Palin?

[TexasTiger 13,557]

Will McCain really pick a 44 year-old 2 year governor in hopes of peeling off Hillary supporters?

[AURaptor 1,137]

I could be wrong, but I think McCain's choice has to be one who's American born. Michael Palin is British, last I checked

But he'd sure be a laugh riot, especially compared to the current VP !

[autigeremt 6,970]

McCain will present Palin as the VP choice today in Dayton, OH.

Texas.....there's no way you can sugar coat this choice. Your candidate has no grounds to dispute experience.

[Justin5 20]

I hope he picks her. Biden will chew her up in one debate and that will be all the impact it has on the campaign.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

I hope he picks her. Biden will chew her up in one debate and that will be all the impact it has on the campaign.

How much do you know about her debating skills?

[Justin5 20]

I keep hearing its Palin from people on the Hill. Sounds like a done deal.

[bigsixfive 336]

Looks done to me.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/29/mc...mate-on-friday/

[RunInRed 16,994]

What is the most important quality of a VP: being able to step in and be ready to lead if some thing were to happen to the President. Experience, ready to lead, what? Palin, seriously? Some thing tells me they are high fiving in the Obama headquarters in Chicago.

TV chatter:

Chuck Todd

"They really wanted to pick a woman, and there were no obvious choices. "

Pat Buchanan

"Biggest political gamble I believe just about in American political history...that is not hyberbole. I can think of no choice of VP that approaches this."

Joe Scarborough

"I can't imagine a woman that's been a governor for a year and a half, but to debate Joe Biden on Georgia, a remerging Russia, an emerging China and India, on the Middle East, my God, how does she do that?"

Taking "experience" off the table

"The Sarah Quayle Palin pick is an abandonment of the "Obama is not ready to lead" attack lines. Those are dead, and to be honest, while that line didn't work for Hillary and it had limited traction for McCain, it still had some traction. That attack line is gone.

Quayle Palin is also a an ideologue, on choice, on the environment, on energy -- all the way down the line. This an ideological pick in an election where self-identified Republicans are a dying breed and Democratic self-identification is skyrocketing. McCain has abandoned any notion of playing for the center. He's looking to shore up his right flank and hoping that the Evangelical Right can somehow drag McCain over the line.

[Justin5 20]

I hope he picks her. Biden will chew her up in one debate and that will be all the impact it has on the campaign.

How much do you know about her debating skills?

For example:

Biden: "Governor Palin, who is our best strategic partner in curbing Russian aggression? What nations are most opposed, and most supportive, of U.S. development of a missile defense system? Given the situations in Zimbabwe and Kenya in the last year, what must we do to help developing Nations transition to stable democracies in the next 4 years? What non-Supreme court judges would you point to as a model of your judicial philosophy? Etc. etc."

[tiger88 934]

What is the most important quality of a VP: being able to step in and be ready to lead if some thing were to happen to President. Experience, ready to lead, what? Palin, seriously? Some thing tells me they are high fiving in the Obama headquarters in Chicago.

TV chatter:

Chuck Todd

"They really wanted to pick a woman, and there were no obvious choices. "

Pat Buchanan

"Biggest political gamble I believe just about in American political history...that is not hyberbole. I can think of no choice of VP that approaches this."

Joe Scarborough

"I can't imagine a woman that's been a governor for a year and a half, but to debate Joe Biden on GEorgia, a remerging Russia, an emerging China and India, on the Middle East, my God, how does she do that?"

I LOVE THIS PICK, PERIOD.

If obama can attempt to debate Mcaain, Palin can hold her own against a prick like biden. I'll take 2 yrs as a governor as opposed to two yrs as a senator anyday. I just like what I have seen and heard about this woman.

[Justin5 20]

Fyi, Palin's husband works for BP.

It's too perfect, thanks GOP I thought you were better than to give us a softball like this one.

[tiger88 934]

I hope he picks her. Biden will chew her up in one debate and that will be all the impact it has on the campaign.

How much do you know about her debating skills?

For example:

Biden: "Governor Palin, who is our best strategic partner in curbing Russian aggression? What nations are most opposed, and most supportive, of U.S. development of a missile defense system? Given the situations in Zimbabwe and Kenya in the last year, what must we do to help developing Nations transition to stable democracies in the next 4 years? What non-Supreme court judges would you point to as a model of your judicial philosophy? Etc. etc."

In the debates that matter most your inexperienced senator will go up against the exact same obstacles that she will face in debating Biden.

Our VP pick has as much experienceas governor as your pres. pick has sentorial experience.

Your glee party is unfounded and will be short lived.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

And you really think Biden is so pure as the wind-driven snow that Palin and McCain won't have any sticky questions to pepper him with?

Palin has gotten rave reviews for ethics reforms in Alaska, whistleblowing on her own party. And like it or not, her being a woman it does blunt a little bit of the novelty of Obama being a minority pick.

I don't know a ton about the woman, but I think it's a tad early to be licking your chops and thinking you're being lobbed a softball.

[tiger88 934]

Fyi, Palin's husband works for BP.

It's too perfect, thanks GOP I thought you were better than to give us a softball like this one.

So what? Oil is a necessity of life at the moment. Most rational people want to drill now and often until alternatives are in place. It is idiotic hard core liberals who don't want to.

Right now70%+ of americans want more drilling. I don't see how the fact that her hubby works for bp affects anyones view negatively other than hard core libs who won't ever vote repub anyways.

Your issue is a non issue.

[tiger88 934]

And you really think Biden is so pure as the wind-driven snow that Palin and McCain won't have any sticky questions to pepper him with?

Palin has gotten rave reviews for ethics reforms in Alaska, whistleblowing on her own party. And like it or not, her being a woman it does blunt a little bit of the novelty of Obama being a minority pick.

I don't know a ton about the woman, but I think it's a tad early to be licking your chops and thinking you're being lobbed a softball.

Amen! From what I already know about her, I love this pick.

[RunInRed 16,994]

And you really think Biden is so pure as the wind-driven snow that Palin and McCain won't have any sticky questions to pepper him with?

Palin has gotten rave reviews for ethics reforms in Alaska, whistleblowing on her own party. And like it or not, her being a woman it does blunt a little bit of the novelty of Obama being a minority pick.

I don't know a ton about the woman, but I think it's a tad early to be licking your chops and thinking you're being lobbed a softball.

I'm not going to tear this lady apart yet b/c like you, I don't know much about her other than two years ago, she was part-time mayor of a village of 7,000. But I would like the answer to this question: if G_d forbid some thing were to happen to a potential 72 year old President McCain, is she ready to step in and be the leader of the free world? And if the answer is "yes", what is now the Republican "experience" argument about Obama?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Just going on what I know of her (which isn't a ton), here's why this is potentially an excellent strategic pick for McCain:

1. Woman. Targets disaffected Hillary supporters. McCain doesn't need to peel off huge numbers here, just keep them from going en masse for Obama.

2. Pro-life. Helps solidify the conservative base that would have revolted over a Ridge or Giuliani pick and would have been non-jazzed with Romney.

3. Reformer. She beat out incumbents that needed beating and blew the whistle on ethics violations in her own party.

4. Experience? Not much. But then again, her experience compares well to Obama's. Mayor of a small town, served on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and then governor. So she already has more executive experience than him. Obama was a Chicago community organizer and then served 143 actual days in the Senate since his election November 2004. When you pair Biden with McCain and Palin with Obama, the experience question is still a net gain for the McCain ticket.

Obviously, until we see what kind of campaigner she is and how she handles the debate, the jury is out. But it's a bold pick, I'll give him that.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

And you really think Biden is so pure as the wind-driven snow that Palin and McCain won't have any sticky questions to pepper him with?

Palin has gotten rave reviews for ethics reforms in Alaska, whistleblowing on her own party. And like it or not, her being a woman it does blunt a little bit of the novelty of Obama being a minority pick.

I don't know a ton about the woman, but I think it's a tad early to be licking your chops and thinking you're being lobbed a softball.

I'm not going to tear this lady apart yet b/c like you, I don't know much about her other than two years ago, she was part-time mayor of a village of 7,000. But I would like the answer to this question: if G_d forbid some thing were to happen to a potential 72 year old President McCain, is she ready to step in and be the leader of the free world? And if the answer is "yes", what is now the Republican "experience" argument about Obama?

The difference: your ticket isn't Biden-Obama. It's the other way around. And she already has more experience than Obama. As I said above, she's been a mayor and a governor. So she already has more executive experience than Obama. That trumps community organizer and 143 days as a senator before he announced his candidacy.

[jw 4 au 526]

Just going on what I know of her (which isn't a ton), here's why this is potentially an excellent strategic pick for McCain:

1. Woman. Targets disaffected Hillary supporters. McCain doesn't need to peel off huge numbers here, just keep them from going en masse for Obama.

2. Pro-life. Helps solidify the conservative base that would have revolted over a Ridge or Giuliani pick and would have been non-jazzed with Romney.

3. Reformer. She beat out incumbents that needed beating and blew the whistle on ethics violations in her own party.

4. Experience? Not much. But then again, her experience compares well to Obama's. Mayor of a small town, served on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and then governor. So she already has more executive experience than him. Obama was a Chicago community organizer and then served 143 actual days in the Senate since his election November 2004. When you pair Biden with McCain and Palin with Obama, the experience question is still a net gain for the McCain ticket.

Obviously, until we see what kind of campaigner she is and how she handles the debate, the jury is out. But it's a bold pick, I'll give him that.

A few other notes of interest I would like to add.

1. Timing. The timing is classic, almost Karl Rove-like, coming the day after Obama's big speech. That's ancient history now. Could have only been sneakier if it was "leaked" last night around 10pm.

2. BP. Isn't BP one of the few big oil companies that does not get any oil from the middle east? That can be spun in her favor in a huge way when the Dems start to nit-pick on that issue.

3. Woman. To add to your comments above, didn't Hillary get a big boost for election in NY during a debate where the incumbant Republican kind of spoke down to her, maybe even walked over to her podium or something? With Bidens gaffe record, he could look like a male chauvinist pig if he tries to hammer her to hard on the issues. Has he ever made anti-feminine comments before? We will soon find out.

[RunInRed 16,994]

TT - that's a pretty shallow argument when you look the facts:

Palin's elected experience: served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and served two terms of Mayor of Wasilla (population ~7,000). Governor of Alaska since 2006.

Obama's elected experience: served two terms as a state senator from Illinois from 1997 to 2004. U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2008.

Regardless, I assume you are taking the position that this "executive experience" makes her qualified and ready to lead the free world if some thing were to happen to McCain?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

TT - that's a pretty shallow argument when you look the facts:

Palin's elected experience: served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and served two terms of Mayor of Wasilla (population ~7,000). Governor of Alaska since 2006.

Obama's elected experience: served two terms as a state senator from Illinois from 1997 to 2004. U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2008.

No, it's not shallow. She has 2 years of statewide executive experience and 8 years of local executive experience. Obama has none. Obama's US Senate experience was a scant 145 days when he announced this run for President and the nature of a campaign makes it hard to really serve full time since. And neither that nor the state senate is executive experience. We have no idea how Obama will handle a "buck stops here" kind of role.

So, all things considered, she actually has a slight edge in the experience category vs Obama. But she's not at the top of the ticket. Obama is.

Regardless, I assume you are taking the position that this "executive experience" makes her qualified and ready to lead the free world if some thing were to happen to McCain?

At least as qualified, actually more qualified experience-wise, than Obama.

[Wishbone 0]

McCain is one huge disappointment after another. What a pathetic campaign! Is this the best we can offer???

[autigeremt 6,970]

If Obama is president, how does a 1/2 term senator who has spent the majority of his time campaigning for President make himself ready to lead this nation?

It's a sticky question for the dems, now isn't it. It's a great pick!

[OldNewby 27]

Fyi, Palin's husband works for BP.

It's too perfect, thanks GOP I thought you were better than to give us a softball like this one.

How does the gas that flies our planes, runs our trucks/trains/cars/motorcycles get from the ground to the pump? Many people work for BP and other oil companies. Some of them even get their hands dirty.

Is yours the opinion of a Washington Insider - us versus them? Do you really think the majority of American voters think that way? Personally, I'm sick of the attitude.

Too bad Governors Mark Warner and Brian Schweitzer, both with executive experience and private enterprise experience, were overlooked.

I'm ecstatic. Point guard, hunter, angler, broadcaster, beautiful mother of five, mayor, Governor, articulate, popular, honest - what's not to like?

[arnaldoabru 11]

TT - that's a pretty shallow argument when you look the facts:

Palin's elected experience: served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and served two terms of Mayor of Wasilla (population ~7,000). Governor of Alaska since 2006.

Obama's elected experience: served two terms as a state senator from Illinois from 1997 to 2004. U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2008.

No, it's not shallow. She has 2 years of statewide executive experience and 8 years of local executive experience. Obama has none. Obama's US Senate experience was a scant 145 days when he announced this run for President and the nature of a campaign makes it hard to really serve full time since. And neither that nor the state senate is executive experience. We have no idea how Obama will handle a "buck stops here" kind of role.

So, all things considered, she actually has a slight edge in the experience category vs Obama. But she's not at the top of the ticket. Obama is.

Regardless, I assume you are taking the position that this "executive experience" makes her qualified and ready to lead the free world if some thing were to happen to McCain?

At least as qualified, actually more qualified experience-wise, than Obama.

As Mayor of a town of 7,000 she had to decide the best location for the Moose Drop Festival