Why Palin Works

[JSojourner]

Sarah Palin is a nearly flawless choice for Vice-President, assuming she has been thoroughly vetted and has no skeletons in her closet.  While a VP choice isn't what makes a campaign entirely, it often strongly contributes to a campaign's failure. Witness, McGovern-Eagleton/Shriver or Bush/Quayle.

Here's why Palin works...

1.    She's not just against abortion rights.  She's a leader in the anti-choice, anti-feminist movement.  She is a born again, evangelical Christian.  She has five children, including a down syndrome baby.  While being anti-choice may not help McCain win independants and moderates, it is not a make or break issue for them.  And it WILL energize and mobilize millions of conservative Christians and abortion rights opponents.  Sure, they might have grudgingly voted for McCain anyway.  But now, they will talk him up and get their churches mobilized. 

2.    She came into prominence in Alaska as a reformer.  The Alaska Republican party was and is steeped in corruption.  Palin spoke out against that corruption, but remained a Republican.  She has been untouched by the scandal.  She has her own mini-scandal, but folks...unless the whole story hasn't been told, it has no legs.  (She used her influence to get a state trooper fired.  The cop was the spouse of Palin's sister and was involved in a bitter custody battle.)

3.    True.  She has virtually no foreign policy experience.  But as number two on the ticket, that's a lot less important than if she were number one.  If Democrats bring up her being just a two year governor, Republicans can counter and say Obama is just a four-year Senator.  And he has had NO administrative experience.  What's more, he's at the TOP of the ticket, not number two.  The only hole open for Democrats is this -- (and it's a dicey one) -- McCain is 72 and has had three bouts with cancer.  If he goes down, she's President.  If Obama goes down, Biden is President.  But like I say -- Democrats say that at the risk of appearing like they are almost rooting for McCain's demise.

4.    Alaska is as far from Washington as you can get.  That will help with those who say McCain is too much of an old D.C. hand.

5.    Palin will peel off the most disgruntled, disaffected Hillary voters.  Not many...because she's pretty extreme on abortion.  But those who wanted a woman in the White House, or a heartbeat away, and are furious with Obama...might be willing to snub him by voting for Palin because she's a woman.  Let's face it.  Some people are going to vote for Obama just because he's black.  Well, some people will vote for Palin just because she's a woman. 

6.   Joe Biden is smarter on foreign affairs and far more experienced.  But he also can get seriously tough on his opponents.  If he ate Tim Pawlenty or Rob Portman alive, it would be politics.  If he eats sweet Sarah alive, he's a monster.  Biden is going to have to be very, very careful in how he speaks to and about her.  And Biden could easily err by being too aggressive.  Or, by being too timid in an effort not to turn people off.  This pick hobbles Biden significantly.

7.    Obama has the youth vote, no doubt.  But, those undecided male voters -- in the 18 to 35 age range -- will gravitate to the Republican ticket.  They'll like McCain's toughness and heroism.  But they'll also like the fact that Palin is smokin' hot.  Am I saying some people vote for superficial reasons?  Hell, yes.  Voting for Obama just because he's black...voting for Hillary just because she's a woman...voting against someone because they are fat or old or black or whatever...it's all stupid.  But millions of Americans do it.  I don't mean to say Palin lacks substance.  ON THE CONTRARY.  Every interview I have seen with her impresses me.  She is intelligent, articulate and kind.  I don't want to take anything away from her...just as people should not take away from Obama.  But that doesn't change the fact that some people don't care about issues, intellect or character.  They care about looks. 

8.    Any bounce from this convention is completely nullified.  Palin is exciting.  Portman, not so much.  LOL

Barring future revelations or implosions, I think the Palin choice -- combined with the usual GOP smear tactics against Obama (a la Kerry, Cleland) -- put the Democratic ticket in serious trouble.  I stand by my earlier assertions that we are pretty much toast.

[JSojourner]

I think it was an excellent choice. It truly does scare me.

There's no down side whatsoever.  Unless something else comes out about her.

[JSojourner]

Didn't you use to be a Republican, J? Are you sure your subconscious is not trying to tell you something?

How do we beat her?  

Inexperienced?  They'll admit she is.  And say that's why they put the inexperience at the bottom of the ticket.  Democrats put inexperience at the TOP.  ( I still believe Obama's experience outweighs Palin's by far.  But will the public see it that way. )

Scandal?  Unless there's more to troopergate, she's squeaky clean.

Do we let Biden rip her apart?  That's gonna backfire with millions of men and some women.

Too conservative?  I think she might be, I don't really know.  But so what?  Americans have voted for extremists like Bush and Cheney, Palin's not gonna scare them.  

A pander?  Sure she is.  But does that ever backfire?

When I say she doesn't have a down side, I mean she doesn't have a down side as a selection.  As a strategy.  She SURELY has a down side as a potential Vice President...just as McCain has many down sides as a potential President.  I am voting for Obama-Biden and will work my ass off for them.  But I am a lot more scared we will lose.  And I'd feel much better with Romney or Portman were on the ticket.

[JSojourner]

Didn't you use to be a Republican, J? Are you sure your subconscious is not trying to tell you something?

How do we beat her?  

Inexperienced?  They'll admit she is.  And say that's why they put the inexperience at the bottom of the ticket.  Democrats put inexperience at the TOP.  ( I still believe Obama's experience outweighs Palin's by far.  But will the public see it that way. )

Scandal?  Unless there's more to troopergate, she's squeaky clean.

Do we let Biden rip her apart?  That's gonna backfire with millions of men and some women.

Too conservative?  I think she might be, I don't really know.  But so what?  Americans have voted for extremists like Bush and Cheney, Palin's not gonna scare them.  

A pander?  Sure she is.  But does that ever backfire?

When I say she doesn't have a down side, I mean she doesn't have a down side as a selection.  As a strategy.  She SURELY has a down side as a potential Vice President...just as McCain has many down sides as a potential President.  I am voting for Obama-Biden and will work my ass off for them.  But I am a lot more scared we will lose.  And I'd feel much better with Romney or Portman were on the ticket.

We don't "beat her." We focus on the issues of this goddamned election, which is about this country's future, not the VP pick.

Of course we focus on the issues. And this country's future.

That's what Gore and Kerry did.  And with an electorate that preferred a mouth-breathing moron who doesn't much like books to either of them, I am not hopeful.  My best hope is that McCain is a fairly intelligent guy, too.  At least compared to The Decider.  So maybe it will be close enough that Obama can eke it out.

[JSojourner]

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This pick really got under your skin.

Perhaps you should ask your "messiah" to comfort you in your time of need.

Drop the messiah nonsense.  No one on the forum is saying that or behaving like that.

[JSojourner]

Spot-on, J.J.  Good thoughts, my friend!

[JSojourner]

Go ask Walter Mondale about choosing a little-known, inexperienced, not-fit-to-be-president woman as your running mate in an obvious attempt to pander to women voters.

At least Obama can make the claim that he chose the most qualified person who wanted the job. Does anybody really think that Palin is more qualified than Romney or Ridge, for example?

No, but in terms of administrative experience, Palin is arguably more qualified than Obama, Biden and even McCain.

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I think the jury is out on Palin.  She was not my first choice, but is might be a great one, or a terrible one.

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The skeletons in her brother-in-law's closet, include:

Drinking on duty while driving.

Using a Tazer on his stepson.

Threatening to shoot his father-in-law, the governor's father.

Possible spousal abuse.

http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html

Now, I hope you are not condoning such actions.

I would question a supervisor for not taking action against such an employee.

I hope Palin comes out and says, "I fired Moneghan because he refused to fire a trooped who tazed his own stepson."  That would satisfy me.  As yet, Moneghan says he's not been given a reason for his dismissal.  I can't figure this out.