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Ah, no. Not that Palin.Yeah, I'm a bit limited in my knowledge of Sarah Palin. From what I have read she's not a Reagan conservative, rather seems to embody the ideals of classical Republicanism. That bit will play nicely with McCain's own "maverick" track record, bring in a hefty chunk of right "leaners" wary of Mac's "moderate" political past.
(Say whatever you like about McCain "caving" and taking on Bushite attitudes. I'd suggest these Bushite attitudes will dissipate rather quick in the event he is elected and we'll see the McCain of old. Old dogs, new tricks and all that.)
She's a woman (and a good looking woman at that) and this might tug some eternally and politically pissed off Hillary supporters to his side. Eternally and politically pissed offism is not as temporary as some pundits might paint it to be. Consider the "stolen" elections of 2000 and 2004. Campaign 2008 may well leave us a new and improved anecdote: "Hell hath no fury like a Hillary supporter scorned."Beyond that I've got little else (and what else I have has been shared in the commentary in the links below) and so I'll pass the buck to those that have some additional insight into McCain's choice while I catch up:
Hidden Unities
PurpleSlog (who had a look at near every possible candidate before today and whose most favored pick seemed to be Palin. And who directed me to much of this list of additional analysis.)
Thunder Pig
Zenpundit
The Grand and Illustrious Wizard of Oz
Strategist
The Capitol Tribune
Wolf Howling
But wait, there's more (Updated additions:)
American Interests
Politics and Soccer
Tdaxp
NewYorkerinDC
Making a Long Story Longer
7 comments:
McCain made a choice that appears politically sound:
1. Palin helps solidify the conservative base that has big doubts about McCain.
2. Independent voters will be the key factor in this election. Half of them are women. Get the picture?
3. McCain's main political draw has been his maverick image which has suffered much of late. The Palin pick pushes that image back to the front of the line which helps McCain across the board.
4 The Republican side is re-energized after having been in deep depression due to the Obama draw. That all changed instantly today.
re: the old dog/new tricks thing, that depends on whether you believe the maverick McCain was the real thing or a stunt for 2000.
I must agree with you. Sarah Palin is more a classical republican. I like that about her. I think taking on Palin certainly has its risks. But I think it was a well calculated risk. She is tough, independent, and intelligent. Oh yes, and good looking too!
Bill Kristol said it well:
"A spectre is haunting the liberal elites of New York and Washington--the spectre of a young, attractive, unapologetic conservatism, rising out of the American countryside, free of the taint (fair or unfair) of the Bush administration and the recent Republican Congress, able to invigorate a McCain administration and to govern beyond it.
That spectre has a name--Sarah Palin, the 44-year-old governor of Alaska chosen by John McCain on Friday to be his running mate. There she is: a working woman who's a proud wife and mother; a traditionalist in important matters who's broken through all kinds of barriers; a reformer who's a Republican; a challenger of a corrupt good-old-boy establishment who's a conservative; a successful woman whose life is unapologetically grounded in religious belief; a lady who's a leader."
And thanks for the link.
That Bill Kristol quote sums it nicely...ummm, I whish he didn't have the Dan Qualye connection though.
The Palin Choice excites me!
Let me be clear: I am not a Republican. I have mostly voted Dem in the past.
I started to write a long comment, that turned into a what I believe...its now turing into a post instead at my blog.
Here is my post:
http://purpleslog.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/what-i-believe/
Hey Jay,
thanks for the link.
I agree that Palin may pull some disgruntled Hillary voters. Of course, the Obama campaign by attacking her early on, probably helped that a long way.
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.f....
> >
> > * If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're
> > 'exotic, different.'
> >
> > * Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American
> > story.
> >
> > * If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
> >
> > * Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.
> >
> > * Graduate from Harvard law School and be President of the Law Review,
> > and you are unstable.
> >
> > * Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well
> > grounded.
> >
> > * If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, create a voter
> > registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend
> > 12 years as
> > a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator
> > representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of
> > the state Senate's Health and Human Service s committee, spend 4 years
> > in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people
> > while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
> > Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you
> > don't have any real leadership experience.
> >
> > * If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city
> > council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000
> > people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people,
> > then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking
> > executive.
> >
> > * If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while
> > raising
> > 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a
> > real Christian.
> >
> > * If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
> > disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a
> > Christian.
> >
> > * If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including
> > the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
> >
> > * If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no
> > other option in sex education in your state's school system while your
> > unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
> >
> > * If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in
> > a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
> > community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's va lues
> > don't represent America's.
> >
> > * If your husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DUI
> > conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until
> > age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession
> > of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
> >
> > OK, much clearer now.
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