I really believe we will look back at this week as the week that changed the election, if we do the right thing. The Convention was a resounding smash. And McCain’s VP selection was a resounding thud, but we have to point it out.
Whether someone can take over in a moment’s notice is THE, UNIVERSAL, BASIC standard that everyone of every ideology agrees is the test for a VP. Everyone in America with a brain cell is “saying hold on a minute.” Don’t let that thought slip out of their heads.
Sarah Palin is the 2008 Dan Quayle. Actually, I’m not being fair to Dan Quayle. Quayle had a law degree, served in the US House for 4 years and in the US Senate for 8. Sarah Palin was the mayor of a village and has been governor of a state of 500,000 people for about 20 months.
We’re talking about the absolute bare minimum here. 20 months is what separates her from being the average Joe on the street. And the average Joe on the street realizes this and is scratching his head.
Common arguments in the blogosphere being presented against calling this out go as follows:
“But attacking her highlights Obama’s inexperience…”
Obama has been in the US Senate for over 3 years, including the Foreign Relations committee. He has traveled around abroad meeting world leaders alongside people like Dick Lugar and Chuck Hagel. Prior to that he represented roughly 225,000 people in the Illinois State Senate for 8 years. She was the mayor of a village and we have no idea if she knows the difference between Iran and Iraq.
(For those worried about a double standard on the issue of judgment, please provide me a copy of Palin’s speech detailing the disaster that would be invading Iraq.)
“She has executive experience.”
You’d think it’d be hard to screw up running a village, but she did.
“If Kaine had been chosen, you’d be praising his selection…”
Kaine, too, is more experienced than Palin, and yet even he too was not chosen because of this.
“But she’s the VP, not the President…”
Yeah but McCain is on his deathbed. There’s about a 50% chance she would have to take over in the next 8 years.
Don’t be fooled by conservative activists and GOP surrogates who have been spinning furiously. Nary a one can prove she knows anything about foreign policy. They are happy she’s pro drilling, but she’s been on record as supporting Obama’s energy plan.
All this was was a pander to women. McCain took his biggest decision so far and decided to use it for an empty pander.
The GOP now has no national security argument. They have no experience argument. And they never had an economic argument.
This is manna from heaven. GOP strategists are hoping and praying we don’t swing at the softball that’s been lobbed to us. Let’s not do them a favor. We need to define her now, while we can.
Plus this all underscores McCain’s poor judgment. Plus it underscores McCain’s desperation.
Don’t just sit there and try to win this election by saying “Well she’s anti-abortion,” because that doesn’t work. (see, Previous Presidential Elections)
Come on, stop overthinking this. Fight, goddamit.
