 8,000, partial first term governor of a state? Unlikely. Obama’s resume: community organizer, constitutional law professor, lawyer, state legislator for 8 terms, U.S.Senator for 3 and ½ years, serving on the foreign relations committee. No comparison.

But even beyond the resume, one is struck by the issue of judgment. Palen has said creationism should be taught in the public schools, she denies there is a man-made link to global warming, is opposed to endangered species status for polar bears, and wants to drill for oil in the Artic Wildlife refuge. She recently said she didn’t know if John McCain had a plan for getting out of Iraq, but she hoped he did. Does this really sound like someone who is qualified to be leader of the free world and commander-in-chief? (And these are just the few bits of information which have appeared so far...)

With her nomination, the Republicans may have handed the Dems a very big present. I'm certainly looking forward to the debates!

[Lisa Wilson]

Has this candidate ever even been to Washington, D.C? A curious and too little, too late choice. I don't usually discuss politics but this should make the debates a little more interesting if not comical.
Lisa & Alfie

[amber]

"And what happens when McCain can't serve- she has LESS experience than Obama does."-- Really? Hmmm...she IS gov of a STATE. Really, she is the only one of the four who has ANY executive experience at ALL. No, we don't know a lot about her yet...Just as we had never really heard of Obama until his speech four years ago. So?

I am so disapointed with Dems who have jumped all over her "lack of experience". Didn't Bill Clinton just get a huge round of 'Amen brother' when he (rightly) pointed out at the DNC that he himself was thought to be "too young and lacking experience" to hold office??!! And what was his experience again...? OH yeah-- he was Gov of a state. That's right! *blush*

The hypocracy smells slightly of freshly washed donkey... Is it party-ist or sexist, I wonder?

And isn't one of Obama's selling points that he is a sort of outsider to Washington and all it's crap? Fresh eyes. Fresh ideas. That is something we like about him! So why is it so different here? Wrong party.

When Obama picked Joe Biden-- whom I like very much, a direct kind of man-- we had people on the right saying it was just to have someone on the ticket "with experience". I felt that was unfair. ANYone he picked would fall into this catagory, what was he going to do? Pick some freshman Sen to make himself look better? That was unfair Partisan Crap, imo. It means nothing...And this feels the same to me. Sorry. "Experience is off he table for attacks against Obama"? But not the other way around, I guess.

Is it any wonder why I am so bitter and pissy about the CRAPTASTIC partisan gameshow that has become our political process and seems to have infected all of our brains?

I am just willing to wait to decide what I think of her. I also look forward to the debates very much.

:)

Tara responds:
Amber, she is governor of a state for 18 months. Before that, mayor of a very small town. I hardly think either qualifies her with "executive experience" enough to manage the presidency of the United States, should it become necessary. McCain himself doesn't even know her. He'd met her only once or twice. Palin has NO KNOWLEDGE of Washington or of foreign affairs. There are plenty of Republican women who would be more qualified, i.e. Kay Bailey Hutchinson. It is a reckless choice, with McCain clearly choosing politics over the good of the country. Do you think anyone in the Republican party - other than Karl Rove and the conservatives - is happy about his choice? No! They are all deriding Palin's lack of experience - especially those whom McCain had strung along for weeks, i.e. Romney, Pawlety and Crist.

Yes, make up your own mind. But it's clear to see she's not ready to govern the United States, if necessary. She has enough problems in Alaska, with an ongoing investigation into her actions. McCain is just pandering to the right, because Palin is a woman who doesn't care about McCain's anti-pro-choice stance, nor the fact that he doesn't support equal pay for women.

[Joyce Ellen Davis]

I wasn't only hoping you would weigh in on this one, I KNEW you would! :)

[Colette]

Opps. Pardon. I hate typos. I had a French (or Italian) moment. Of course I meant Hillary. With a Y.

[Colette]

First he blasts Obama for "no experience", then he picks a "no experience". This seems to be McCains's big failing, because it's not the first time he's blasted someone for doing exactly what he's doing. That, plus his constant "I was a prisoner of war" chant. Even those who sympathized with that part of his history are bound to get fed up. Besides, that's hardly a qualification for the presidency. Maverick? No, just more of the same old.

As for his VP choice, she says: ...be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans....? She should be reminded that the VP position is for all AMERICANS, not especially for one group over another. And the women who supported Hillari Clinton will not support her because she is directly opposed to their ideals.

I would say it's a happy day for the Democrats!!!

[Jeanie]

Sally WHO? Well, that's certainly good for our side, but heaven forbid he make it in and die. We'll all be in big trouble...

[kristen]

this post sounds much like my house today, smile. i think you'd enjoy talking to my husband.

[Merisi]

Tara, being a "cancer survivor" should not be a disqualifier, just like any handicap or race or gender.

Tara responds:
No, being a cancer survivor is not a disqualifier. It is, however, a reasonable concern that considering John McCain's age, medical history and recent memory problems that he may be unable to fulfill his duties, should he be elected president. That's the point of a vice-president - that he or she should be ready to step in, should the president become ill or incapacitated. It seems bizarre that he would choose Palin, who is so inexperienced in government, with no expertise on foreign affairs.

[kris]

I was so worried it was going to be Romney, who I rank below Rove and Cheney, which is saying something.

This about Palin: Palin, who was also the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes, would lead the team in prayer before games.[8]

In 1984, Palin was second-place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, winning a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[8] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.

She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.[9][10] Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association.

Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life.[11] She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.

Good grief!

[tangobaby]

I am so stoked about this today...I am trying to figure out what demographic exactly he's trying to pick up but this just screams cluelessness to me. So Hilary's supporters will jump over to him just because he picked a woman?

And she was mayor of a town of 9,000 before becoming governor?

I'm with My Melange...I can't wait to see the VP debates now.

I loved the speech last night and have a wonderful photo on my post this morning. Today seems like a very hopeful day indeed.

[Becca]

Actually, I'm quite excited about this pick, because I think he just put a good number of nails in his coffin. At least, I hope so.

[Tammy]

I thought last night was amazing but McCain's bomb is VERY scary! XXOO

[My Mélange]

I just emailed you on this very thing Tara and I was hoping you would weigh in!!

I think it is an obvious attempt at pandering. Look at his record on women. Abysmal. I am stunned by your comments that she doesn't know what the VP does!!

And what happens when McCain can't serve- she has LESS experience than Obama does.

I feel it was an obvious and sad attempt to capture the female vote of disappointed Clinton supporters and I can only pray that they are smart enough to see through this and vote Democrat. I fear that those who just want to see a *woman* on the ticket will vote for this ticket-because they are bitter.

It will be interesting to see her in the debate with Biden.

And it is certainly nothing against her- she seems like a very nice women with a good record so far- but she is too new and unknown.

One thing for sure- experience is off the table for attacks against Obama :)

And I loved Obama's speech last night at the convention!! 84,000 Americans involved in watching history. Impressive.