Palin Options

[Robert]

Just wanted to point out I called Palin as VP over 4 months ago, for all the same reasons the decision was made now.
If McCain wins, I honestly believe this will be what puts him over the top.

Also you couldn't ask for better timing to make this announcement.
The DNC convention ended last night with a huge bang an there's not a single leading news story about it.
The news is 100% about Palin as VP.
Talk about stealing someones thunder.

I hope they win an McCain dies the next day.

[HammaTime]

You really think this was a good choice??

She is under a state ethics investigation and could be forced to step down as governor. The investigation results are scheduled to be announced before the November election.

She was a mayor of a small town, and now has under 2 years experience as governor of one of the smallest population states in the country. She has no foreign policy experience. She is a climate change denialist. McCain met her ONCE for crying out loud!!

If this is someone you think is GOOD for the ticket, I'd love to learn who you think would have been a bad choice.

Sure hope she has had some debating experience, as Biden would be a challenge for even the most experienced debater. Perhaps she'll do an Admiral Stockdale, "Who am I?? Why am I here?"

I would view this choice as very, very poor. No Kay Bailey?? No Condi?? She will do for this ticket what Geraldine did for Mondale.

Over 40 million watched Obama's speech - more than the worldwide audience that watched the opening of the Olympics. This was stealing thunder??

[Bargod]

Have you forgotten who Druid... errr... Robert is?

Sarcasm rules the day!

I'm sorry if I forget your mentioning it, Robert, but a few weeks ago or so I hit a blog that had a HOT picture of her when she was younger and talked about how she could be a VP candidate. At the time I thought it was mostly stupid. I say mostly only because I could see the benefits of choosing her.

BTW, it has nothing to do with the welfare of our nation.

Obama is realtivly young and inexperienced. Apparently people love that (I'm going to try to be neutral for this evaluation). However Obama has run into trouble becuase Feminists feel robbed of their candidate, much in the way of Gore losing to Bush. This isn't just a standard, I'm bitter we lost, but a "we got robbed of our woman candidate and we're pissed".

Now, add to this the fact that this is the most middle of the road election we've had as long as I can recall, which isn't much less than you guys.

In my oppinion this is a poor gamble, but a very understandable one. If the people want "fresh and new ideas", well, she's got them. If you are upset a woman wasn't put on the Dem ticket, well the Rep's got that covered too. Hell, she's a regular Mom! She's barely a politician at all, so how's that for wanting a person who isn't jaded by DC?!?!!?

Frankly I don't even know where to go at this point. Russia has added a HUGE twist to the election. Personally I want the EU to handle that. It doesn't effect us as much as them and we are spread to thin to do anything other than bomb shit, so I want Sarkozy to have to deal with that shit. I'm worried that if we go Republican we'll get too involved there. I was really worried about McCain picking Lieberman. We don't need a third front. Israel will take care of business if needed. No need getting our boys involved.

Ok, I think I had some other point, but I'm tired and getting buzzed and I think I'm still jet lagged. This jet lag thing is really pissing me off. I thought I could beat it. I had it all figured out. I was wrong. I'm beat.

[realdeal]

Great choice. It's amazing to me how they keep bringing up her lack of experience yet she has more experience than Obama and he's at the top of the dems ticket. The more they bring it up, the more they hurt themselves.

Just wanted to point out I called Palin as VP over 4 months ago, for all the same reasons the decision was made now.
If McCain wins, I honestly believe this will be what puts him over the top.

Pics or it didn't happen!

[Shred]

She has a nice smile. Makes me want to see her naked bottom. May get my vote. Never know.

[Robert]

Me calling it 4 months ago
http://www.mobclan.com/forums/upload/index...st&p=172605

She is under a state ethics investigation and could be forced to step down as governor. The investigation results are scheduled to be announced before the November election.
I'm sure everyone who was part of this decision to pick her probably know everything about this investigation.
More than everyone who brings this up against her.
If there was any chance this dog would bite she wouldn't have been picked.
I did a lot of reading about this today and for me it sounds like a loser if people are pinning their hopes this will hurt the McCain/Palin ticket.
1) The guy who they claim was pressured to be fired, wasn't fired.
2) The guy ( Monegan ) who was fired an claims it "May or may not" be due to pressure by Palin refuses to talk to the investigators. He will only go on the record if subpoenaed.
3) Monegan serves in a position that is within the control of Palin as Governor. So she's within her right to hire or fire anyone in that position. The only reason this is questioned is because of Why, which wasn't brought up until afterwards.
4) So Palin, her husband and staff have all freely talked to people investigating this, the person who claims he "May have been, he admits he doesn't know for sure" doesn't want to talk to investigators.
5) Want to know why Monegan doesn't want to talk about it. He was supplied with information that Wooten, tasered his son, hunting illegally, drunk driving, and video proof that Wooten had filed and was collecting on a bogus work comp claim. What did Monegan do when he was contacted by Mr. Palin about all that, nothing.
Maybe I'll be wrong but I don't see this going anywhere.
I think that's why you keep hearing how Palin is under an ethics investigation but none of the facts.



She was a mayor of a small town, and now has under 2 years experience as governor of one of the smallest population states in the country. She has no foreign policy experience. She is a climate change denialist. McCain met her ONCE for crying out loud!!
I laugh every time I see someone bring up her lack of experience. It's silly to claim she's to inexperienced to be VP while Obama has no more experience is a great choice for President. Obama was only a Senator for 2 years before announcing his bid for president.
What where his big accomplishments during his short stint in the senate.
* Overall missed 30% of the votes.
* When Mr. Change did vote, he voted party line 97% which is why he's ranked as the most liberal senator.
Unlike all the political hawks talking about experience or lack there of, I don't think it matters.
I don't believe any job could really prepare someone for president of the U.S.
To me it comes down to the person, I'm not a slave to part lines like most people.
For a long list of reasons I think she was a better pick that anyone else mentioned as a possible VP.




"Sure hope she has had some debating experience, as Biden would be a challenge for even the most experienced debater. Perhaps she'll do an Admiral Stockdale, "Who am I?? Why am I here?"
This is another issue I've sen raised a lot on several sites.
I don't think it' going to be an issue. There is only 1 VP debate, which rarely is an active open debate.
It's much more of a forum for talking points than actual debate. I think Biden will have to careful how he tries to go after Palin. Since she's an outsider, I think it will make her a harder target.
Can't attack her on experience, she'll just throw his own words about Obama in his face.



Over 40 million watched Obama's speech - more than the worldwide audience that watched the opening of the Olympics. This was stealing thunder??
I think it's great that many people watched the end of the DNC. It means people are getting involved, which is always a good thing. It's a failure on your part if you think those numbers automatically translate into Obama supporters. May guess is almost half where people who won't be voting or supporting Obama, like myself.
As I pointed out earlier, As huge as his speech was, barely a mention of it in th news the next day because McCains VP announcement stole the thunder from the DNC.
People are playing up Obama's boost in the polls following the close of the DNC. Honestly it's completely typical and was expected. McCain will see a similar boost after the RNC.
In fact Obama's current 8-point swing is BELOW average for a post-convention bounce.
The average since 64 has been 10%.
You can't count polls or any other indicator this early. If they were really indicative of who would win, Kerry would have won in 2004.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's still an uphill battle for McCain/Palin Ticket. I simply think this ticket has more of a chance than other likely pick.

What I do know is Obmam's Campaign 1st response of dismissing Palin was all wrong, which is why Obama/Biden quickly came out an officially apologized for the preliminary response.
The O/B ticket will have to play this very carefully, if their seen as unfairly attacking M/P because of Palin.
2-3% of pissed off or offended female voters will change the outcome of this election.

[realdeal]

Me calling it 4 months ago
http://www.mobclan.com/forums/upload/index...st&p=172605

You do know I was kidding... right?

[Robert]

Of course I did, didn't know about anyone else who might read this.

[Shred]

Maybe Druid has a crystal ball. Or possibly just ESPN.

[Bargod]

Different blog, but this was the pic:

http://askpang.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/sabine5.jpg

[HammaTime]

Me calling it 4 months ago

Amazing call! How did you come up with that??

I'm sure everyone who was part of this decision to pick her probably know everything about this investigation.

Riiiiggght. And weren't these the same people who thought Hussein had WMDs, and Al Qaeda was in Iraq working with Saddam ...

I did a lot of reading about this today and for me it sounds like a loser if people are pinning their hopes this will hurt the McCain/Palin ticket.

The investigation could certainly amount to a hill of beans, but it is an INVESTIGATION into her ETHICS, when she claims to be ethical. It is certainly a distraction, it certainly raises questions of her judgment once she attains office. And I don't know where you have been hearing about the investigation, but none of the facts, virtually every article I've read to date cites many of the issues you've brought forth. Certainly we will learn more and more about this affair. Dangerous for the McCain campaign? Probably not, but clearly an added element of risk for a campaign that can least afford it.

It's silly to claim she's to inexperienced to be VP while Obama has no more experience is a great choice for President. Obama was only a Senator for 2 years before announcing his bid for president.

Obama has something in his background that supersedes his relative lack of experience, something that Palin can't possibly match - he engaged and defeated perhaps the strongest presidential candidate in recent history, a candidate who had the support of her party's staunchest and richest supporters. He may not have convinced you or me that he has the right amount of experience, but he sure convinced a majority of Democrats that he has the judgment of a leader.

Palin was interviewed on Kudlow & Cramer last month and asked her interviewer, "As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?"

So, Palin brings to the ticket very little experience and she now starts her campaign for an office for which she doesn't know precisely what will be required of her. Great.

Did she even campaign for McCain? I haven't seen any evidence, in fact, in an interview last month she sounded hopeful that Obama would win her state as he represented the same "change" that she had been pushing for in her campaign for governor.

It's a failure on your part if you think those numbers automatically translate into Obama supporters. May guess is almost half where people who won't be voting or supporting Obama, like myself.

Obviously, not all the viewers of his speech were supporters. If half the viewers were supporters, I'd be surprised, but we miss the greater picture here. The Obama campaign required that those who received tickets to the speech had to commit to six hours of volunteer time between now and the election. That translates into an incredible amount of physical support that won't be dampened by the timing of McCain's announcement.

I generally don't like to cite empirical evidence, but I attended a party last night and was surprised that everyone had watched the speech, with one exception, and that was because of a prior commitment. What everyone wanted to talk about was Obama's argument that these past eight years shouldn't be rewarded with four more. These people had clearly bought into the McSame argument. If this same conversation was occurring across the country, McCain and Palin have their work cut out for them.

I'm looking forward to hearing from Palin. She certainly is a unique choice, and perhaps what America needs right now is some unique thinking. Certainly, the status quo is not cutting it!!

[Robert]

Another funny comparison between Biden and Palin.
Dems keep trying to minimze the fact she was ONLY the Govenor of Alaska ( pop. 670,000 )
Kind of a weak point when you consider Biden's is ONLY a senator from Delaware.
Whats Delaware's claim to fame, oh that's right. "At least we're bigger than Rhode Island"
Ranked 49th in size and 45th by population.

Or Palin critics could just stick with the overblown ethics issue.
Then again that may not be a good idea since Biden lost his 1988 presidential bid partly due to him plagiarizing someone else's speech. I guess some people don't learn, he got in trouble during law school where he got flunked out of a class for plagiarizing another paper.
He didn't do much better in math since he claims he graduated in the top half of his class.
Unless you think 75 is half of 85 because that's where he ranked in his graduating class.



As for her reply during the interview where she says "I don't know what a VP does"
That was clearly a joke. Which is obviously why every clip I've seen on T.V. of that cuts her answer short.

[Robert]

Something I do agree with Hamma on.
While I don't strongly agree with the McSame argument, I do completely agree that will be McCain's biggest hurdle. In my personal opinion it's his biggest weaknesses.
McCain played much better as possible president when he was more of a centralist or Moderate.
Unfortunately for him, I think his prior independent attitude was better but he had to move more right to capture the Republican nomination.
In a roundabout way I think this is why Palin will play so well for him.
Both sides will find something to like in her.
She's a very strong conservative so the hardline Pubs will like her. While at the same time shes taken a strong stand against Republican interest when she personally disagreed with it, which the more independent Pubs will like.

Win or lose, yesterday saw a huge spike in my interest level.

[HammaTime]

McCain played much better as possible president when he was more of a centralist or Moderate.

I thoroughly agree with this, but for me it isn't a matter of where he resided on the political chart, it was that he was a passionate advocate for HIS POSITION. He was willing to engage anyone in a debate and he chose his side on an issue based upon his judgment, not the recent polling results.

I shouldn't emphasize this too much, as I think a lot of the folklore of his being a maverick is just that, folklore. I've heard from a few elderly folks (70's -80's) who feel they all too readily recognize aging issues in his behavior.

A terrific match up would have been the McCain of 2000 vs. Obama.

[HammaTime]

Ooops! The local reaction in Alaska to her selection hasn't been very positive. The Anchorage Daily News had a mix of reactions, and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner editorial was far from glowing.