McCain picks Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as running mate

[JLI Jesse]

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, NBC News has learned.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25970882/

[michaelintp]

This is a surprise (at least to me)!  Here are another couple of articles ... interesting to see how different Media outlets report (spin?) the same story differently.  [With MSNBC being the most liberal, and Fox the most conservative]

Washington Post:  http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/08/mccain_picks_palin.html?hpid=topnews

Fox News: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/29/sarah-palin-seen-as-gop-rising-star/

[Curtis Metcalf]

Interesting choice. I imagine they are trying to pick up disgruntled Hil-Rod supporters. I wonder if her youth and relative experience make it harder to attack Sen. Obama on those grounds. She would be one McCain heartbeat from the big chair.

Nah, what am I saying, these are the Republicans we're talking about.  
<*nudges Michael*>

[karaszero]

McCain is a joke, he criticizes obama for being too inexperienced to be president but he picks an inexperienced running mate,then he insults clinton supporters by insinuating they they are so pressed to have a woman in the WH that they will vote for any woman LOL!

[moor]

Pro-Life, Pro-Oil, and Pro-Ted Stevens. 

Well Done, Senator.  Well done.

[Vic Vega]

How can you be a "GOP rising star" when nobody's ever heard of you? Wouldn't that be Pawlenty?

I guess the GOP is giving up the "got no experience" angle because she has far less executive experience than Obama does (and lacks Obama brainiac cred to boot).   

This is a fairly blatant grab for disaffected Hillary voters. It will be interesting to see if the PUMA's would rather vote for somebody with ovaries than somebody who actually shares their values(Palin is a Creationist who is Pro-Life and Pro-Defense Of Marriage Act).

The one GOOD thing about this pick from the Repubs point of view is that Biden can't utterly destroy her in a debate without looking like a meanie.

The woman is essentially Dan Qualye redux.

[JLI Jesse]

The woman is essentially Dan Qualye redux.

But remember, he did became Vice President Dan Quayle

[Sam Wilson]

Am I the only person thinking, what the f*ck?

[Mastrmynd]

yup.
even republicans are confused.
me? i see the move as being patronizingly obvious.

i'm dumbfounded.

[wgreason]

Clarence Thomas 1991
Harriet Miers 2005
Sarah Palin 2008

[Vic Vega]

Clarence Thomas 1991
Harriet Miers 2005
Sarah Palin 2008

Heh.

This list reminds us of one of the Republican Party's most tried and true tactics: Find a "model" minority stooge that is an utter mediocrity in thier field then then elevate them to the national stage citing "diversity".  Then congratulate yourself on your actions.

I can only wonder what Senator Kay Hutchinson makes of all this. I imagine her stance on immigration is what did her in.

[wgreason]

The selection of Sarah Palin as the Republican nominee for Vice-President is a carefully calculated distraction.  She was chosen today in the same spirit that Clarence Thomas was chosen in 1991 and Harriet Miers was in 2005.

The nation has already spent five hours too long discussing this matter.

It is time to get back to the serious politics of the year -- understanding Barack Obama's agenda for national change as he explained it on Thursday, August 28.

Geraldine Ferraro made history back in 1984.  Barack Obama will do it even better in 2008.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/29/gergen-a-political-masterpiece-2/

[Mastrmynd]

well said greason.

[KIP LEWIS]

It was probably a brillant move.  Talked to two friends who come from two ends of the Republican vote.  One would be classified as the religious right and the other is as far from religion as he wants to get.  Both think she's a brillant choice and like what they see about her.

See, she's not for pulling your vote (i.e., pulling the vote of those solidly supporting Obama), because no matter who he picked, you won't be voting for him. She's there for others.  She will solidify the Republican base which has been shaky for McCain.  Had he picked Romeny, a pro-choice person, he would have lost some of his base. 

And she's on the ticket for that small group (probably smaller than people think) who are ticked off about Hillary and realize that McCain's so old that it's a good chance that you won't be electing the first Woman VP, but the First Woman President.

And someone noted that these -8 odd-ball choices for the Republicans tend to work out.  In 68, Nixon picked Spiro Agno and people thought that was crazy.  They win.  88, Bush Sr. picks Dan Quayle and people mocked it. They win.  Now, in 08, they do it again.

How can you be a "GOP rising star" when nobody's ever heard of you? Wouldn't that be Pawlenty?

I guess the GOP is giving up the "got no experience" angle because she has far less executive experience than Obama does (and lacks Obama brainiac cred to boot).  

Actually, Obama has more political experience, and she has more executive experience than Obama.  A governor is an executive office position; a Senator is not an executive.  He has no executive experience.  Of course, technically, McCain doesn't either. 

[michaelintp]

This amuses me.  Obama supporters have been complaining about the emphasis on Obama's lack of experience, and now every time they raise the matter as to Palin it will bring to the listener's mind Obama's lack of experience.  

Remember, Obama is running for the head slot.  Not VP.  If Obama is elected, he will not be a "heartbeat away from the Presidency" ...  his heart will be beating in the body of the President.  

Oh brother ... those Democrats. (nudges Curtis in response.   )

Well, this clinches it for me ... I'm voting for McCain!