Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is McCain's VP- Page 9

[javero]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 2:35am

Elisabeth Bumiller and Michael Cooper of the NY Times share some insight into McCain's selection process.

Most salient to me is the extract below.

One of Mr. McCain’s closest friends, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, weighed in as well, pushing so hard for Mr. Lieberman — Mr. McCain, Mr. Graham and Mr. Lieberman are longtime traveling companions — that he vexed some of the other advisers. Others in the inner circle favored Mr. Pawlenty or Mr. Romney. Ms. Palin had no strong advocates in the group, an outside adviser said, but she had NO detractors, either.

why Palin made the final cut

Updated On: 8/31/08 at 02:35 AM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 2:43am

According to Politico Rove personally requested Mr. Lieberman to withdraw his name from consideration for the veep.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:12am

I think one of the overriding themes in this election is expectations. Obama and the Democrats are all about hope and improving this country. McCain and the Republicans are all about status quo and lowering expectations. The media is already playing along with McCain (as usual) by setting the bar incredibly low for both his speeches as well as Palin's debate performance.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:23am

I posted this in another thread that is sinking, but it's so relevant that I hope no one will mind if I repost it here:

“In an interview with Alaska Business Monthly shortly after she took office in 2007, Palin was asked about the upcoming surge. She said she hadn't thought about it. "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq,"

Sueleen Gay: "Here you go, Bitch, now go make some fukcing lemonade." 10/28/10

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:28am

Here's a quote from Charlie Black, one of McCain's top advisors:

"She's going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he'll be around at least that long."

[artscallion]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:30am

Maureen Dowd compares the choice to a Lifetime Movie of the week...

" This chick flick, naturally, features a wild stroke of fate, when the two-year governor of an oversized igloo becomes commander in chief after the president-elect chokes on a pretzel on day one.

The movie ends with the former beauty queen shaking out her pinned-up hair, taking off her glasses, slipping on ruby red peep-toe platform heels that reveal a pink French-style pedicure, and facing down Vladimir Putin in an island in the Bering Strait."


Vice in Go-Go Boots?

[Luscious]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:13pm

Yes. Unfortunately, Lifetime movies are quite popular. And, as hard as it may be to believe, I can see the gullible American public eating up her "courageous" story and rooting for this underdog to win. It may of been a stupid choice, but one should never underestimate the stupidty of the American public.

Updated On: 8/31/08 at 12:13 PM

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:18pm

They won't have to spend much on sets for movie when they show her time as Mayor of Wasilla. I mean how much could it cost to reproduce this?

[supportivemom]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:26pm

Her story is not courageous to me. It just puts knots in my stomach whenever I hear reporters commentating on her. There are so many more qualified candidates than her and it just makes me sick that so many other people worked twice as hard and didn't even get considered for this position. It's like hiring a secretary and then a year and a half later- naming her the VP of the company. It's just insane. I'm surprised the PETA people aren't up and arms about her hunting background! I don't understand how anyone can call this a change for the furture when all she is doing is going backwards! My skin is just crawling!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:28pm

Luscious, the American public was stupid enough to elect Bush/Cheney for a 2nd term, so I don't put anything past them either.

supportivemom, can you believe she sued the Bush administration for putting polar bears on the endangered species list?!

[artscallion]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:34pm

Hope they haven't finalized the script yet. The latest rumors swirling around are suggesting that Palin's newest baby might actually be her daughter's baby. If true (and it's so outlandish that it just might be), it certainly wouldn't be the first time a switch like this has taken place (though outside of Desperate Housewives I'm sure it's common any more) And it's certainly not anyone's business under ordinary circumstances. But the relevance would be, among other things, to her position on abstinence only programs in schools.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/17933/7330/417/579267

http://www.google.com/search?q=palin+pregnancy&ie=UTF-8

[supportivemom]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 12:37pm

Dottie- yeah, I can believe it! I've got to go work out now- the knots are getting bigger in my stomach!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 1:06pm

There's Maureen Dowd, lifting ideas from Datalounge again. There, I said it.

The overarching narrative, from the party that has managed to convince a large percentage of voters that they don't want smart people running the country, but regular schlubs they'd like to have a beer with [even if they gave up drinking - and coke - after consulting with Jesus like W did] has gone not with a TV movie narrative, but the American Idol narrative.

The Idol narrative is simple. Most performers have to work very hard and suffer through rejection and frustration for years and years and years. But the fantasy of Idol is that somebody gets to skip all that hard stuff and prance right to the winner's circle. Granted, we've seen the payoff is negligible but that's not the point.

Palid has now introduced the Idol narrative to the folks who don't like those smart people who spend years doin that fancy book readin and working their way through national government. Poof! The mayor who knows nothing about Iraq or foreign policy could be a heartbeat away from American Idol. I mean, president!

Of course Maureen Dowd would go with the Lifetime angle because it gives her a chance to tap into her serious problem with women.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 1:28pm

I liked the analogy, Namo.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 2:20pm

You read it here first!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 5:30pm

From an AP article that initially was about cutting back on the Republican convention because of the hurricane:

Responding to a question after his hurricane-related remarks, McCain made a ringing defense of Palin, who Democrats argue has less experience than their presidential candidate, Barack Obama.

"I thin Sen. Obama, if they want to do down that route, in all candor, she has far, far more experience than Sen. Obama does," McCain said.

He cited Palin's stint as governor of a "state that produces 20 percent of America's energy" as well as her previous membership in the PTA and her time spent on the city council and in the mayor's office in Wasilla,a town of fewer than 7,000 people outside Anchorage.

So, see? If SHE can be plucked from PTA obscurity and make it all the way to the final four on American Idol, I mean, the race for the American President, who's to say it can't happen to you? She's JUST LIKE YOU!

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 5:34pm

I wish I had more confidence in the electorate. This choice should cement Obama/Biden, but our track record is rather poor. I didn't think there was a ticket that would frighten me more than McCain/Lieberman or McCain/Huckabee, but this one does.

[javero]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 5:39pm

** LA Times pic removed **

** deemed a bit too graphic by one poster **

Updated On: 9/2/08 at 05:39 PM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 8:29pm

Anyone see the McCain ad at the bottom of the page depicting Mahmoud on one side and Barack on the other and it says "Do you think American Leaders should negotiate with foreign terrorists?" or something like that? Classy McCain ad.

This just makes him look irresponsible. Obama has spent his political career thinking seriously about foreign policy. He and Biden have met with foreign leaders and they both have already influenced the world in positive ways.

Alaska has less people in it than Brooklyn. It's not even comparable. It just makes McCain look so irresponsible, and in turn he is making our country look even stupider than Bush did.

[roquat]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 11:40pm

She'll help bring out social conservatives (which McCain needs), but I think it's a leap to say she'll snag disgruntled female Hillary supporters, especially as the campaign continues and everyone finds out what an extremist she is. Her position on abortion (rigid even by right-wing standards) is going to alienate a lot of women, to say nothing of her NRA affiliations (school shootings?)

I live in Pennsylvania and I've been getting badgered by Republican National Committee pledge-drive phone calls. Apparently McCain really needs Pennsylvania (which narrowly went Democratic in the last election for the first time in years) and he's going all out. It makes me feel important...

[violet72]

Posted: 9/1/08 at 12:02am

Ok....I have decided that this year I am running for head of the PTA so one day I too can be a Vice President canidate...I also live in a town the size of the one she was a mayor of so I might want to run for Mayor as well

I think Rove and company wanted her cause she is a talking head just like Bush...she appeals to the common man and can be controlled by the party...I mean on July 31st she had no idea what a VP does...(it's easy, start unnecessary wars and shoot old men in the face, she is a hunter so she is already trained to do that)

I pray this election is different that the "common" man doesn't fall for this crap again...but we are talking about the same people who voted for Bush twice, so my faith is kinda shakey

[grnsmwhr]

Posted: 9/1/08 at 11:23pm

It just makes McCain look so irresponsible, and in turn he is making our country look even stupider than Bush did.
------------------------------
This country doesn't need their help to look stupid.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/1/08 at 11:24pm

Well think about the people who are seriously planning on voting for them!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 12:24pm

Why troll out the bloody dead animal photo? It's like the f***ing radical pro-lifers and their aborted fetus posters shoved in my face on the sidewalk.

[javero]

Posted: 9/2/08 at 1:22pm

I've removed the pic Mister Matt.