The announcement John McCain had selected Sarah Palin as the vice presidential nominee shocked quite a few Republicans. The evangelicals seem to be very happy, but rank and file Republicans are expressing some concern the pick was rushed, more impetuous than deliberate, and full of risk.
Here's some miscellaneous bits of news suggesting Ms. Palin wasn't the most carefully vetted of choices:
- Before she was running against him, Sarah Palin...thought it was pretty neat that Barack Obama was edging ahead of John McCain in her usually solidly red state. After all, she said, Obama’s campaign was using the same sort of language that she had in her gubernatorial race. “The theme of our campaign was ‘new energy,’ ” she said recently. “It was no more status quo, no more politics as usual, it was all about change. So then to see that Obama—literally, part of his campaign uses those themes, even, new energy, change, all that, I think, O.K., well, we were a little bit ahead on that.” She also noted, “Something’s kind of changing here in Alaska, too, for being such a red state on the Presidential level. Obama’s doing just fine in polls up here, which is kind of wigging people out, because they’re saying, ‘This hasn’t happened for decades that in polls the D’ ”—the Democratic candidate—“ ‘is doing just fine.’ To me, that’s indicative, too. It’s the no-more-status-quo, it’s change.” (Link)
And this:
- ...as of this weekend, the McCain campaign had not gone through old newspaper articles from the Valley Frontiersman, Palin's hometown newspaper. The Frontiersman did not immediately confirm the revelation. And there is no indication from the Democratic source that anything nefarious or problematic will be found in the archives. But officials with the paper did not recall inquiries by the McCain campaign. (Link)
And this:
The Alaska Independence Party, which was formed with the goal of seceding from the union and establishing Alaska as an independent state, says that Palin addressed their 2008 convention. (Link)
From Marc Ambinder:
They've bragged that Palin opposed the famous "Bridge to Nowhere," only to learn that Palin supported the project and even told residents of Ketchikan that they weren't "nowhere" to her. After the national outcry, she decided to spend the funds allocated to the bridge for something else. Actually, maybe it's more fair to say that coincident with the national outcry, she changed her mind. The story shows her political judgment, but it is not a reformer's credential.
Likewise, though she cut taxes as mayor of Wassila, she raised the sales tax, making her hardly a tax cutter.
She denied pressuring the state's chief of public safety to fire her sister-in-law's husband even though there's mounting evidence that the impetus did indeed come from her. Ostensibly to clear her name, Palin asked her attorney general to open an independent investigation—the legislature had already been investigating. (I am told that the campaign was aware of the ethics complaint filed against her but accepts Palin's account.)
McCain's campaign seemed unaware that she supported a windfalls profits tax on oil companies and that she is more skeptical about human contributions to global warming than McCain is.
They did not know that she took trips as the mayor of Wasilla to beg for earmarks.
They did not know that she told a television interviewer this summer that she did not fully understand what it is that a vice president does.
These are the things they've already admitted they didn't know about Palin after selecting her to be the Republican VP nominee. I don't know how else to phrase this; John McCain and his team did a crappy job of vetting the person who would become the second most powerful person in the country should McCain be elected. Sloppy, careless, incompetent, reckless, cavalier.
And John McCain wants to debate judgment with Barack Obama?
Comments
Every baby is a blessing- a gift from God.
Bristol Palin’s pregnancy is not a reflection of her upbringing.
It can happen to the best of families.
I had the exact same circumstances when I was a young girl. And thankfully, as Bristol Palin is so lucky to have, I had a family who supported me and allowed me to raise my son.
I could have had an abortion- and did not.
I was “pushed” by the doctors and hospital to give my child up for adoption.
I did not.
He grew up to be a healthy, intelligent, successful man, Thank God.
Another good thing is that Bristol’s child will already have a “baby brother” in Trig- (although he’ll be his uncle!)
What a wonderful turn of events.
And bless the Palin family for their support of their daughter-
Looking SO forward to hearing the infanticide-prone liberals cast aspursions!
Here Barack Hussein Obama's speech: "I don't want my daughters PUNISHED with a baby:
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“Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”
Ms. Blake, I have read this article through three times,and can find no mention at all of Palin's pregnant daughter. This article is about, among other things, her close ties with a group that wants Alaska to secede from the US. It's about her being a TRAITOR to her country. Do you have any comment about THAT?
I live in conservative Central VA. My neighbor woman said today, what a brilliant move to select a woman VP. I said you think so? Then I started listing all the things we now know about Palin. The fact that Palin belonged to the secessionist Alaska Independence Party and advocates abstinence only education. That turned her off completely. She said she's got three teenagers and its ridiculous to think abstinence only will work in this day and age.
I didn't go any further about her politics as I don't know her very well. She said, "wow, McCain really lost points with me today".
Gary, you are a PIG!
Marcia H, if your neighbor was somewhat excited about Palin's selection until you named just two things about her, then had concerns, shows just how ignorant today's voters are. Her AND you.
Did you mention ANY of her accomplishments? What her approval ratings in Alaska are? How she has been with the state budget? Any?
What was Mccain thinking, I am sure the dems are laughing.
Not that I think anyone actually cares what I think but...
Anthony - I'm not laughing, I'm horrified that American politics have turned into some twisted reality show
Marion - it's great that you were able to have the support from your family, but not every teenage girl is allowed that luxury. What happens to the girls who want to "choose life" - or feel obligated to - but are shunned by family and the father and are left with no income, no home and a modest education? It's not fair to sweep them under the rug. Sex education is of utmost importance. STDs are a huge issue too.
Marcia - I am proud that you were able to have an adult conversation about politics based on facts and not slander.
Fed Up - You are the ignorant voter you speak of. If you even read the article above rather than trolling blogs, you'd realize that her accomplishments aren't that great and that Alaska is not at all representative of the rest of the U.S. You listen to Fox News, hear she's "very accomplished" and a mother of 5 - because somehow that makes her qualified to run the country - and that's good enough for you. Marcia's neighbor just thought it was cool that a woman was on the ticket and had no idea about her platform. Once she found out palin's sex-ed view - an actual issue and not an inflated "accomplishment" - she was turned off. Maybe you can take the time to learn the issues you'll be voting on in November. Or maybe you'll pick the candidate with better commercials, who knows.
Come on guys.. you are all liberals lookiing to attack anyone on the right. How about Obama being born when his Mommy was 18..? just more smear from the left.
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