CNN: McCain picks Palin

[Reaganfan]

This is total surprise. I was always hoping for Huckabee.

This will definitely get out the good ole' middle America folk that re-elected George Bush with 62 million votes.

[riceowl]

good to see the republican party doesn't think experience is necessary...

[Ebowed]

She reminds me of Harriet Miers already!

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Drudge must be asleep cause he still hasn't confirmed it.

[Sam Spade]

I guess this means McCain wants to bring back the "comfy chair" back to Guantanamo:



I promise I won't do anymore of this...

[Brittain33]

America likes aesthetically pleasing, smart women. 

Ok, this is the locus of disagreement with you and me, and why we're getting tetchy.

There is a hell of a lot of resentment swirling among women toward each other. Have you heard of the Mommy wars? Do you think that they don't apply to the Republicans the way they applied to Hillary and other Democrats?

There are a lot of older women who will see not themselves in Sarah Palin. I don't see any problem whatsoever for Palin among the men of America, but she's not a gimme for women.

[Alcon]

America likes aesthetically pleasing, smart women. 

Ok, this is the locus of disagreement with you and me, and why we're getting tetchy.

There is a hell of a lot of resentment swirling among women toward each other. Have you heard of the Mommy wars? Do you think that they don't apply to the Republicans the way they applied to Hillary and other Democrats?

There are a lot of older women who will see not themselves in Sarah Palin. I don't see any problem whatsoever for Palin among the men of America, but she's not a gimme for women.

Fair counter-point.  By "America," I probably meant "Alcon, and his amazing projection abilities."

[Eleanor Martins]

man, every time I see that red shock of hair I think of Geena Davis.

Ken Salazar looks so ridiculous as a surrogate here - let me run the pros and cons down:

Pros:
1. Makes four more years of Bush policies seem slightly ridiculous, neutering the main Democratic talking point.
2. Family/conservative creds
3. Not Romney or Pawlenty
4. Pretty face, would conceivably play well with independents, better than the terrible two, at any rate

Cons:
1. Nobody knows anything about her.
2. Alaska's so far removed from any patterns of life you might see in the lower 48.
3. Doesn't enhance any of McCain's current campaign themes, makes his invocation of his POW experience seem pointless.
4. Has even less experience than Obama, which seems scarcely possible.
5. Can anyone see her being a president?

In sum, this is easily McCain's riskiest choice, but I'd venture that this is one that he had to make, because either of Romney or Pawlenty would have ensured a narrow, but comfortable loss in November. That said, the next few days are absolutely critical - my initial impressions are that she has absolutely no credibility in terms of stepping in should disaster intervene in a McCain term, but the way they roll her out heading into the RNC will be of the utmost importance.

If an image of her as unsubstantive takes root they're toast and I actually, truly cannot see McCain winning it and he'll stutter to a 10 point whitewash, but if she actually becomes the new face of the GOP - conservative yet attractive then they might come away with this. This might be an unmitigated disaster or a stroke of genius, I'll reserve my judgment till past Sunday.

[YRABNNRM]

Strange and totally unexpected.

[True Democrat]

FoxNews just called the straight talk express a "twosome."

[Ebowed]

Plus, She's a woman.

Is it okay to vote for Obama because he's black?

[Reaganfan]

FoxNews just called the straight talk express a "twosome."

I heard in the background Carl say that! HAHA!

[JSojourner]

FoxNews just called the straight talk express a "twosome."

That would only be exciting if Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin were on the ticket with Palin.  Then, you'd have bipartisanship AND a twosome that America could believe in.

[Wiz in Wis]

A heartbeat away from the presidency... Hillary Clinton is going to kill this woman

Hillary wants Women to hold on for 2012, but not if they give the mantle of Womanhood to a pretty young thing with no experience...

Hillary will destroy her.

[auburntiger]

I am very confused by his pick, so confused that for a second when my roommate said McCain had picked the AK governor, I thought it was Ted Stevens.

This is going to be a VERY interesting campaign season. Does anyone know anything about her? I definitely don't.

[Reaganfan]

This is such classic John McCain....totally unpredictable.

[Ebowed]

This is such classic John McCain....totally unpredictable.

It's not unpredictable at all - it's more of the shameless pandering that he's been doing since he launched his campaign for President.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Holycrap - why her?

[Reaganfan]

This is such classic John McCain....totally unpredictable.

It's not unpredictable at all - it's more of the shameless pandering that he's been doing since he launched his campaign for President.

Obama campaign translation:

O-noz!

[exopolitician]

hahahaaa!

Oh what a way to start off my day.

[Beet]

A heartbeat away from the presidency... Hillary Clinton is going to kill this woman

Hillary wants Women to hold on for 2012, but not if they give the mantle of Womanhood to a pretty young thing with no experience...

Hillary will destroy her.

She's only where she is because of Hillary.

This reminds me of the 1919 Boston police strike... the strikes demanded living wages and better conditions. Gov. Coolidge fired them all, winning national acclaim. But the next group of police hired to replace them? Were given the wages & conditions the strikers had demanded.

[Person Man]

Yes.  This makes our situation a bit more different than I thought it would be. If she is prez, that would be pretty fuc ked up.

[Reaganfan]

2012 race: Hillary vs. Sarah

HAHAHA

[Ebowed]

This is such classic John McCain....totally unpredictable.

It's not unpredictable at all - it's more of the shameless pandering that he's been doing since he launched his campaign for President.

Obama campaign translation:

O-noz!

McCain doesn't have a principled bone in his body.  He's moved to the right on practically every issue he used to be a 'maverick' on and now he's picking an unqualified running mate (the first test of his presidential reasoning skills, really) to exploit sexism among certain voters.

[Ebowed]

2012 race: Hillary vs. Sarah

HAHAHA

Clinton would rightfully kick no-name's ass.