Looks like McCain has picked his VP...

Pocono Joe

Not official yet, but news outlets are reporting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is to be his vice presidential running mate.

LET THE BASHING BEGIN!

Einstein

links?

Nevyn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7588435.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

Governer of alsaska, former beauty pagent title holder, NRA life membership,
party whistle blower, Pro Life.

Pocono Joe

Here ya go

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080829/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_mccain_veepstakes
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12966.html
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/29/mccain-to-name-running-mate-on-friday/
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/palin.republican.vp.candidate/index.html

is_that_so

Now that is smart, very smart indeed. Aside from the 27% of Clintonites who claimed they might go for him, now they have a woman, even if she is pro-life. It looks like he intends to go after the centre and let the GOP conservatives either put up or shut up. He may mollify them to an extent given that she is Pro-life but his choice suggests that this is indeed a "time of change". Nice balance of youth and experience. Plus the timing may well knock the expected Obama bump.

Call Me Jimmy

Are women that stupid that they'd be swayed by such a blatant move?

speedboatchase

Even Perez Hilton is excited, its official - McCain's VP pick was a LOT better, voter-wise than Obamas

is_that_so

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Are women that stupid that they'd be swayed by such a blatant move?

Is there an actual point to this rant?

TarfHead

is_that_so wrote: »

Nice balance of youth and experience.

Makes it tricky for him to play the inexperience card against Obama. If he becomes the oldest first-term POTUS, then he has another neophyte just one 'heart episode' away from the Oval Office. And she has even less experience than Obama.

Who would have thought that Obama would not be the least experienced in the contest !

turgon

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Are women that stupid that they'd be swayed by such a blatant move?

Well the bitter Clinton supporters, Yes.

Shes kinda a hottie. Could appeal to white collar bored office workers.

murfie

well considering the vice president pick needs to be a person that can take over the running of the country if anything were to happen to the president, i believe its a terrible choice, but for vote grabbing ya sure why not.
This is nothing to do with "change", its a move to get elected. And he is taking a huge risk moving away from his base in my opinion.

turgon

Its really exiting the way these stories are being updated as we speak!!! TBH, I dont think the fact she may have to be president some day factors in much - unless the Obama camp make something of it. Which, considering McCains age, they may do.

El Stuntman

never heard of her

I assume Biden would shred her in any VP debate

TarfHead

turgon wrote: »

Could appeal to white colour bored office workers.

Does that make manual workers blue colour ? Like Smurfs ?

Nevyn

Ignore her gender and look at the crediblity she bring aside from that.

Sarah Heath Palin (born February 11, 1964) is the current Governor of Alaska, and the Republican vice presidential candidate for the November 2008 election.[1]

Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders,[2] she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election.

Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[4] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[4] Palin kept her campaign promises, reducing her own salary, as well as reducing property taxes 60%.[4] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[4][13] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[7]

In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a four-way race. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[4]

Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission,[14] where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[4] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[15] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[4]

In the first days of her administration, Palin followed through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased (on a state government credit account) by the Murkowski administration. The state placed the jet for sale on eBay three times. In August 2007, the jet was sold for $2.7 million.[40]

is_that_so

I think this is pure politics at work. She ticks a good number of boxes on the GOP side , plus her gender and perceived public morals are not repugnant. As regards experience , she has the edge on Obama in that she has been a governor. Even so the "lack of experience" line in my view is a dead duck at this point. McCain scores better in that the experience is at the top of the ticket.

The pressure is well and truly on Obama to convince the types of voters who are still very wary of him. If he can't get enough blue-collar workers and convince enough Clintonites not to defect then he will lose.

Nevyn

TarfHead wrote: »

Makes it tricky for him to play the inexperience card against Obama. If he becomes the oldest first-term POTUS, then he has another neophyte just one 'heart episode' away from the Oval Office. And she has even less experience than Obama.

Who would have thought that Obama would not be the least experienced in the contest !

How much experience did Bush Jr have when he first ran ?

Call Me Jimmy

is_that_so wrote: »

Is there an actual point to this rant?

Yes, that this is a clear attempt to steal some of the women who were all riled up for hillary. If it worked it would indicate that they chose him because his vice president is a woman. Maybe stupidy is a strong word and I take it back but it'd definately be frivolous.

is_that_so

TarfHead wrote: »

Makes it tricky for him to play the inexperience card against Obama. If he becomes the oldest first-term POTUS, then he has another neophyte just one 'heart episode' away from the Oval Office. And she has even less experience than Obama.

Who would have thought that Obama would not be the least experienced in the contest !

Americans don't vote because of the VP on the ticket. Dan Quayle is one who springs to mind here and Spiro Agnew was no great shakes either.

They are usually added to deliver up a specific geographic and also because they are not necessarily deemed a risk to either the President or the Oval Office.

kenco

Curious choice it has to be said as there was much recent speculation around a woman running mate it certainly was not for Palin (Bailey- Hutchinson was spoken of).

The fact she has been a Governor gives her the executive experience that Obama or Biden dont have and therefore she is a credible VP. However given the likelyhood that an elected McCain may well not make the full four years (check out his medical history and you will know what I mean) is America going to vote for this ticket? Will it make any difference at all to the key swing states? Depends on how the media play this out. While Obama has not gone for any great excitement with his choice there is substantial (albeit legislative) experience there.....

kenco

Thaedydal wrote: »

How much experience did Bush Jr have when he first ran ?

Governor of Texas for at least one term.

is_that_so

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Yes, that this is a clear attempt to steal some of the women who were all riled up for hillary. If it worked it would indicate that they chose him because his vice president is a woman. Maybe stupidy is a strong word and I take it back but it'd definately be frivolous.

27% have already indicated this anyway, even before the announcement. It's always been a problem to get the beaten candidate's supporters to vote for the victor.

Off topic
We voted for Cowan's "they have no experience and therefore can't be trusted to run the country" line.

Call Me Jimmy

is_that_so wrote: »

27% have already indicated this anyway, even before the announcement. It's always been a problem to get the beaten candidate's supporters to vote for the victor.

Yea I understand. I don't think it makes their choice to vote for him based on the fact that he has a woman vice president any less frivolous, though.

CPT. SURF

She was "Miss Congeniality" and a Tv Sports reporter for a local Anchorage T.V. station

turgon

Its on the McCain website

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/Read.aspx?guid=b1a33b7f-5388-4ab9-99a4-95d9d35268ce

toiletduck

El Stuntman wrote: »

never heard of her

I assume Biden would shred her in any VP debate

Wow...

Lot of rumors flying about now, when should we expect official word?

toiletduck

Heh, just saw that!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7588435.stm

CtrlSource

On the face of it, this appears to be a very shrewd move by the McCain campaign

Overheal

I choked on my breakfast when I heard this. Obama just lost the campaign. How did they not see this happening? McCain just secured 25% of the democratic vote.

snow scorpion

Well, I'm impressed:

• championship high school athlete
  
• 1984 runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant (won Miss Congeniality.)
  
• holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association.
  
• Palin kept her campaign promises, reducing her own salary, as well as reducing property taxes by 60%.
  
• She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.
  
• Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.
  
• After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.
  
• Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.
  
• Highlights of Governor Palin's tenure include a successful push for an ethics bill, and also shelving pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. Palin successfully killed the Bridge to Nowhere project that had become a nationwide symbol of wasteful earmark spending.
  
• In 2007, Palin had an approval rating often in the 90s.
  
• A poll published by Hays Research on July 28, 2008 showed Palin's approval rating at 80%.

norbert64

reading a few articles online, they seem to mention some recent scandal hanging over Ms Palins head?

Overheal

actually from what I read she is a good pick.

Switch to the news, McCains going live with the introduction now.

edit: Scandal? Did she shoot her best friend in the face while hunting quail?

Red Hand

I think that it's great that Dana is back in the running for a Presidency, even if its only a Vice Presidency.

is_that_so

norbert64 wrote: »

reading a few articles online, they seem to mention some recent scandal hanging over Ms Palins head?

An ethics investigation, which she said she is "cool" about. By the looks of it she's not even implicated.

RonMexico

McCain just blew it.

Political pandering at its worst.

She is the complete opposite of Hillary in every way. No way her supporters will vote McCain just because she is a woman.

There is an ethics investigation into her office. Her brother in law was in a custody battle and her office put pressure on his boss to fire him. He didn't so they fired his boss instead.

This throws McCains strongest argument against Obama out the window. If McCain croaks a year from now - if elected - then this woman is in charge. If she has enough experience to lead then so has Obama. Only Obama has Joe Biden as his back-up - who will tear her to shreds in the debates. As will Hillary.

Overheal

RonMexico wrote: »

She is the complete opposite of Hillary in every way. No way her supporters will vote McCain just because she is a woman.

Don't be so sure. The vast majority of Hillary supporters had already turned toward voting for McCain after Obama announced Joe Biden. This will really boil down to the debates in the next few weeks.

edit: hey youre right she is a bit of a milf

dublinmayflower

Is anyone else watching John McCain ad Sarah Palin live on the news? How cringeworthy is watching his facial expressions.

Overheal

She sounds half canadian.... EEEEEVVVIIILLLLLLLLL......

norbert64

Even with Palin on board, are Hillary supporters really gonna vote against there own interests/personally held beliefs, just to spite Obama, lol.

I think they'll just write in Hillary or refrain from voting.

the few that may actually do it, won't affect the big picture.

marco murphy

Overheal wrote: »

She sounds half canadian.... EEEEEVVVIIILLLLLLLLL......

NWO. The Candian/Mexican/US alliance has taken a step forward!

Red Hand

Overheal wrote: »

She sounds half canadian.... EEEEEVVVIIILLLLLLLLL......

Just what the hell are you talking aboot?

snow scorpion

Overheal wrote: »

She sounds half canadian.... EEEEEVVVIIILLLLLLLLL......

A joke I heard about Canada:

Canada - the land of 10 months of winter and 2 months of bad skating.

dublinmayflower

At least she could speak to the crowd a bit better than McCain who could hardly take his eyes off his notes, even looking down at them to remember her name!
The plan of upstaging Obama may not have worked too well though as all the news channels are still giving a lot of coverage to Obama's speech last night.

is_that_so

norbert64 wrote: »

Even with Palin on board, are Hillary supporters really gonna vote against there own interests/personally held beliefs, just to spite Obama, lol.

I think they'll just write in Hillary or refrain from voting.

the few that may actually do it, won't affect the big picture.

As I mentioned earlier polls show up to 25% of Hillary's supporters could go for the other guy. With current polls having them neck and neck, even a quarter of that number could materially affect the result.
EDIT: It appears to have got even worse.

...
But there is some bad news for Obama. The poll showed that 66 percent of Clinton supporters -- registered Democrats who want Clinton as the nominee -- are now backing Obama. That's down from 75 percent in the end of June. Twenty-seven percent of them now say they'll support McCain, up from 16 percent in late June.
...

Full Story

McCain is not Bush, even if some people still push the "McBush Lite" line. He is not wholly offensive to some Democrats and has been around a very long time. In my view he is far more bi-partisan than Obama and his senatorial record proves this.

Posted this link some time back on another thread but it is a timely reminder of how hard it can be to get people to vote for the party winner.

dublinmayflower

Those 30% of Hillary supporters were just swing voters anyway. If they are willing to vote McCain over Obama then they never had any belief in the Democratic party's basic ideals. Palin is a pro life, lifetime member off the NRA and aggressively pushing for drilling in the Arctic region. She is the antithesis of Hillary. As Hillary asked on Wednesday night, Were they voting for her or what she believed in and stood for? These people were obviously just in it for Hillary Clinton.

is_that_so

dublinmayflower wrote: »

Those 30% of Hillary supporters were just swing voters anyway. If they are willing to vote McCain over Obama then they never had any belief in the Democratic party's basic ideals. Palin is a pro life, lifetime member off the NRA and aggressively pushing for drilling in the Arctic region. She is the antithesis of Hillary. As Hillary asked on Wednesday night, Were they voting for her or what she believed in and stood for? These people were obviously just in it for Hillary Clinton.

I think you are being both unfair to Clinton supporters and don't seem to understand the type of passion that goes into supporting candidates in Dems primary elections, or in fact any political selection process.
The Dems are a catch-all for all kinds of left-leaning and liberal interests and unity is not something they are typically good at.

As for Clinton, well she did her bit but it may not be enough.
I'd suggest you read that Times article and that new CNN link I posted.

Pocono Joe

Still don’t know much about the surprise pick of Palin… will have to get educated over the weekend.
BUT AT FIRST GLANCE… LOOKS LIKE A WINNER TO ME!

dublinmayflower

is_that_so wrote: »

I think you are being both unfair to Clinton supporters and don't seem to understand the type of passion that goes into supporting candidates in Dems primary elections, or in fact any political selection process.

Oh I understand the passion but do the 70% of Clinton supporters who have switched to Obama somehow have less passion than the other 30%?

ixoy

is_that_so wrote: »

I think you are being both unfair to Clinton supporters and don't seem to understand the type of passion that goes into supporting candidates in Dems primary elections, or in fact any political selection process.
The Dems are a catch-all for all kinds of left-leaning and liberal interests and unity is not something they are typically good at.

So why not abstain from voting at all rather than voting for a party that doesn't represent your ideals? Particularly as Clinton has endorsed Obama.

Sand

Really clever move by McCains campaign team. Looks like an excellent political figure in her own right [ a leader, not afraid to blow the whistle on wrongdoers in her own party - strong anti-corruption credentials, ticks all the typical Republican boxes - NRA, pro life, low taxes etc etc]. Re-asserts the maverick appeal of the McCain ticket.

Shes also younger than Obama and can actually cite real examples of change - her taxation reduction, clearing out corrupt politicians, selling off pointless assets, taking a salary cut. The sort of stuff that will sound more substanstial than just talking about change as a vague concept.

Obama will probably have been planning to deal with a Romney, and now will have to scramble on how theyre going to attack McCains VP for being inexperienced without looking foolish...

McCain might just have won the election with that decision - Biden underwhelmed, but this choice will surprise people.

Manic Moran

Curious choice it has to be said as there was much recent speculation around a woman running mate it certainly was not for Palin (Bailey- Hutchinson was spoken of).

Palin's name had come up a couple of months ago, I just didn't think she'd get picked.

NTM