McCain chooses Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska

[Bill Glasheen]

I love politics!

The Associated Press, CNN and Fox News Channel are all reporting they have been told by sources that Republican presidential candidate John McCain has chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate.



Palin's official website crashed this morning as speculation mounted that she might be Republican John McCain's running mate.

Here's some background on the Alaska governor:

• The Associated Press writes she is "a first-term governor credited with reforms of her out-of-the-way state. ... At 44, Palin is younger than (Democrat Barack) Obama and, like McCain, she calls herself a maverick."

• The Los Angeles Times' Top of the Ticket blog says she earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" as a high school basketball player, and that the moniker has carried over into her political career.

• Alaska's state Senate this summer approved the naming of an independent investigator to look into charges that Palin fired Alaska's Public Safety commissioner because he refused to fire a state trooper who was involved in a messy divorce from Palin's sister.

• She's "pro-life" and opposes same-sex marriage.

• According to her biography at the National Governors Association's website, "she is married to Todd Palin, a lifelong Alaskan who is a production operator on the North Slope and a four-time champion of the Iron Dog, the world's longest snowmachine race.

"Todd and Sarah fish in Bristol Bay with their children -– Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig. Through Todd's Yup'ik grandmother, Alaska's Native heritage plays an important role in their family. Track enlisted in the U.S. Army on Sept. 11, 2007."

AP

Wow...

Not-so-surprising choice politically. A conservative Republican feminist. Hmmm... That's a combination!

Not-so-surprising choice demographically - designed to nab a few of those Hillary Democrats.

I have to tell you that I love that "Sarah Barracuda" side. But that's me. Not every man appreciates a woman who is his match and more. Gotta love those tigers.

And the rest? Well... Former beauty queen runner up?



A picture is worth a thousand words.

- Bill

[JimHawkins]

A bizarre turn...

Designed to nab a few of those Hillary Democrats????????



Yes very few I should think..

[Jason Rees]

I couldn't believe it when I heard... and couldn't be happier!

Low on the experience side... but against Obama, that's hardly a defecit, especially when hers is executive...

Easy on the eyes... the Republicans finally have a candidate more attractive than theirs ...

She's everything the Base wants, and a woman, to boot.

The womens' groups are going to tear themselves to shreds over this, and Obama's thunder just got lost.

This race just keeps getting more and more interesting. I love it!

[TSDguy]

I can't tell if you guys are being sarcastic when you say she's attractive or not? She's hideous in my eyes, but then I hate 'conservative' 'republicans', so I'm biased.

[JimHawkins]

TSD--you must be under ~30, no?

These things are all very relative..and it depends on what right winger you are used to looking at..

Good old Strom comes to mind..

Now if you're used to seeing this mug... Well...

Palin's looking pretty good about now...

Just not a lot of right wing hotties in government, at least that I'm aware of...

[Bill Glasheen]

This goes a lot deeper than being a "right wing hottie", although I am guilty as charged for stirring that up.

Sorry... It comes from being male, and growing up with six high-achieving sisters. The more intimidating the woman, the more I am intrigued by what makes her tick. I've never, ever been afraid of working with or for a smart person of ANY persuasion. But an accomplished "hottie" is near and dear to my heart. If you ever saw pictures of my sisters...

That being said...

Here are a few other points to consider in this.

• Democrats won't be able to criticize the choice because she "lacks experience." Actually she would have 2 more years executive experience than the person running on the other ticket. That rug has just been pulled out from underneath them, unless they want to engage in the practice of a little foot shooting.
• She's a member of the NRA, and loves to shoot. Every Joe Sixpack in the country is loving this. Bubbah vote secured.
• She quite possibly could be the first woman president one day. Don't you know that this has to be sticking in the craw of another woman who as recently as a year ago thought for sure that her legacy was secured?
• And speaking of influential women in politics... Which ones capture your imagination the most?
  
  ...
  
  ...
• She isn't just pro life; she lives pro life. She has 5 kids - the most recent having Downs Syndrome.
• While I am not an anti-gay-marriage person, it is the prevalent position nationally. It takes the courts - and not the voting booth - to secure that for gay and lesbian couples.
• She is not Ivy League elite, nor is she an attorney. Both are generally not popular with "average" voters. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.
• She became governor because she was hired by the previous governor to remove corruption in Alaska's energy system. She did too good a job, and lost favor with the reigning Republican governor. So she beat him in the primary, and then beat a former Democrat governor in the election. Then she did what she said she would do - rid the state of corruption in the energy system. Barracuda Sarah indeed! Gotta love those ... uh ... ovaries!
• No matter what happens in the election, history will be made. We will have a "first ever" with either major party making it into the White House. Good!

This is gonna be fun.

- Bill

[TSDguy]

I've read a few reports suggesting it was a crafty move by McCain to defuse the attack dog of Biden. McCain is just COMPLETELY incompetent when it comes to... well, facts and knowing things, and Obama chooses to be the good guy and not point that out (why democrats keep losing, IMO.)

I'm not sure that I buy that Biden won't tear into a woman, though. It's probably just people talking out their asses because a politician happens to be a woman. We'll see.

And yes, I'm under 30 (barely ) and she looks like the crypt keeper. Jessica Alba for president!

[JimHawkins]

Reps win by virtually the narrowest possible margin...

If they lose it is directly connected to this choice.

If Reps do win Palin will be the next pres following McCain..

Bye Bye!

[mhosea]

The three voters in my household are very happy about it. I had no idea somebody like that was in the running. Now Obama's choice looks more lame than ever. Anybody in Obama's campaign who has half a brain (either half will do) can not be happy about this. I've already heard one of them say something about experience, but the hard, cold fact of the matter is that she she's the only one of the four players with any executive branch experience.

[Jason Rees]

Democrats won't be able to criticize the choice because she "lacks experience." Actually she would have 2 more years executive experience than the person running on the other ticket. That rug has just been pulled out from underneath them, unless they want to engage in the practice of a little foot shooting.

Actually, this is EXACTLY the tack the Obama Campaign is taking, calling her years of public service "ZERO" experience. They even refer to her as 'former mayor,' rather than Governor. They're doing everything they can to make it look as if Obama's got something far and beyond what she has. Even if he's spent his entire not-yet-full first term as a Senator, running for President. Oh, the irony.

[Jason Rees]

I'm not sure that I buy that Biden won't tear into a woman, though. It's probably just people talking out their asses because a politician happens to be a woman. We'll see.

Whether he rips into her will depend greatly on womens' reactions between now and their debate. A female reporter today already ripped into a male reporter for saying, " "Don't Downs babies need extra care? Shouldn't she be spending her time with her baby?" This from a CNN reporter. Shocking.

She slugged him with, "NO one would be saying a WORD like that to a MALE politician with a new baby! WHY are you saying this about HER!?"

If we see more of that, Biden's heavy tread will turn to twinkle toes.

[Jason Rees]

Frankly this whole election is screwy.

The youth vote is all for youth, regardless of the content of that youth. McCain decided to listen, and that's fine. But I'm not convinced Obama or Palin are ready for office. The last two young presidents, Bush and Clinton, both had their problems. I guess no one learned anything.

Obama's been talking change for over a year, and who did he pick? The elderly white male. Wow. Talk about change.

McCain: older than dirt. But at least he has the needed experience. But will he still be standing when it's time to swear in? Still, I'll take the old fart over Obama's socialist policies.

Since I don't have any other options.

[mhosea]

I'm not sure that I buy that Biden won't tear into a woman, though.

Biden will try. Personally, going on 20 years of observation with few specific recollections, I generally find him reasonable and knowledgeable on foreign affairs, often ridiculous when towing the party line, and quite weak on domestic issues. If I were you, I wouldn't expect a reverse of the Cheney-Edwards debate. If anything he will be vulnerable like Edwards on his lack of executive experience, and his vast foreign policy knowledge will put him at risk of sounding more like a college professor than an executive. What tends to sell are broad principles of foreign policy, not somebody who can explain why, in reality, it's all so complicated.

[Van Canna]

She is beautiful and she is a woman

[IJ]

It's interesting that everyone has said this totally pulls the rug from under Obama's feet because he can't call her inexperienced. Hello? Has anyone noticed that this selection means that McCain certifies a person with experience only as the govenor of Alaska (pop 46) and age 44 can be President? Especially when McCain has more cancers than fingers and is 72, making it not implausible he could kick it at any moment and put this Governor in charge? This equally pulls the rug out from under their feet. Experience apparently is not a prerequisite for the Presidency, and this is per both parties.

And everyone views Obama's choice as lame. Calculated. Older white male. Guess what: this selection is also pure politics, like the selection of Clarence Thomas. Why is McCain clever for this calculated choice, made because of circumstances, and Obama is a loser for picking someone with more foreign policy gravitas who won't scare white people as much? I feel its fairly certain that the Repubs would NEVER have bothered to search high and low for a potential female VP candidate had the Dems not put forth an African American and a woman as potentials. BOTH of these choices were about appealing to a broad base and correcting perceived deficits. That's what every veep selection is about.

We'll see if Clinton voters want "any woman" or whether they want someone who thinks more like they do. I am excited that the Dems have apparently changed the makeup of the White House forever.