This is... well, cool. Sarah Palin, McCain's newly minted running mate, has been one of my favorite conservatives for quite a while. There are a couple of downsides, inexperience being the major one. How can we nail Obama for that when Palin's been in office for about a year, and was the mayor of Wasilla before that? Although the governor of Alaska does have to worry about terrorism issues-- Alaskans take the security of the Pipeline very seriously, and it would be a significant target. But as far as foreign policy goes... well, she probably has about as much experience as Obama, minus his Rainbow Tour.
But the upsides of this choice are potentially enormous. Describing how relieved conservatives should be is a tall order. Not only did McCain not pick Lieberman, Hillary, or a pro-choicer Republican, he picked a solid conservative, one who has a track record of standing up to corruption (see Alaska's congressional delegation) and pork (she helped kill the Bridge to Nowhere). She supports drilling in ANWR. In choosing her, McCain has shown that even if he doesn't agree with conservatives on a lot of things, he has been listening, and is willing to work with us. Or at least I think so-- with McCain, one is never sure.
Not to mention she's just likeable, in a way McCain can never hope to be. I caught the last five minutes or so of her speech this morning-- she's genuine. She's a former professional fisherman, for heaven's sake. She is part of what America is supposed to look like-- not broken and impoverished and victimized, the way the DNC painted us this week, but independent, unafraid, and enterprising.
I've withheld full-throated support for McCain, waiting to see whom he would choose for veep. I still don't like him, but with this choice, I can willingly get behind him instead of dragging my feet. Now that the choice is made-- Go McCain-Palin '08!
2 comments:
Not to mention there's a big difference between an inexperienced PRESIDENT and an inexperienced VP. I mean, the President of the United States is...kind of a big deal. The VP though...they only really matter i the President makes them matter (a la Cheney) or if the President dies.
Also, no mention that she's a woman? That's gonna help.
Normally, I would agree, but as McCain is 73 and has already had four bouts with cancer...
Also, it is handy that she is a woman, but I have the temerity to hope that most normal people just don't care. Not to mention I'm sick of thinking about Hillary "I am Everywoman" Clinton:)
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