In a very unusual move, McCain chose Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as his running mate. The first female on a GOP ticket, 44 years-old and socially conservative.
She might still take a few hits from parts of the religious right because she has a number of young children and I’ve already read some grumbles that she ought to be more concerned about being a good parent and less concerned about the halls of power right now. Sexist attitude since men don’t face those questions? Sure, but the “traditional family values” base won’t look kindly on that fact. They might look away, but the question of propriety will linger.
My take is the McCain team hopes this will be seen as a bold move and might pull the pro-Clinton, anti-Obama — the so-called PUMAs — vote. That simply will not happen. Those women will not vote-in an administration with an agenda to overturn Roe v. Wade, and McCain/Palin would certainly do so.
The reality is more likely to be something along the lines of internal polling showing McCain losing in any set of circumstances that don’t involve Clinton’s base. If so the Palin pick is hopelessly desperate.
She’ll get her lunch eaten on the trail and she has zero gravitas or clout to be the attack dog of the campaign team, the traditional role of the vice presidential nominee. Just watch Biden over the next couple of months. Don’t even consider the veep debates. All Palin can hope for is exceeding minuscule expectations, not unlike what Bush 43 pulled off against Gore in 2000.
All in all? A shocking choice and I think a tacit admission of practically insurmountable odds against a historic candidate in Obama. I’ve been strongly leaning Obama for a while now, although I’ve always liked McCain, the politician. The tone of his campaign of late has turned me off and the Palin pick ensures McCain won’t get my vote this year.
From the link way up in the first sentence:
Ms. Palin, 44, a social conservative, former union member and mother of five who has been governor for two years, was on none of the widely discussed McCain campaign short lists for vice president. In selecting her, Mr. McCain reached far outside the Washington Beltway in an election year in which the Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, is running on a platform of change.