So John McCain picks Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential nominee. I know nothing about her, so will suspend judgment. But she is a woman, which is fantastic. The U.S. will either have an African-American President or a female Vice-President, which is the kind of history that should have been made long ago; so kudos to McCain for his courage in making that choice.
Beyond that, there are just a few tidbits that seem to be trotted out in all the stories about Palin. She is very firmly pro-life. Unless you are a polar bear. She is in favor of domestic partnerships, although against gay marriage (which puts her in the official Democratic position). She’s been embroiled in some sort of scandal, although it’s always hard to tell at first glance how serious those things should be taken. Perhaps her signature issue, as far as national politics is concerned, is drilling for oil all over the place — she’s in favor.
One might wonder whether McCain undermines his message of the importance of experience by picking a 44-year old governor with no national experience at all. But one might wonder whether Obama undermined his message of bringing change to Washington by choosing a white male Washington lifer from the Northeast; so clearly the McCain camp thought this was worth the risk. We might learn terrible or wonderful things about her in the next few months, but for the moment this seems superficially like a more palatable pick than any of the bigger Republican names that had been floating around — clearly it was in McCain’s eyes. (Brad DeLong wonders whether a similar line of reasoning didn’t leave us with Dan Quayle twenty years ago.)
Update: I originally included a link to this YouTube video of Palin making Craig Ferguson an honorary citizen of Alaska, which I think speaks to her sense of humor. But it also involves Ferguson making jokes about her giving off a sexy librarian vibe, which is fine in the context of a late-night comedy show, but isn’t a fair first impression for a female candidate for a major national office. All sorts of jokes will doubtless be on their way, we might as well make some meager effort to start things off with more substantive considerations.
Update again: Because I don’t know anything about Palin, I’ve tried to be open-minded about the pick. But 24 hours later, the obvious first conclusion to which one is tempted to jump appears increasingly correct: this is a person who has no business being anywhere near a national ticket. Sufficient evidence for this conclusion comes from the words of her supporters, along the lines of: Sure, she’s woefully underqualified, but in all probability John McCain will live for at least another four years! And if he doesn’t, we’re sure she will have the good sense to resign.
I wonder how many times she has visited Iraq to get the facts on the ground?
as a women, i am disgusted that McCain thinks we have so little intelligence that any women would do. As a Hillary supporter, it was based on her platform and intellingence not her gender. Simply throwing another women on the ticket does nothing but insult any intelligent women in this country. If i was undecided before this simply put my vote in the Obama camp!
Steve Benen at WaMo points out interesting facts relating to the Pledge of Allegiance, making Sarah Palin’s way of defending it jingoistic and uninformed:
Palin: “Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.”
Benen: “… the founding fathers didn’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It was written in 1892, and didn’t include the phrase “Under God” until 1954.”
BTW I hear from the bloggers that Palin was an actual member of the Alaska Independence Party in the past – anyone have more scoop?
BTW I hear from the bloggers that Palin was an actual member of the Alaska Independence Party in the past – anyone have more scoop?
I’m seeing a variety of reports. Some say she was a member, another article said she wasn’t, but her husband had been a registered member.
thank god i’m not the only one who thought the words “McCain,” “Palin” and “kooks” all fit together naturally. google rules…
I guess there is nothing more cynical than a Democrat. The Bush administration gave some of the highest positions in government to well qualified blacks. But all we heard from the Left was “Uncle Tom” jokes.
Now McCain, a well known “maverick” who has stood against the “business as usual” for years has chosen a real outsider with real credentials, and the Left has to reach down to the slimiest filth and inuendo to attack her.
Sara Palin is better qualified to run the country than either McCain or Obama, and John McCain knows the world and its threats better than anyone in Washington.
Together they will make an unstoppable team that will bring us real change that works for America, instead of a change to socialism and the destruction of our economy and culture.
There is absolutely no evidence that either are moralists who will attempt to repeal Roe v Wade,or limit the rights of Americans (unlike Obama), and even if they did, it requires the legislative branch to accomplish that, not the president. Some of you could use a civics lesson.
This is the last gasp of the Left in America. Rot in Hell,
Charles Sifers
I’m a physicist and an agnostic. I’m voting for McCain/Palin because they are patriots and against corruption. My take is Obama is in it for himself and will do whatever is necessary to win. Does he have /any/ respectable associates at all? If so, who?
In the interest of fairness, Sarah Palin looks likely not to have been in the AIP according to this link:
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/09/9535_palin_alaskan_independence_party_connection.html
It has clarification from AIP members to the effect that Sarah Palin was not a member after all (but her husband was.)
However, not everyone is convinced. Look at the comment posted by j on 09/02/08 at 4:43 PM.
This whole thing is just so weird. In any case, Sarah Palin sure is hot!!!
Look at these pics:
http://reportell.com/index.php?Itemid=59
The Constitution of these United States – Gives Us freedom – the personal beliefs of those we elect are just that – Why should the government be in every part of our lives – what is wrong with private citizens funding the arts – science – education – ??!!!?? health care ? Infrastructure ? and Oh – On their own terms. We do it already.
“Some of you could use a civics lesson.”
Uh, ever hear of the “Supreme Court”? Looks ironic to me …
Please, consider the publication of the anti-Obama books etc. before you start dumping on “the left.” And this wouldn’t have happened to e.g. Kay B. Hutchison et al, and you know it.
The first thing I would like to say is that I am independant and undesided
I belive that just making it to a point where we are able to have some kind of minority in power, wether it is as vp or the one that counts the most, is a majpr accompleshment for america. I have always had a very poor political enviorment around my parents because I thought that whoever my parents voted for I should, I later relized that this was not the right thing to belive. So this year even though I am still not old enough to vote,actualy it will me 4 more years till I can vote, thought that I would follow the election intently and finaly decide to make my own decision for myself. Isn’t that what America is all about!
I belive that it is now that we can make a diffrence and the young voters of amrica should vote for who they think would run our country thebest not just vote for who is in your dem/ rep party. I know that in my heart who ever wins will have the best interest of America at heart and will do thebest they can to help our country. And even though this is ovestly not a battle of young and old any more but of who is the more qualified. That is he real question, do we want more of the Same, is McCain going to bring somthing more and new to the table or is he going to bring us more trouble? Is Obama just talk or is he really going to do what he says and keep His prommises or is it just talk? While you may know what party you are with, will this election tempt you to switch? These are all valuable questions to keep in mind an remember. And most of all make sure you vote for who you belive will run America the best.
It is such a sad commentary on the ‘state’ of ‘American politics’ (the ‘air-quotes’ are deliberate) that any of these candidates are taken seriously in the first place. Who has seen an actual policy, a real statement of firm intent that is not mere posturing? Who can distinguish any of these lightweights from some sort of homeopathic distillation of what once was seen to be the essence of real politics? This is all so….so diluted, so lacking in substance, so inimical to the real process of politics, which should be above all else about policy, about what makes the world happen, about whether or not we can afford to keep our homes, or drive to work, or hand over a livable planet to our children and their children. The appeals to flags, to country, to gender, to race, all are symbols, nothing has mass, or matter, or substance deeper than its own self-referential symbolism.
I grieve for the future, for right now I see only a dark pit of pessimism, into which we are being led by our willing noses, avoiding any real debate on real issues. We are distracted by an almost frantic search for something to which we can cling, yearning for something intelligent, even faintly intellectual, that our hungry minds can pick up, weigh, consider, dissect, and comment upon. Such is the paucity of substance that we allow race and gender to have real meaning in our debates. Sarah Palin is a creationist small-town beauty-queen who epitomizes the Peter Principle. She has clearly reached (and perhaps even exceeded) the level of her incompetence; it is dangerous (to every living person) to even consider promoting her to more powerful heights. The image of her finger on the nuclear button makes me tremble in panic. The same is true of any of these candidates, none of whom seem more than tokens, lacking experience, character, depth, or meaning.
In every American presidential election, it’s important to recognize that the decision is in the hands of people who celebrate themselves as independents, an extraordinarily ignorant bunch who are easily swayed by the same sort of advertising slogans favored by car companies and burger chains. Were it not so bad for the country and the world, it would be comical to hear these idiots bragging about how superior they are to the politicians, especially when this cynicism is promoted most fervently by the most corrupt of the politicians, who benefit hugely when the honest and the rotten are lumped together. What gets me down the most, though, is the endless flattery lavished on boobs who never had a thought in their heads that wasn’t put there by some PR specialist. Both parties keep up the chant of “you deserve a break today” because they must. In fact, what the self-proclaimed independents most deserve today is a good thrashing. My country has been wretchedly misgoverned for years and, worse, has acted illegality and dishonorably because the dickheads let it happen.
NIckP,
If you want substance, just take a look at Barack Obama’s Website, Issues section.
Yes, it is strange seeing pro-creationism post on a science blog. I mean I never heard of this blog before today and I love reading science stuff. Wow the GOP propaganda machine is hitting everything it can find. Strange times we live in….
Tim,
Uh, you’ll never see Sean or any other of the bloggers here at Cosmic Variance making a pro-creationism post.
i think he means some of these commenters
Here is what the media really think … if they think the mics are off:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/3/161251/0979/872/584930
Wow! this is horrible, he chooses a lady to attract women voters,oh how pathetic. So if something happen to him(not that i wish but we all know that the man is very old) this unexperienced lady will lead us? i don’t think so. I know for sure that if ever something happens to Obama( what i don’t wish) Joe Biden will be able to lead us. This shows that Obama is more focused on the interest of this country while McCain just want to attract people to get elected. McCain just want to end his life with power that’s all.
Why do people who won’t be objective always start crying like little children when they lose an argument or have their heads handed to them like John McCain and his handlers just did with his selection of Sarah Palin, GOP Govenor of Alaska? Yes, you need to keep up all of the whining about her inexperience in the VP slot, while she has more actual experience that the person that you are promoting at the top of the ticket. Do you not have any sense of this comparison not being analogous at all? Keep in mind, this never would have been able to happen had Hillary Clinton won the Democrat nomination for President or if Barak Obama had vetted her for the Vice presidential slot. Two very bad and consequential decisions and you are blaming the other guy for taking advantage of your own miscues? Try growing up and making wiser decisions for your side and things won’t even get to the point where you start doing crazy-making things and use inane arguments that not only don’t make your point, but they prove to everyone, except you and the friends who reside with you in outer space, that you can’t even be honest with yourself about what just happened and how not to let it happen over and over again.
Her speech seemed to be angry and mean-spirited. I don’t think she is going to pull many new voters over with this type of negativity. I was disappointed in her lies about Obama’s tax plan and I think the “bridge to nowhere” flip-flop will come back to bite her.
I think perhaps the worst thing politically, though is that she is making McCain seem even older by contrast.
Apparently this was written by a Bush speechwriter. So much for change.
e.
I agree with Elliot in that her speech was very mean spirited at times but isn’t it the job of the VP to be the attack dog for the president? Isn’t that Biden has been doing and one reason the media cited for Obama picking him? We need to be fair.
But I do not agree that she will not pull many new voters into the process.
As much as I do not like this woman’s policies and ideas AT ALL I do think the republicans are going to raise A LOT of money in the next two months and that means they are energized and the money will lead directly to more votes.
Palin has great western appeal in places like Montana and Colorado. She appeals to small town America(who I think will decide this election), the right wing religious base of the party(evangelicals), some women who might not vote or were on the edge and she is seen as a reformer (see change message) and outsider.
It is a high risk but high reward kind of pick!!
Just think about it all she has to do is pull in like 2% of voters towards McCain and it’s OVER for Obama! That is how close this election is right now.
I agree this does make McCain seem older BUT still I think they look very good together and complement each other well (even though I disagree with them on a lot of issues).
McCain comes off as the accomplished elder statesmen and she is like his young ambitious right hand women. I think Biden better be prepared.
I would like to raise an issue that I have not seen reported elsewhere.
According to her bio, she eloped with Todd on August 28 1988. Track was born on April 20 1989.
Does this not suggest that she (Sarah) herself might have been pregnant before marriage?
Now I personally do not consider that to be that big a deal from a moral perspective. This is part of life and nothing to be ashamed of.
But doesn’t her actual behavior and purported beliefs seem in contradiction to the point of blatant hypocrisy?
You know I was going to let this lie but given her speech last night, I consider the gloves to be off.
It would have been nice to have a campaign on the issues, but the GOP has decided to make it about personalities.
So be it.
e.
Funny how so many are trying to call Sarah Palin a hypocrite – why? Because she is a loving Mom and is there for her daughter. Is that a hypocrite? Is it a hypocrite to maybe actually have a different view of life after having lived it? Should she apologize for possibly learning things as she gets older. This is just ridiculous.
In actuality, you are the hypocrites – yes, by the way, Barack Obama’s parents had known each other several months before she found out she was 3 months pregnant and then they got married. Anyone want to have a field day with that one – and yes, she was all of 18 years old.
For someone who is so unqualified and such a poor pick, y’all are sure scared of her. It makes me laugh. You can’t stand that the best Barack could do is Joe Biden – there’s a pick about “change.” Let’s see – 2 of the most liberals in the Senate – I am so excited…Not!
As for it not about the issues – you are right. She didn’t say anything about the issues – did you have the mute button on?
I’ll be honest – Obama speaks well. I disagree with almost all of his views. He has very little experience to be our President. But you can’t admit that – that’s why he picked Biden – experience. But guys like you can’t admit even that. When you’re ready to actually have a civil discussion about the issues – give us a call!
Gino,
Obama would have loved to discuss issues. It was McCain campaign who ran this thing into the gutter.
The hypocrisy is that she feels is entitled to do what she wants with her body but wants the government to tell other women what they can’t do with their bodies.
If she had a more mainstream view of this, this would be a non-issue.
e.
My favorite fact about the speech last night is that it was written by a male Bush speechwriter for a man. Then just tweaked for Palin.
e.