Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Game On !!


“If she were president, she would be Babe-raham Lincoln" Wayne Campbell, Wayne’s World

I heard a radio jockey call John McCain’s Vice Presidential Candidate pick a ‘babe,’ and the quote from Wayne’s World came to mind.

My first instincts on this pick were to congratulate John McCain on taking some risks and throwing a monkey wrench into this presidential election. He seems to have decided that his best chances rest on convincing Hillary supporters and other women to vote for him. It is in many ways a cynical move…but perhaps a smart one.

Not only might Sarah Palin appeal to Hillary supporters (which is bothersome that the electorate is that fickle – the difference between Palin and Clinton on policy could not be wider), but she adds some staunch conservative credentials to the ticket.

She will also be harder to campaign against than McCain-Romney. Two house-rich white boys would have played into Obama’s class warfare strategy nicely.

So, what is wrong with Palin? If I had to handpick a VP to support John McCain over the next eight years, it would not be Sarah Palin. I would actually hand-pick a Tom Delay, Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney…but none of them, apparently, bring McCain an improvement in electability.
But she is a solid conservative. She has a great life story and she has a record of stirring things up. She has demostrated that she can be a gadfly and a change agent (and not an Obama change agent with his plans for more Great Society and Tax Redistribution stuff).

The first few days brought some cheers by the Republicans and some classic missteps by the Democrats, including accusing her of having insufficient experience. Watch out Obama !! Don’t get the electorate focused on experience.

I hope Ms. Palin is ready for the onslaught. The personal attacks, the increased exposure on her family, her requirement to watch every word and the poise required while debating (the pompous) Mr. Biden.

In the meantime, McCain has taken a chance here, but it really means that he means business.
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Submitted by D. B. Jackson

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