McCain's VP pick - Sarah Palin

I heard on the radio this morning that a private plane from Alaska landed in Ohio today ahead of John McCain's announcement of his VP choice.

Speculation abounds that he may have chosen Sarah Palin, first term governor of Alaska (kind of a female republican equivalent to Tim Kaine of VA AND she's best known for supporting drilling in ANWR.)

Boy wouldn't that mix things up!

Some people are still saying they think it will be Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

We don't have to wait long to find out, eh?

She isnt very experienced, (though she is a remarkable person) but generally Governors are considered to be better candidates for president than congressmen, due to the executive nature of the governor's job more closely reflects that of a President. Incidentaly, this election will actually have the first person who was not a governor to be elected president in almost 50 years.

She has executive experience.  She is the ONLY one with executive experience.  The rest of them are senators, and she is actually running something.  She knows how to run against all odds.  She ran against the favored Republican nominee in Alaska and actually won, and then she won against the democrat.  She is a reformer.  She doesn’t just criticize pork barrel spending, she takes action.  The former governor bought a jet, and one of the first things she did in office was she sold the jet on ebay! 

She’s a mother of five, one of which has Down- syndrome. 

She’s blue collar.  She supports the troops, and her eldest of (18 years) five will be deployed next month.  I am still learning about her, but the more I read the more I am intrigued. 

. 

I think it was a smart choice in terms of appealing to the Clintons for McCain voters, but this is going to do NOTHING for his evangelical conservative base. She is a first-term governer who is currently being slammed by speculation that she was abusing her power to get her ex-brother-in-law fired. It also negates his attacks on Obama for lack of experience, and realistically, as old as McCain is, whoever he picks MUST be qualified for the presidency.

It also doesn't help that she's married to an oil company exec  a man who works for a big oil company.

if you think about it,  Someone who is governor of a state like Alaska,  a state thats almost half the size of the "lower 48" with Billions of dollars of natural resources to be managed, has borders on 2 foreign countries (one of which is sometimes less than friendly) , multiple major military installations with Huge logistical significance, is responsible for a local economy that has to have the vast majority of its essential goods imported from thousands of miles away, you could make the argument this person would be as qualified , if not more qualified to have an executive position as VP than say someone who was governor of a backwater state like Arkansas.

"but this is going to do NOTHING for his evangelical conservative base."

on the conrary, she is a strong supporter of pro-life issues, this goes a long way in the eyes of the conservative Christian base.

Yes, but she is a woman. :)

Original Post by crazineko:

 I am still learning about her, but the more I read the more I am intrigued. 

 As am I.  Now, I'm an Obama supporter (surprise!) but with the quick research I've done on on Palin, she's a very interesting person.  I'm very impressed with her record on ethics, particularly her willingness to go after fellow party members.  She actually made good on her campaign promises - how often can a politician claim that?

And she eats moose burgers.  I'm going to have to watch her interviews.

i don't think she's married to an oil executive - I think I read he's a 'production operator'

i don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound like an executive

sounds more like middle management or a worker bee -- but i'm sure we'll find out

it is truly impressive how quickly they get their talking points out and how quickly they start saying them

I just read her bio (it was difficult because everybody is looking her up).  Now I know why he picked her.

She was runner up Miss Alaska!  He does have an eye for beauty queens.  His first wife was a swimsuit model (until she was disfigured by a car accident, and he had to divorce her).  His second wife, the sugarmama, was a rodeo queen. 

It all makes sense now.

Misinformation I was given! Edited to correct. Sorry.

This is going to be really, really interesting.

Obama didnt get any boost at all in the polls from his VP pick (none that i am aware of at least), I wonder what this will do for McCain in the polls. 

Actually, Palin has made her reputation in Alaska by spotlighting ethically challenged colleagues in the Republican Party.   From what I understand there is an independent investigation going on about the ex brother-in law, but I’d bet money it’s based on nothing.  We’ll find out though!  Now that the spotlight is on her, their will be no secrets, and a lot of digging.  McCain wouldn’t choose someone with that if it were true. 

Her husband Todd is a commercial fisherman and oil worker…not an oil exec!  Big Difference.


Edit: Lala- I see you have made that correction.  Cool. 

Original Post by hooligan:

"but this is going to do NOTHING for his evangelical conservative base."

on the conrary, she is a strong supporter of pro-life issues, this goes a long way in the eyes of the conservative Christian base.

 I think hoolie is right on this

She thinks creationism belongs in a science class.

Oh my god, nomoreexcuses, that is terrifying!

And she said she doesn’t know what the vice president does in an interview last month.

This is fun!

Original Post by lalalexi:

Oh my god, nomoreexcuses, that is terrifying!

 Well, to be fair, in the article Nomo linked to, Palin is quoted as saying that she doesn't know "how all this came to be", kind of tip toeing around the question of whether or not she has reconciled her belief in a creator with evolutionary theory.  However, the thing about "teach both" is the standard canard of the ID proponents who know they can't get it into the curriculum just based on its scientific merits.

Nomo, could you explain to me how creationism has anything to do with being pro-life? (nice one though Nomo!  using the pro-life stance to segway into one of Sarah Palins less popular ideas and then tying it to me as if I agree with it!  You should be a dirty tricks- spin doctor or a politician! )

Original Post by hooligan:

"but this is going to do NOTHING for his evangelical conservative base."

on the conrary, she is a strong supporter of pro-life issues, this goes a long way in the eyes of the conservative Christian base.

 I should have bolded the part of your statement I was referencing  ^

so what i was saying was

This, McCain's pick of Palin, and her stance on teaching creationism in science classes

"goes a long way in the eyes of the conservative Christian base"

sorry you couldn't put that together for yourself

i won't be sinking to insults though, so cheers to you buddy! 

And she said she doesn’t know what the vice president does in an interview last month.

 Actually, what's terrifying about that isn't that she didn't know the job of the VP (although that is interesting), but that she indicated the VP slot should be a "fruitful" position, "especially for Alaskans."  I would have an issue with a VP who doesn't think their primary duty is to represent all the states equally.

edited - referenced the wrong quote

you should not have quoted me at all since I was not speaking about creationism at all. You knew exactly what you were doing.