It is now more important than ever for the Republican nominee, John McCain of Arizona, to pick a minority running mate, like Condoleezza Rice, if he wants to have any chance of defeating Obama in November.
[Barack Obama clinches historic Democratic presidential nomination, The iPINIONS Journal, June 4, 2008]
Sarah Palin is a minority, but she is clearly not the one who I thought would be John McCain’s best choice to serve as his VP running mate.
Instead, McCain threw a political Hail Mary yesterday by choosing this relatively unknown and inexperienced governor from Alaska to assume the challenge of serving a heartbeat away from the president of the United States. As long shots go, however, this was a very shrewd gamble.
After all, Palin, a 44-year-old mother of five, gives the 18 million (predominantly white) women in Hillary Clinton’s “sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits” a new candidate in whom they can vest their political aspirations. And, the far-right conservative values she espouses will help McCain reconcile his differences with the religious zealots who have commandeered the base of the Republican Party.
Not to mention that she is a remarkably articulate and compelling politician who I suspect will prove a surprisingly worthy adversary in debates with Barack Obama’s purportedly more-qualified VP running mate, Joe Biden. And this will be especially evident in exchanges on one of the most pressing issues in this year’s presidential campaign, namely, energy independence – on which she is extraordinarily well-versed.
As shrewd a choice as she is, however, I do not think Palin will help McCain get elected president of the United States. Not least because McCain has made foreign policy experience the defining principle of his candidacy, but has now made a mockery of that principle by choosing a VP candidate who would probably be hard pressed to find Afghanistan on a map.
Frankly, I suspect most women are every bit as insulted by McCain’s assertion that Palin is the most qualified person he could find to serve as vice president as blacks were by President (Daddy) Bush’s assertion that Clarence Thomas was the most qualified person he could find to serve on the Supreme Court.
This is why I doubt all of those disgruntled females who participated in the Democratic Primaries will now blithely jump from Hillary’s feminist “caravan of the traveling pantsuits” onto Palin’s conservative skirt tails:
No matter the defiance and rage that has Hillary’s supporters (especially middle-aged white women) now vowing to vote for McCain instead of Obama, I have no doubt that they will come to their senses on election day and vote for Obama. Moreover, I believe they will do so at the behest of their standard bearer, Hillary Clinton.
Besides, why would any of these abortion-rights feminists vote for anti-abortion candidates like Palin – who opposes abortions even in cases of rape and incest, and McCain – who has vowed to appoint Supreme Court justices with a mission to overturn Roe v Wade, which granted women abortion rights…?
[Hillary threatens to fight on for months, but I predict she’ll cry uncle within days, The iPINIONS Journal, June 2, 2008 ]
Nevertheless, here’s to McCain for doing his part to make this the most interesting, dynamic and historic presidential election in American history.
Meanwhile, just as McCain’s announcement of Palin as his VP stole Obama’s thunder (by knocking coverage of his nomination speech off the air), Hurricane Gustav’s landfall on the Gulf Coast will likely steal McCain’s thunder (by knocking coverage of the entire Republican National Convention off the air).
Related Articles:
Obama’s VP running mate: Joe Biden
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Santiago says
Palin proves in deeds his love: being a proud mother of five children, and a son with Down syndrome, is a good sign. She is not a person with a long political experience, but I think that I could trust in this woman.
Santiago, Granada (Spain)
http://opinionciudadano.blogspot.com/
deborah christ says
I would hope that a minor degree in Journalism would not be enough to qualify one for the position of VP. This candidates husband (a private citizen) sits in on her meetings – why? You just might want to explore that aspect. Being a mother of five (?) or four children does not engender trust for me. Please do some investigation on your own before ‘trusting’ anyone. There is way too much at stake at this time in history. Her environmental record is dismal, her control issues are frightening and her husbands (this one realy cares me) interest in her decision making imo is down right scary. I understand that Bill Clinton also fullfilled that role for Hillary. Ok I give up I’m trying to compare this couple from Alaska to the Clintons, this is just crazy – sheer madness.
Omaba-Biden08 They have been vetted….ALOT, with track records ALL over this country – Sarah thinks Pennsylvania is exotic!
Deborah Christ, From the Southern State of Michigan.