Sarah Palin?

Re: Sarah Palin?

Wow, I'm currently watching MSNBC and they've got a female democratic senator calling Palin corrupt. This is going to get dirty - FAST!

Did she not listen to Obama last night??? Geez ...

[DCJenn]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I say hey- more power to him- BUT...

What if McCain drops dead two days after he was elected? This woman has ZERO foreign relations experience. I know Obama critics say that he doesn't either but at least he's been on the foreign relations committee for four years and has been overseas meeting with foreign leaders.

I certainly wouldn't want McCain to drop dead or be incapacitated in some way but I think it's a legitimate concern for the VP to be experienced.

Jenn

[alison]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I say hey- more power to him- BUT...

What if McCain drops dead two days after he was elected? This woman has ZERO foreign relations experience. I know Obama critics say that he doesn't either but at least he's been on the foreign relations committee for four years and has been overseas meeting with foreign leaders.

I certainly wouldn't want McCain to drop dead or be incapacitated in some way but I think it's a legitimate concern for the VP to be experienced.

Jenn

[Vanquisher]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I have heard this pick being described as a "gamble." The news broadcast I was watching stated that sources close to McCain had said that they didn't feel McCain could win with a traditional VP pick and he needed something to cause a stir. They really wanted to target the women vote, and not just the supporters of HRC, but independents and republicans alike.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I say hey- more power to him- BUT...

What if McCain drops dead two days after he was elected? This woman has ZERO foreign relations experience. I know Obama critics say that he doesn't either but at least he's been on the foreign relations committee for four years and has been overseas meeting with foreign leaders.

I certainly wouldn't want McCain to drop dead or be incapacitated in some way but I think it's a legitimate concern for the VP to be experienced.

Jenn

I think the Dems should think out their response strategy very carefully. This is a legitimate point: she's got executive branch experience as Gov but has no international experience. This would be a good ground to attack her on. BUT, how do you walk that line when your Pres candidate is a one-term US Sen? You could make the argument that he has more experience given his State legislature position, but that seems comparatively weak. You can point out his trips overseas as a Sen and a candidate--but these aren't really "foreign policy" experience (especially when compare to Biden). So how do you undercut her on the experience issue without simultaneously undercutting your own Pres candidate? It will be a hard line to walk.

They might do better by attacking her substantive differences: she's a big Second Amendment proponent and very pro-life. She's a conservative. If she were Pres, her policies and judicial appointments would reflect that. Maybe the Dems should play that angle: regardless of how much experience she does/doesn't have, her principles aren't what we, as liberals, are looking for.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I have heard this pick being described as a "gamble." The news broadcast I was watching stated that sources close to McCain had said that they didn't feel McCain could win with a traditional VP pick and he needed something to cause a stir. They really wanted to target the women vote, and not just the supporters of HRC, but independents and republicans alike.

You know, I don't get the whole argument: "Oh, McCain should pick a woman because Obama passed on HRC and HRC's supporters are resentful..." Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand why anyone would vote for someone just based on their gender. Palin, substantively, is very different from HRC. If I were an HRC supporter, I wouldn't all of the sudden say, "Oh, I'll vote for McCain now because he chose a woman as his VP--even though that woman disagrees with the most important issues to HRC, which also are important issues to me." Just because they both have two "X" chromosomes doesn't make them anything alike.

[DCJenn]

Re: Sarah Palin?

What intrigues me is also the disability issue w/ the baby. I'll be interested to see how she handles this incredibly difficult next 60+ days. I know that for ME, I couldn't do that much travel with an infant. Obviously, she has help though.

At least should she be elected, I'd hope that we'd see some $ thrown to early intervention programs for kids with disabilities.

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I think McCain's VP choice is more important than Obama's because of the more likely possibility that he may be incapacitated in office. He turned 72 today. He will be 76 at the end of his term. The chances of something happening in those years to his health are significant. :huh: If I were considering a vote for McCain, I'd be looking for a likely back up plan. My Dad is the same age as McCain and for him, age is the number one issue. I'm not sure he'd see this person as the one to step in to the office.

With Obama, Biden is viewed as a voice of experience in Washington and some one to *add* to Obama's assets for the office. I don't think most people are viewing Biden as someone who will likely step in to the presidential role in the next four years. (I'm sure few thought of Dan Quayle that way, either. ) I think the voters that are concerned about McCain's age will not be all together comforted by this pick.

If she did step in to the office in the next four years, she'd be an experienced young'un (like Obama) but we'd have no control over who she selected as her VP, would we? It wouldn't be a ticket of a young, new power and an older, internationally knowledgable power --- it would just be her (and she'd pick who she wanted without voter approval for VP). Is that correct?

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I believe you're right Angie, I believe if the VP becomes pres they pick their own VP.

[Sheherezade]

Re: Sarah Palin?

Well, it would be a way to get that first woman president. (I'm now probably in an FBI file somewhere.....)

I say the Obama campaign should just take the low road and attack her for the obvious celebrity influence in naming her children. Again....just kidding!

[alison]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I'm sure Tina Fey is all over this one. J/k!

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Sarah Palin?

I'm watching...and I like her style...but did you hear the silence when she said the kids' names? LOL

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Sarah Palin?

BTW

The dem forums online are going crazy disparaging her for working when she has a special needs child. Go figure.

Kris

Re: Sarah Palin?

ETA: Careful ladies, she started her political life working in her PTA. No THAT is political, those woman could give anyone in Washington a run for their money.

Was she a star on the HS basketball team? That does seem like an odd thing to emphasize. I'd stick with the PTA experience.

Re: Sarah Palin?

BTW

The dem forums online are going crazy disparaging her for working when she has a special needs child. Go figure.

Kris

Nice. Jackasses.