I have to credit the McCain campaign for successfully stealing the spotlight after Obama's incredible acceptance speech last night. However, it is a surprisingly desperate and odd move on McCain's part. It completely undermines his more experience argument. As the oldest presidential candidate ever with pre-existing health issues, his first presidential decision seems needlessly risk-taking and disappointedly politically motivated.
Why would he choose a small state governor, Sarah Palin, who has held office in the third smallest state for not even two years? It's certainly not for her novice government leadership experience (her longest elected experience was eight years as mayor of Wasilla, a small, suburban strip-mall town of less than 6,000) or minor political success (she only needed 114K votes to become governor, less than many local elections in the US). (BTW: Initially, Palin reminded me of the smart-looking Tina Fey; however, Kenneth in the (212)'s shallowly primped "Karen" of "Will & Grace" comparison makes much more sense: Karen Walker for Veep?)
It's hard to argue that McCain chose Palin for any reason other than her gender. Could disappointed Hillary supporters really be pandered to so transparently?
Republicans obviously had trouble knowing how to counter the excitement regarding the Dems' barrier breaking first African American and first woman presidential candidates. Like when Bush, Jr. tried to nominate underqualified Harriet Miers to replace Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, McCain seems to be using the Republican tactic of appointing any woman/minority regardless of qualification. If Palin is certainly not comparable to Hillary Clinton and more comparable to Mondale’s Geraldine Ferraro choice.
It is a small world though. I'm not certain, but I may have shook Palin's hand during her 2006 gubernatorial campaign. I was visiting my grandmother in Palmer, AK, during their town's annual parade. I was clueless about Alaska politics, but a Republican-looking woman from a gubernatorial campaign walked through and shook hands.
REVISED
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