Yes, that too is an S & G title; those guys were good. And the occasion fits perfectly for the utterly brilliant (I can’t exaggerate on its brilliance) choice of 44-year old Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate.
With this one move, McCain has solved his problems with the Limbaugh contingent, the religious right, and the corporate contingents of the Republican base, quite possibly made a huge inroad in independent voters, and quite possibly, if there is any lingering resentment re: Obama’s edging out Hillary for the number one chair, for those who want a woman in the number two chair (Nancy Pelosi is already in the number three chair), Palin may make inroads there too. To the 47 year old Black senator from Hawaii, Mccain raises with a 44 year old woman governor from Alaska!
For those wondering why I was so upset with the (boring) choice of Biden (a choice that looked too much to me like playing not to lose, rather than playing to win… especially coupled with a boring sack-of-s*** convention that was, dare I say it, Clintonesque in its bland technocrat laundry list, and not “Obamaesque” in setting out a broad vision and inspiration… in a word: Joe Biden). Because in so doing (and even chosing Hillary for second-seat would have prevented this contingency), Obama has opened up the possibility of the kind of aggressive, crazy-ass move we might expect from McCain… and McCain went for the opening!
On policy, of course, this election isn’t even close: McCain was always a very conservative Republican, who admits that he knows nothing of economics, and his foreign policy (at least as he pronounces it) may be every bit as irresponsible as the current Administration’s, and by further aligning himself with Bush just to get the nomination, that has only gotten worse. And while independent and quite interesting, Sarah Palin is hardly a liberal progressive. Still, as I always say lately, “it’s the Supreme Court, stupid.” But oh my. OH MY.
On overall atmospherics… this already sui generis race-for-the-ages… only just got moreso. Let the games continue!!!
Update: And the Obama team’s immediate response is… wait for it… to criticize Gov. Palin’s lack of foreign policy experience. Let’s see… who else had “zero foreign policy experience” of late…? Before taking the Presidency, why neither Bill Clinton nor George W. Bush had any. Indeed, one might argue that Barack Obama has little, if any. Indeed, it might be argued that her other experience– city council and mayor of a small town, brief stint as a state commissioner and governor for two years– is also inappropriately “light” for “a heartbeat way” from the presidency (especially as McCain just turned 72, and would be the oldest man ever first elected President). But again… Americans of late (4 of the last 5 elections) picked the governor for the top spot… (see Clinton, Bill; Bush, George W.; Reagan, Ronald; Carter, Jimmy), while undervaluing all other titles… and Ms. Palin has the job-title “governor”.
Oh boy. I started to feel this one slipping with the (boring and dare I say it, stupid) Biden choice. This response to Palin is NOT, IMHO, the appropriate response. The appropriate response is almost the opposite: embrace Palin’s presence in the race. McCain has taken the mantle of “change” (and doubled down on perceived “maverickyness”). Too bad he only means that the names have changed, but the policies and the wrong direction that America is going will remain the same under McCain-Palin. “Lack of experience” proved a loser when Hillary tried it; why would Obama do that? Barack, man.. start playing to win (McCain just did… ballsy, crazy, but clearly.. he’s playing to win…). STOP playing not to lose, Barack. Remember, man: you are the first major African American candidate. No one else will forget it; no matter what you or anyone else pretends, this race is going to turn on that fact. Just repeating “McCain = Bush” ain’t gonna do it, man.
Start playing to win. Safe choices are like “prevent defenses”: they prevent you from winning. Go for it, man. Or else McCain will connect on the “hail Sarah”.
Update Might Governor Palin have her own version of “troopergate”? Oh well… just shows the high risk nature of McCain’s picking her. McCain has nonetheless just shored up his own base (big-time). We’ll have to see how this plays out.
tdog
Recent Comments