Happy Birthday, Senator. (More Horserace.)
John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate this morning. From a pure electioneering, political point of view, it's an exciting, bold move. She's smart, within conservative orthodoxy (except for those windfall profit taxes on oil companies. . . ), has a line on the energy debate, shook up her own party with aggressive ethics reform and investigation, and, yes, is a woman. She's a working mother of five, with one son headed to the army and newborn with Down's. She's impressive, no doubt.
She steals some of the "historic" thunder from the Obama campaign, and I am glad that we'll make some history one way or another. She also gives undecideds a big incentive to vote GOP if they were leaning to the right but compelled by making some Big American History.
The move is very odd to me, however, for one big reason. Obama's experience is a legitimate issue, and may be the strongest, most legitimate stick the GOP have to use against him. The Democratic opponents used it to good effect, and the McCain campaign trumps him all around on personal, political and governmental experience.
Now, they can't argue about it. How can they criticize Obama's inexperience with any credibility when they say that this half-term governor of a state of 600,000, once mayor of a town of 9000, is ready to be President in a heartbeat. John McCain turns 72 today, and he just announced that Governor Palin is ready to be Commander-in-Chief because she has been the Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard since 2005.
She is a great political pick, and so far, I like her personally quite a lot. She's compelling, and she'll energize the ticket.
She also disarms McCain's main line of attack.
She steals some of the "historic" thunder from the Obama campaign, and I am glad that we'll make some history one way or another. She also gives undecideds a big incentive to vote GOP if they were leaning to the right but compelled by making some Big American History.
The move is very odd to me, however, for one big reason. Obama's experience is a legitimate issue, and may be the strongest, most legitimate stick the GOP have to use against him. The Democratic opponents used it to good effect, and the McCain campaign trumps him all around on personal, political and governmental experience.
Now, they can't argue about it. How can they criticize Obama's inexperience with any credibility when they say that this half-term governor of a state of 600,000, once mayor of a town of 9000, is ready to be President in a heartbeat. John McCain turns 72 today, and he just announced that Governor Palin is ready to be Commander-in-Chief because she has been the Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard since 2005.
She is a great political pick, and so far, I like her personally quite a lot. She's compelling, and she'll energize the ticket.
She also disarms McCain's main line of attack.
posted by JRB at 10:59 AM
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