Sen. John McCain has picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, a senior McCain campaign official told CNN on Friday.
Palin, 44, who’s in her first term as governor, is a pioneering figure in Alaska, the first woman and the youngest person to hold the state’s top political job.
Obama Reacts:
Obama’s bounce from picking the only guy in the senate older than McCain: ZERO
McCain’s bounce from picking a woman: Hillary’s 18 million pissed off dems.
Charles Krauthammer is skeptical that she’ll be a better pick than Thompson or another “safe choice” on a interview this morning on FOX. I hope Palin as been vetted well because the lefty MSM attack dogs are in high gear now. I like the choice, McCain is reshaping the face of the Republican party while keepng the priniples alive. Ooops, just heard on the airwaves that she’s accused of “being in the pocket of big oil” already! That was fast.
I think the biggest message that the RNC will make that will resonnate with voters will be a convention without the presumptuous trappings of that shallow pompous elitist twit’s. And, no Oprah who cried “her false eylashes off”, her words. Gag.
“There’s nothing in Wasilla except hookers and hockey players!”
“Oh Yeah? Our governess is from Wasilla!”
“Really? What position does she play?”
My first thought was that this seems initially like a clever pick.
But on second thought it becomes too obvious a ploy to pick up the “young” and “woman” vote, and smack of opportunism. More importantly, although she seems like a fine person, she is young and seemingly very inexperienced in US government, let alone on the world stage. It becomes very hard to criticize Obama on the very real issue of lack of experience (the most important one, in my mind) when you are picking a similar, or even weaker in that regard, person to be a heartbeat of a 70+ year old from the presidency.
Dunno how this will play out in the coming weeks, but I am concerned that this will not work out well.
McCain just won the electionl. Hillary voters will flood over to him; as will disgruntled conservatives.
If “experience” had anything to do with this, Barry wouldn’t have even been considered. As it is, Sarah’s CV is much heavier than Barry’s.
Interesting choice.
So, what we now have is the Democrats with Obama, the Symbol of the not-yet-future, which – since it hasn’t happened, you can fill with whatever fancy images you want….backed up by Biden who represents real actual experience.
Then, there’s McCain, who represents real actual experience, as well as Palin, who also represents real actual experience. BUT – she’s there to bring in the women who are angry because the Democratic Backroom Boys rejected Hillary. And to bring in the young. And the pro-life conservatives. So, I think it’s a clever choice.
What is missing in McCain’s team is an Economist.
Krauthammer may have opted for Fred Thompson, but I think Republians had to do something to counter the Democrat focus on The Future. And two old men may indeed be the most capable ones to set up the infrastructure for that future, but most voters won’t see it that way.
a heartbeat from the presidency.
maybe the woman for prez. voters will be rolling the dice on a McCain heart attack. this may be the most calculated way of taking the top spot with a XX chromosome.
For more info on Palin check out
http://www.proudtobecanadian.ca/blog/
Waiting of course for negative spin from Canadian MSM.
ET:
Palin’s rep is very anti-corruption anti-gov’t spending – two things Fred was weak on. She has a little bit of econ gravitas and thus I’m hoping that JM annouces that Mitt will be his commerce sectary (and put guiliani in as Sect of state) well before the nov vote.
So how is it that someone with 2 years as Governor is more experienced than someone who was a Senator for 4 years? You guys and your spin, it amazes me.
And, who also spent 7 years in the State Senate. So in your guys eyes, 2 years is greater than 11?
I’m disappointed. When I saw “Palin” I was looking forward to this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrjJxrTQi8I
Lori – Palin has executive experience as a governor which trumps Obama’s lackluster 2 year Senate record, well, for those of us that can think beyond spoonfed sound bytes. But, I agree, it’s risky. I’m not so sure Hillary’s angry females will vote for Palin as too many of them are typical lefties that can’t define themselves and others as someone much broader than a gender or a race.
Obama’s Karl Rove-lite, David Axelrod is now going to learn the very, very hard way that there are considerably more votes to be won from patrons of Dunkin’ Donuts than Starbucks. Is this choice the product of opportunistic calculation? Yes, and so what? It’s an election, people, not a graduate seminar!
And as for the tags that Palin is inexperienced in government and unfamiliar with the world stage, she is the only one of the four on the presidential tickets who has served in an executive office. And in experience in foreign policy, she is outclassed by Fritz Mondale, Dan Quayle, Nelson Rockefeller, and Spiro Agnew precisely how?
But what about “change you can believe in”? She defeated the corrupt Murkowski machine instead of selling her soul to the Daly machine. I’ll take the proven winner over the Wii candidate any day.
I like the pick. I understand that Palin’s a real conservative, more so than McCain’s supposed to be.
She’s a “hockey mom”, I understand, making her sorta like PM Harper, himself a “hockey dad”. Except she’s probably got bigger boobs.
Good choice. I’d vote for and personally go for a woman like Palin. 😉
Look at the CTV website article that reports the news of Governor Palin’s selection. The first third is news – McCain’s announcement, a brief biography of Palin, and McCain’s expected schedule.
The article then shifts into full-blown “promote Obama” mode – the bottom two-thirds of the article glows about his acceptance speech, including a quote from a CTV reporter who covered it (hello, CTV – quoting your own reporter is EDITORIALIZING, NOT NEWS!), and a detailed outline of Obama’s policy promises.
Despicable, and I left a comment saying this. See if they publish it.
Peter D:
And she has owned a business and made payroll two things BO (and Biden) has never done.
It’s a masterstroke I think. Krauthammer is nuts: I like Fred, but he’s old hat. A masterstroke.
In pockets of big oil. Now that’s a hoot.
Here she is with Kudlow
She’s smart and tough. Obama’s already lost election just got more lost.
Peter:
Who’s running for president?
That’s where experience counts and that’s the difference.
As far as being in the pocket of big oil, Palin’s record shows something different.
Nobody can question her integrity at actually managing a state.
I like the fact she’s able to stand on her own merits and how she spoke of breaking the glass ceiling.
McCain-Palin is a ticket for change and if Palin is put in charge of trimming bureaucracy, that would be a winner among the blue-collar voter. Her husband is a union member, which takes out the Democrat agenda.
The change Obama-Byden stand for is a bigger government. That’s the distinction.
Penny – agreed. Problem is Obama has had a couple of years to grow his stature. It’s not what us blogheads, representing as we do approx 0.01% of the population, that counts. It’s the public perception.
Palin is almost totally unknown. “hockey mom” does not sound like a good resume for VP. I suspect the MSM will be kind to her superficially, and then emphasize her lack of experience.
I am sure she is a fine and admirable woman…. but will she help the ticket, neutral, or harm it? If it’s either the second or third, then this is a mistake. I just don’t believe that enough women are shallow enough to change their vote just because she is a woman.
Nor am I superficial enough to endorse her just because she is a republican, when my biggest beef with Obama has been his lack of substantive record of accomplishment.
Off topic, but still chuckling over a few seconds of CNN I mistakenly saw in a motel whle travelling, in which the “analyst” was breathlessly explaining that Biden was a good choice ‘cos — wait for it — he’s up to his eyeballs in debt. I can’t be positive but I thought I heard her say he had a net worth of ($300K). That’s NEGATIVE $300K.
Ya see, he’s a ordinary Joe!
Peter D,
You, as a leftard, think only of seniority. Time obstaining from taking a vote isn’t experience.
Governors govern. Senators who don’t show up for votes or obstain when they’re present don’t.
Real experience as a business owner trumps “experience” as a “community organizer” which is a euphamism for voter fraud with ACORN.
She’s a beauty queen, a member of the NRA, she hunts moose, she fishs, she plays sports?
Forget making her VP, I want to marry her!
Lori,
A lot of people vote allow superficial things like physical appearance, race, gender, and age to influence their voting decision. I think we would agree this is not good.
But it is still a big factor. And in that regard McCain, by not following the MSM script of choosing a +50 white guy, has thrown a bit of a wrench into the Messiah’s inexorable ascension to the White House.
This is a far more convincing winning item for McCain than Greek’s speculation about whether Obama’s stage rose or not.
I’m gonna stop calling McCain stupid right about now. He’s playing to win. He made the choice I wanted him to make, and it’s lightning.
If she does well in the VP role (if they win), she is well positioned to run for president in 2012/16, n’est ce pas?
CJunk:
Of course you realize that PALIN was one of the Monty Python troop don’t you?
Biden time with the Obama-Nation ™ will have them PALIN in comparison, to MCCAIN making french fries.
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht,Commander in Chief
Frankenstein Battalion
2nd Squadron: Ulanen-(Lancers) Regiment Großherzog Friedrich von Baden(Rheinisches) Nr.7(Saarbrucken)
Knecht Rupprecht Division
Hans Corps
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
“She’s a beauty queen, a member of the NRA, she hunts moose, she fishs, she plays sports?
Forget making her VP, I want to marry her!
Posted by: Stan at August 29, 2008 1:10 PM”
Me too, but I’d want to see pictures of her boat and her guns first…
I do not question the timing.
ROFL.
I just love the comments concerning Obama’s hefty resume as an Illinois politico.
I’m from IL, that dude did absolutely NOTHING during his tenure in state office except pick up a paycheck and help out his cronies (take a good look at his voting record and at some of the projects he’s been behind and the projects he or his buddies have been directly/indirectly associated with in the state — that is if you can, as Team Obama has done a damn fine job of keeping that a secret from the public). Oh, and I’m sure his influence didn’t hurt Michelle in getting her job or Tony Rezcko (someone Joe Biden has some ties with as well) from doing well in the real estate business (again, see above).
And he played a great game of race-baiting, election fixing, and power broker/status quo Chicago machine politics while serving his “beloved” state.
Nope, nope — there’s defintely no way Sarah Palin could ever hold a candle to Barack Obama in the experience department. sarc on/
Seems like a good choice to me, and provides an interesting balance in this election. Either the USA gets its first non-100% white president or it’s first non-100% male vice-president.
Now let’s sit back and see how well the truth gets distorted and spun by each side, post-MSM processing, resulting in another emotional US vote.
Doesn’t matter to me who wins, but seems like the McCain ticket will mean more US sons killed in foreign lands, and a slower transition to a post-oil economy. I’ll watch it all from the safety of my living room.
Of course you realize that PALIN was one of the Monty Python troop don’t you?
And you all laughed while I was making all those Monty Python references. I was building up to something and everyone missed it.
I fart in your general direction!
Biden time with the Obama-Nation ™ will have them PALIN in comparison, to MCCAIN making french fries.
Hans…you rock!
Palin is a great choice IMO. The moose in my area are quite nervous right now.
Sarah Palin – very impressive acceptance speech.
Good choice by McCain.
I have to think McCain made a brilliant choice.
As Governor, she has executive experience.
As a moose hunter, she will appeal to the NRA members.
As a mom, she will appeal to mothers.
As the mother of a son who is deploying to Iraq next month, she will appeal to the military and the vets.
As the mother of a Down’s kid, she will appeal to those who care about children’s issues.
As the wife of a union member and a hard working guy, she will appeal to Middle America.
As a pro-lifer she will appeal the the conservative Christians and Catholics.
And last but not least, she has a shot at getting those 18 million votes that Hillary won but were ultimately wasted when she lost the nomination.
God Bless John McCain and God Bless America!
I just saw a pic of the next V.P.sitting on a Harley.Game over for Obama and any chance Hillary had for the top job in the future in my humble opinion.
A couple of points.
– Don’t feed the trolls.
– I like her but I too am a bit anxious on the experience issue. I’m sure McCain’s team has vetted her credentials to the nth degree and that’s a good thing. The Veep debate should be one for the ages: Biden, an old school, seasoned pro against Palin, an up and coming, straight shooting conservative. At least she’ll have realism and reason on her side. That should make things easier.
I think that it is a good choice but not because of the HRC effect. Sarah Palin will become the perfect contrast to Obama. She is down to earth unlike Obama’s hubris, from remote Alaska not the politically corrupt Chicago, no scary anti-American alliances (that Obama has so far successfully kept in the shadows)but instead has a patriotic son in Iraq. I suspect that this is just a partial list. In short, she is a person that the regular American families can relate to while Obama’s weird association of the past will be haunting him.
Hillary can kiss away 2012 if McCain makes it to Prez.
Plus the lib web sites and going nuts.
Hufpo had to shut down. The cussing got out of hand. (-:
No more PANT SUITS!!!
Sitting on a Harley?
Heh…when I first saw her pix and history I thought she bore a resemblance to another well known, gun toting conservative woman named Kate.
Watch McCain introduce her. Watch the woman over McCains left shoulder.
If the reaction is genuine, no reason to believe it isnt, and she represents more than a market of one, or only GOP women, then Obama has an issue.
Watch that woman’s reaction again and tell me if you think it is genuine….because it sure looked that way.
2 years as governor beats 4 years as a senator anyday. 4 yerars as governor would beat about 10 to 15 years as a senator. Senators dont “run” anything.
Nonetheless this isnt about resumes…if it was then George Bush 1 would have beaten Bill Clinton and Al Gore would have badly beaten George Bush II.
The dems are trying hard to paint and smear, if she exceeds expectations, her speech indicates whe is no shrinking violet, or alternatively a Flinty Ferraro, then the Dems have an issue.
How Biden, a guys guy, will play in the debate will be interesting. Its tough to debate women, you cant be macho and you cant be gentlemanly….it isnt easy to strike the right tone. Obama did it against Hillary, but that was a little more like debating a man anyway.
As for experience, sure it is easy to talk about experience, if you Obama wants to say it then you you are dragging down the top end of the ticket, or alternatively elevating the bottom end of the ticket.
I will say though, the chemistry between Biden and Obama (funny how the ticket probably should have been that) appears better than than the McCain/Palin chemistry. Mind you Palin just got announced. They need to find a rythmn and look….lose the spouses. But Palin defintiely has no issues being an attacker, that was clear in the speech. I think the VP debate will be the best debate.
Election will not be decided till after the second debate.
I think it is a good call on MaCain’s part. Two years as governor of the country’s largest state has more credibility than a few years of warming a seat in the senate. She sounds like the person you sit next to at the hockey rink, or buying ammo at Walmart, and that is going to resonate loud and clear with blue collar working stiffs (and stiffettes?) than some limo Lieberal.
It very well could pay great dividends four years down the road for Republicans too. Just think of it: A female running for president after serving four years as vice president will blow Hillory out of the water who only slept (occasionaly) with a president.
A surprising, shocking choice. You might say she is a political ‘nobody’. I wonder how many people outside Alaska even heard of this woman before today.
WOW! I am very impressed with Gov. Sarah Palin.
The talking heads at CNN still sitting outside the walls of Obamecca didn’t look so happy today. Why, they were just full of smiles and joy yesterday! What’s the problem, jerks?
The e-communication links are strongly in support of Palin. The announcement has also deflated the fireball effect of yesterday’s Coming of the Messiah. Stopped it cold. {No, I’m not saying ‘like a blast of Arctic air].
But, the verbiage is strongly supportive. That means that McCain’s ‘image’ has sharply changed. From being an ‘old man’ – with lots of experience, he’s tied that experience to the future. And even that future is based on ideas, ideology and experience.
That’s very different from the reverse in Obama’s camp, which has linked Obama’s emptiness in experience and empty words about the future..to Biden’s past experience.
It’s quite a set-up. Now, the Obama camp’s major campaign image that McCain is ‘four more years of Bush’ won’t hold up.
The fact that she’s from outside the main geographic area of the US is also a handy image. After all, Obama’s images include Kenya and Hawaii.
All in all – an excellent choice, and as others have pointed out, McCain can fill in other areas, such as economics – with other team names.
Michelle Malkin, whose opinions I trust, is strongly in favour..so…
Hillary – pissed off
Bill – Really pissed off
Unlike Obama, she can speak without a teleprompter.
Woo Hoo
bluetech said: Heh…when I first saw her pix and history I thought she bore a resemblance to another well known, gun toting conservative woman named Kate.
Interesting BT, Kate “claims” to be in Iowa. I got a nice personal mailed thank you note from her once but I don’t REALLY know who she is. Hmmm.
Lifetime NRA member who’s favorite meal is moose stew ?
My kinda VP.
From Malkin’s site
“Sarah Louise Palin (nee Heath) was born Feb., 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Her family moved to Alaska when Sarah was an infant. Her father, Chuck, is a retired schoolteacher.
2. She attended Wasilla High School where she played point guard on the state champion basketball team. Her nickname was “Sarah Barracuda.”
3. Palin graduated in 1987 from the University of Idaho with a degree in journalism. She worked briefly as a sports reporter in Anchorage.
4. She refers to her husband, Todd, as the “First Dude.” He’s worked as a commercial fisherman and as a production operator on the North Slope for BP. He enjoys snowmobiling and has won the Tesoro Iron Dog, billed as the world’s longest snowmobile race, four times.
5. Palin and her husband have five children, Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and Trig. Trig, born in 2008, has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Her son Track joined the army in 2007.
6. Her favorite meal is moose stew.
7. She comes from a family of outdoor enthusiasts. Her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, enjoy hunting and fishing, and have both completed marathons.
8. Palin was named Miss Wasilla in 1984 and was a runner-up for Miss Alaska. In 1996 she was elected mayor of Wasilla.
9. She’s a lifetime NRA member and enjoys hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling.
10. Elected in 2006, she’s Alaska’s first female governor and the youngest governor elected in the state.”
“Congratulations, President McCain.”
Hillary can kiss away 2012 if McCain makes it to Prez.
Thanks for bring that up, Dustoff. Wow. The Hildabeast must be in a frenzy. Watch for a third hurricane forming in the Gulf on radar this week. If McCain wins, which Hillary in her grand strategy was counting on, it all falls apart for her if Palin proves herself as VP. PIAPS could well end up running against a smart, less snarky female with no baggage if she survives politically that long with the Dems. Her cache as a top dog female politician hopefully is over.
You made my day.