McCain chooses Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska

[AAAhmed46]

[Bill Glasheen]

Smart choice though, Compared to Biden, she's Reagan With Tits.

That's the funniest politically incorrect comment I've heard in a very long time.

I don't think she would be offended.

- Bill

P.S. I voted Ron Paul in the primaries. By the time Virginia came around, the results were a done deal. My vote was meant to be a statement about the 2-party system.

[Gene DeMambro]

I'd like to vote for the John McCain who ran in 2000. I'd like to vote for the John McCain who almost switched parties and became John Kerry's running mate in 2004. But that John McCain doesn't exist anymore - at least not this election cycle. John McCain has tacked right, and has mostly stayed there.

As for Sarah Palin, as different as her story is compared to most other candidates, and she has shown flashes of "maverickness" as governer of Alaska, she is what I feared John McCain would pick: a conservative, pro-life Evangelical. If McCain was a true "maverick", he would have picked someone closer to his ideals, unless he himself is a pro-life conservative - in which case he truly isn't a maverick at all. And while she may live pro-life, some others might call that being pro-choice.

And funny how impressive academic credentials and hard work are fine for some fields, but when applied to government, it's called "Ivy League elitism". But maybe that's a good thing. George Bush did not distinguish himself at Yale or at Harvard Business School...and his presidency shows it. Bill Clinton was a Rhode's Scholar...and his presidency showed it. And I'd personally want a smart, intelligent, deliberate, broad thinker with an ability to look at the entire chess board calling the shots than an intellectually incurious reactionary who just might make things worse with his temper alone.

Cheers,
Gene

[Jason Rees]

I'm curious. What would be the chances of a pro-life person getting the nomination in the Democratic Party? Let's be real. A pro-life candidate can't win the democratic primary. A pro-choice candidate can't win the republican primary. And a pro-choice republican isn't going to take the votes from a pro-choice democrat. It's all politics. Democrats of course want McCain to be liberal. They know Obama would win if McCain were liberal.

Obama's following the plank of his party, and still gets to crow about change...

But McCain energizes his base and can't be a maverick?

And I'd personally want a smart, intelligent, deliberate, broad thinker with an ability to look at the entire chess board calling the shots...

Can we please have one of those with more experience than a part-first-termed Senator?

an intellectually incurious reactionary who just might make things worse with his temper alone.

Worse? ROTFLMAO... Russia just claimed the turf they ran over, and they're signing mutual protection treaties with countries like Syria, and threatening military action against Poland. Iran's developing nukes at will, and Israel's seriously going to do something about it if nobody else does. Pakistan might fold under terrorists any time now.

Now somebody please tell me what no-experience, big-talking Obama's going to do about that, with a vice-president who's made a very long and lucrative career out of saying things are complicated, and never committing to doing anything.

I want Putin sleeping badly at night, wondering if that crazy lunatic in the White House is going to push that button. Cause right now, he's sleepin' easy, with dreams of Sir Obama Talk-alot, and his buddy, Bidin' Time.

[Gene DeMambro]

It's all politics.

You argue best when you argue my point, Jason, If John McCain was the maverick everyone claims he is (at at least he was), he would set politics aside and go with a VP choice who augments his own philosophy, much like Clinton-Gore. Then John McCain would win - in a landslide.

We had John Kerry in 2004. We had Hillary Clinton in 2008. Both with more experience than Sen. Obama (if that's what you value).

Think our problems would be solved if McCain pushes the button? I dare you to try and convince us all our problems would be over. And please tell us what Pres. Bush and VP Cheney are doing about the problems you mentioned. I'm all a quiver with anticipation.

Maybe we should take a lesson from Ronald Reagan on that one:

Courtesy of Wikipedia (usual disclaimers apply):

According to several scholars and biographers, including Paul Lettow (Ronald Reagan and His Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), John Lewis Gaddis (The Cold War: A New History), and Richard Reeves (President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination), Reagan quietly worked to make the world safer from the threat of nuclear war, which he also stated in his autobiography "An American Life." Reagan had morally opposed nuclear weapons since 1945 and sincerely feared the biblical Armageddon. He wrote in his autobiography that he believed John Kennedy's MAD policy (mutually assured destruction) to be wrong. He even proposed to Gorbachev that, if a missile shield could be built, that all nukes be eliminated and the missile shield technology shared.

But anyway, Jason, let's hear the Jason Rees Foreign Policy Doctrine. Inquiring minds want to know.

Have a nice holiday weekend!

Gene

[Bill Glasheen]

My number 1 son has turned me on to Phil Defranco. He does regular manic commentaries on YouTube. Very funny young guy who - while hip like a young guy - is amazingly mature and "spot on" with his comments.

He describes Sarah Palin as a VPILF. Vice President I'd Like to...

Sorry, TSDGuy. Phil Defranco is hip, way younger than you, and has feelings for the Veep hopeful.

Joe Biden? He's a... well...

I don't know if the same video will stay under a given address, but we'll give this a go. The episode is Friday, August 29.

Sarah Palin is a VPILF!!!

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

As for Sarah Palin, as different as her story is compared to most other candidates, and she has shown flashes of "maverickness" as governer of Alaska, she is what I feared John McCain would pick: a conservative, pro-life Evangelical.

What???? I'm.. I'm shocked!!!

If McCain was a true "maverick", he would have picked someone closer to his ideals, unless he himself is a pro-life conservative.

Uh.... Newsflash, Gene. McCain IS pro-life. And he DOES have a conservative voting record.

Where have you been?

- in which case he truly isn't a maverick at all.

It seems to me that your definition of "maverick" is "somebody I agree with." Sorry, Gene, that's not true at all.

McCain is nicknamed a Maverick because he thinks for himself. No, that doesn't mean he has to think like you, Gene.

• He teamed with Kennedy on an immigration bill.
• He's been for campaign finance reform forever. So was Obama, until the money started rolling in. Oh well... no surprise there.
• He proposed the surge when everyone else was abandoning ship and it looked like political suicide. And surprise of all surprises, it worked! That's why he's the nominee.

He's still a pro-life fiscal conservative.

Sarah Palin was/is a Maverick because she bucked her own party and cleaned up the boondoggle in Alaska energy. When her party chose to ignore her desire to clean house, she ran against the governor who appointed her in the primaries and beat him. Then she ran against a former Democrat governor and beat him. Then she (shock) did what she said she would do. She cleaned up the energy corruption.

No more highway to nowhere. No thanks, Washington, we don't want your money.

Sounds like a Maverick to me!

- Bill

[mhosea]

And while she may live pro-life, some others might call that being pro-choice.

Now what's the point of saying something like that? Abortion is currently legal, so in that sense "some others" think that everybody who chooses not to have an abortion is pro-choice on that account? Oh, I guess we don't have a debate in this country after all. Problem solved. And all this time I thought there was something people were disagreeing about.

[Gene DeMambro]

Mike, you just emphasized my point for me. Read what you wrote, and you'll see it.

If the man wants my vote, Bill, I need to be able to agree with him more often than not. Immigration reform and campaign finance reform are all fine issues. His continued oversight of the Air Force tanker contract continues to save the country millions - potentially billions. His profound opposition to what amounted to legalized torture in national security law was excellent - despite the criticism from his own party. All well and good, and the kind of thing I'd like my President to have a handle on. The fact that Palin cleaned house in her state run by her hapless and potentially corrupt predecessors, that's something I expect from my elected officials, and have no use for anyone else. And if executive experience was something of value, then Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Bill Richardson (my personal favorite, despite the fact he was never even going to get sniff of the Presidency) were all worthy choices on that fact alone. But, we get John McCain and Barack Obama - whose entire careers in elected office were spent in legislative branches. If those are who we picked, then we can't yap they are light on executive experience.

But when McCain touts on energy independence then votes against bills on CAFE standards and alternative energy, he does not get to call himself a maverick to me. When he claims to be a maverick, then proceeds to say that he would not have nominated Breyer or Souter or Gunsburg to the court, he lost my vote. I'll vote for a Republican when he/she says, "we have important issues on national security, foreign relations, a looming energy crisis, a widening gulf between the rich and the poor, an educational monolith that needs continued attention to ensure that students are prepared for the life that awaits them. What church someone attends, who keeps them warm at night and the private decision of a woman to choose are decisions left up the individual Americans, and not for Presidents, Governers, Congress or States to meddle in". When I hear that from Republicans, I'll vote for them. Not that I agree with everything the Democrats are selling, but I turn the BOTH parties off as soon as I see conservatve and pro-life. But, that's just me.

Enjoy the holiday weekend. As for me, I'm going house hunting!

Cheers,
Gene

[JimHawkins]

Let's be real. A pro-life candidate can't win the democratic primary.

Probably true.

A pro-choice candidate can't win the republican primary.

Probably true.

And a pro-choice republican isn't going to take the votes from a pro-choice democrat.

No not those who are voting only on this issue.. This seems to assume all votes for either candidate do, of course they don't.

[JimHawkins]

Pray tell, where did you get your medical degree? Where did you do your internship and residency? Do you have any articles in the peer-reviewed literature that you can cite?

At least I have a doctorate in a health science field, and work every day as a senior scientist for a health information company. I build "glass box" mathematical models that predict health care resource consumption, likelihood of hospitalization, and likelihood of becoming a medical "train wreck." I have evaluated multiple metrics and models that predict likelihood of death. I am finishing the design of a new disease classification system that takes every single diagnostic code in the International Classification of Disease manuals (both US and international) and assigns them to homogeneous cost groups. I produce age-disease and disease-disease interaction terms for our models. I help design the hierarchies within disease pathways (cancer being one of them) that help assess the short and long-term severity of diseases within a disease pathway.

I know a little something about illness and death.

I know a little something about McCain's health. He's had skin cancer lesions removed because (Duh!!) he was a POW and spent day after day in the Vietnam sun with his Irish skin. Skin cancer happens. All McCain's skin cancer lesions have been removed. He is cancer free. He may get more such lesions. You'd better believe that the dermatologist is on him like white on rice, getting at any little something on his skin.

McCain's oncology issues are very much under control. Unlike my dad - who is 16 years his senior and lives a vibrant, professional life with metastatic cancer, McCain is cancer free.

Cancer has nothing to do with all the other usual illnesses (heart disease and stroke) which are likely to kill a 72-year-old male. And as for all those cardiovascular and metabolic issues, he's been given a clean bill of health.

I will venture to say that he's in better health than you, Jim.

I am scolding my dear friend (and I MEAN friend) Ian because he waxed into a moment of hyperbole.

Just more comedy to me Bill..

I need no qualifications to have an opinion..

You go on about his cancer--I said nothing about it..

You go on about age discrimination--I am not discriminating..

It's very simple: IMO the man won't make it through the first term..

Being qualified you should know this could well be the case..

IMO I will, though, and my Grand-dad who's well into his 80s agrees..

[Bill Glasheen]

What church someone attends, who keeps them warm at night and the private decision of a woman to choose are decisions left up the individual Americans, and not for Presidents, Governers, Congress or States to meddle in

As for Sarah Palin, as different as her story is compared to most other candidates, and she has shown flashes of "maverickness" as governer of Alaska, she is what I feared John McCain would pick: a conservative, pro-life Evangelical

So let me get this straight.

• What church someone attends isn't the business of government, so long as that church isn't Evangelical. Any other churches on that "need not attend" list?
• What choice a woman makes isn't the business of government, so long as a woman at least considers aborting her Downs Syndrome pregnancy.

Where is it written that "choice" and "freedom" are about "the right choice" and "the right freedoms?"

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

I need no qualifications to have an opinion..

You go on about his cancer--I said nothing about it..

You go on about age discrimination--I am not discriminating..

It's very simple: IMO the man won't make it through the first term..

So this is simply an opinion with no available evidence to support it, right?

Got it!

- Bill

[JimHawkins]

That's right..

It's my opinion based on my observations..

And if you're wrong? We'll know soon enough..

[Bill Glasheen]

That's right..

It's my opinion based on my observations..

And if you're wrong? We'll know soon enough..

Well Jim... In my business, the n's have to justify the means before you can call someone wrong on their quantitative assessment of risk.

That's another way of saying "Schit happens!"

At least we know what model you are using. We call that the ABOGSAT model. (A Bunch Of Guys Sitting Around a Table)

- Bill