Cliff LyonRed State Calling Sarah Palin (R-AK) as McCain VP Pick
Holy cow, this is a game changer if, in fact, John McCain has chosen her. Serious game changer. Wow.
YES, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS IT. ON DRUDGE REPORT NOW.
Here’s what we know: Sarah Palin landed in Ohio last night with her two oldest kids. She landed thirty miles from Dayton on a plane owned by one of McCain’s fundraisers.
That’s all we know.
UPDATE: So now the media is moving beyond Palin.
Here’s the take away: John McCain is awesome. He has pulled a major head fake with Pawlenty and has gone for a bold, wildcard pick. Everyone will forget about Obama’s speech today.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Wait till she debates Joe Biden on foreign policy. This morning, Joe Scarborough described a possible Sarah Palin pick as a “political faux pas” and likely to raise questions about McCain’s age and her almost non-existent presidential credentials.
Of course, Joe Lieberman is also in Dayton, Ohio today!
August 29th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Palin is a hottie with a naughty body. This will help get the white guy vote, especially white guys who don’t care about fiscal policy, foreign policy, domestic policy, and so on.
This year, white guys get to vote something other than their wallet!
August 29th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Palin has no experience in community organizing.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:14 am
She sure cleaned up corruption in Alaska, and is pretty no nonsense.
A debate with Biden can only benefit her. The issues are simple and could be explained to an intelligent person and argued in 15 minutes. He will look like the old hack that he is, and she will be the fresh face of a new positive direction for republicans.
We’ll have the surge is working vs. we lost the war. Which one will play best in flyover country?
August 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Looks like McCain’s last flip has flopped. Palin is a strong advocate of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, something McCain has always opposed until now.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Most Alaskans are advocates for oil drilling in ANWR as they have seen it successfully done, and have reaped the benefits right down to every Alaskan resident down to the youngest child.
Keep those state dividend checks coming.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:39 am
“her almost non-existent presidential credentials…”
Uh…
August 29th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Josh Marshall, today:
August 29th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Is everyone forgetting that if McCain wins, Palin has the best chance of becoming the first woman president? I wonder if Hillary will still be able to keep her supporters focused on Obama. If you still want to vote for a woman president in this election, here’s your chance. Regardless, Hillary has to be pissed off this morning.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Stephen Colbert was convinced McCain would pick Hillary to be his VP nominee…
August 29th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Huh? Did you really say that?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I just finished listening to her (Palin) speech and the only negative thing I have to say is; Why can’t she be the Nominee? McCain is certainly in jeopardy of having her out shine him.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:56 am
McCain is in jeopardy of being out-shined by a lot of folks, most of whom are dead.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Cameron,
“Uh” is exactly right, as in “Uh, doesn’t that take the argument off the table?” Lack of experience has been a huge part of the McCain argument against Obama. He has effectively neutered himself. We’re now left with judgment and temperment as two of the necessary qualifications to be president (at least a good one) and Obama clearly outshines McCain in both respects.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I look forward to hearing more from our right-wing friends about Obama’s “celebrity” status now that McCain has selected his VP pick from the pages of Vogue.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:42 am
How it will play. She a woman. She has a son in the Marines, Iraq. Pretty good looking. Fills the gap for Hillary voters, and certainly seals up any republican women that might have been thinking of voting for Obama.
Don and Cameron.
A) She was chosen as the VP. She is not running for president.
B) Obama took his inexperience unto himself in the attempt to be president.
It will be interesting to see what is next out of the box for the Oct. news on Obama. No convention bounce for Obama. Still neck and neck.
Wait until America hears her talk. Biden’s got nothing on her. She is mainstream flyover country material. Pretty sure coastal progressives won’t get it.
Richard O.,for sure there has to be steam coming from her ears this morning. She might re-consider the unconditional support she gives her back stabbers.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:59 am
When SNL comes back on, Tina Fey should guest host. She’s perfect to do a Palin impersonation.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
While we all can’t wait to see how this will affect the debates and the election in general, this move has to go down as one of the biggest political trump cards ever played. To see the effectiveness, simply flip through the cable news channels. This should be the day of endless clips from the Obama speech at the DNC. Instead Obama has been sandwiched into short little clips between a long line of commentators discussing Governor Palin and stories about Hurricane Gustav. In fact it seems that Obama is getting more coverage about this being so marginalizing than he is about his “historical” speech. Maybe, history is being written, just not the way Obama would like it to be. Anyone want to take bets on the weekend polls?
August 29th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
McCain doesn’t have to play the inexperience card with Obama. Just let Hillary and Biden do it for him.
And when Obama tries to attack Palin on experience, he’ll just bring his own lack into the spotlight.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
“No convention bounce for Obama.”
Hmmm . . . you don’t say?
August 29th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Her son is in the Army, my mistake, correction.
It is a great choice, she has basically turned Alaskan government on its head, and the old guard cronies up there are running for cover.
The irony of the likelihood of a woman in high executive office is that it comes from the republican party. After the dissing Hillary got, and then no offer for the job, it is a masterful stroke. If you understand the majority of the American populace, and women in general.
If you are a coastal progressive, this choice will probably be unnoticed for what it is, and the sniping will be to no effect. America will love this woman, in a way Hillary and Michelle could only dream of.
Compared to Ferraro she is a get up and do it kind of person. As I mentioned, wait until you hear her speak.
A slam dunk.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Well Don, you are looking at 4 points, depending on what one believes. By now in historical terms democrats are usually way ahead of republicans, at least last few elections, at this point. It isn’t even Oct. yet.
The convention is over, the “bounce” is nominal, and McCains’ choice and announcement are perfectly timed. It is race, and anyone on the democrat side knows it should not be.
Now we get the rep convention, and their respective bounce.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Well, you said “no bounce”. The Gallup poll clearly shows a “bounce” and the RCP average, if you look at the tracking, does as well.
I don’t necessarily disagree with your take on the choice of Palin, at least for the short term. It remains to be seen how wise a choice it is a month or two from now, when the novelty has worn off and her neo-con, creationist, anti-choice policy stances become well-known to the public at large.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
McCain has hit this one out of the park. Liberals are stunned, they don’t know how to react because what ever they say about her “inexperience” boomerangs back onto Obama. The fact is she is infinitely more qualified than Barack Obama and she is not even running for President. Just like Cliff said, this pick changes everything and the Obama campaign has to be worried.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Well it is about a no bounce, 5% margin of error and all, very weak, and the convention didn’t change many minds in my view, just reinforced the obvious. It was a very hackneyed affair really. Crushingly tiresome with old saws wingeing about, for hours. What are these conventions for really in this day and age? I am sure the rep convention will be just as dull easy.
Just wait until you hear her speak. She can get all of the republican support and many women and those disgusted with old guard politics as well. Compared to Biden she is will be well liked by all sides.
Abortion, despite its play here, is a non issue in that the pro-choice are going to vote for Obama/dems anyway, and the evangelicals and pro-lifers were voting for McCain. What is in play now are conservative women, and a demographic not generally considered, women 50-70. They are in my anecdotal experience very miffed about how Hillary was treated, and won’t forget. Palin is all the reason they need to not vote for Obama. There are a great many #’s in this demographic.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Right Ken, she is “infinitely more qualified.” Keep telling yourself that buddy . . .
I’m stunned alright . . . stunned at what an obviously transparent, purely political, and extremely poor choice this is. Even Mittens would have been better.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
WWW,
I’ve heard her speak. I wasn’t impressed . . . but I was annoyed.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Don; You are an obvious partisan. I am looking at the choice purely as a tactical one. I’m sure an effective conservative politician is annoying to any progressive, especially one like Palin that cannot be rolled.
Her persona and politics will resonate with way more people than you imagine.
She managed to whip Murkowski, former Senator, then she whips Don Young democrat former governor. She reveals corruption in her own party (think Ben Stevens) and the old guard can’t shut her up, and she takes control of the party.
Then she takes on the oil majors and increases the state tax on oil royalties. I mean a republican increases taxes on oil companies? Hell democrats can’t even get that done!! Now the state is swimming in money, and things are looking pretty good after a dozen years of fiscal disaster.
Yeah, with inexperience like that Don, who needs a resume?
August 29th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
If she was a bad choice Democrats would be happy, but on TV all day I see a lot of angry Democrats because they know they have been owned.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Another western governor ran for president nearly 30 years ago…was accused by the Democratic candidate of not having foreign policy experience…and ended up…evaporating the Soviet Union and derailing worldwide communism (except at Harvard, Berkeley, the U. of U., most of BYU’s poli sci dept., and One Utah).
August 29th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Oh yeah…and thank God she’s not like Geraldine Ferraro.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Give this some time to stew. Women that feel jilted by the democrat party due to the Hillary affair will come to attention. Many feel that the philanderer sand bagged her, as well as the party itself. They saw her as the better candidate and see themselves marginalized within a democrat power structure that let’s face it, is still run by men.
Old men. Old intoxicated men. Old intoxicated men with philandering pasts. Like the other party.
I will have to say McCain is an old dog that is learning new tricks. The Obama led from the nose by Brzezinski/Biden 35 years in the Senate, is looking old and stodgy now. Ted Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Howard Dean, all losers representing an old tired party, out of touch with America. Even after Bush screws his party to the wall, the dems are so out of it, they cannot even press a given advantage.
There should be no way McCain should even have a chance. As it is he has already won to be this close, now if he actually wins, it will be over for the Democrat party. They will have become irrelevant.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
When it comes to this election, I most certainly am a partisan, I make no illusions otherwise.
I said I don’t necessarily disagree with your take on the pick. I’m not so sure how much of a voice she’s going to have though. Hell, even McCain, the supposed “maverick,” has turned completely partisan and has rolled over for the Rovian wing of the party.
BTW, Don Young is a Republican congressman from Alaska.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Right Ken, angry Democrats, another Hannity special.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Sorry, my mistake, confused him with Tony Knowles. He was a 2 term democratic governor. It is pretty small time politics in AK. mixed up the names, been a while.
Could be refreshing to have that kind of out of the beltway person in the Whitehouse.
America has turned Rovian. Consider Obama is led by Brezezinski in foreign policy, and skulls and bones Goolsbee as economic adviser.
I don’t expect major changes in anything major no matter who gets elected. My comments are strictly in describing who at the moment runs a better campaign strategically, and tactically.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Having come from Alaska and know Alaska Republican Politics first hand, Sarah kicked the “good-old-boys” right on their asses. My daughter lives in Eagle River and one of her best friends works for Sarah. She IS the genuine deal and nobody will be able to talk over her knowledge of the “OIL BUSINESS” ANWAR, Natural Gas pipelines, and the Military. Alaska has the largest Military bases in the World and is still the front line against the former Soviet Union. I have been a Sarah fan for some time now. “Sarah Barracuda” as she was known on the Wasilla girls basketball team she took to the State Title has put several Republican elected officials in prison, including my old State Representative Vic Koring. She came in and cleaned house. She taught her son how to shoot, and she can run a marathon.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Paul Mero:
The Soviet Union was all but a corpse of its former self when Reagan came to the WH.
Care to try again?
August 29th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Albert, that’s not what you Lefties were screaming at the time (maybe you’re too young to remember?). Oh no…it was “Reagan will cause the Soviets to first strike!” Nuclear winter and all that BS.
Fact is, Soviets were hours away from invading Europe in the mid-80s until Thatcher and Reagan teamed behind the scenes to back those bastards down.
I know that history doesn’t fit the bull crap you were taught at the U, but it’s true. Admit it son, you owe Reagan your life!!! haha
August 29th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I remember too Paul… I remember the charts they would show on TV just before Reagan about how the Soviets had massive numbers of tanks, bombers, nukes… you name it, over us and how even the White House had conceded that we might not be able to withstand an all out assault on Europe. The Soviets were at their peak when Reagan came into office and was one of the primary reasons he was elected. Carter was definitely out of his league during the 70’s. I imagine he is happier now only being out of his mind.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Richard:
You are a right-winger, just admit it.
Paul:
While the rhetoric of the time may have been incorrect, we all know now that the Soviet Empire was living its last gasp when Reagan came to the WH. While Reagan may have accelerated the demise, the demise was only a matter of time.
PS What makes you think I wasn’t educated at an elite east-coast Ivy???
August 29th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
It was living its last gasp. Well for a dead empire they sure are coming back pretty strong. As they say in the movies, tales of my(Russian) demise, are wildly overstated.
Perhaps they were just sleeping. At this point, with what we have at hand, it wouldn’t be much of a contest as far away from home and weakened as we are.
They still have plenty of soldiers, tanks, planes, and very modern ICBMs and supersonic cruise missiles…and oil at 120 bucks a barrel.
The Soviet Empire was stronger then, than it is now Albert, and we sure aren’t going to do anything about what they plan to do in the region other than pay it lip service these days.
PS “What makes you think I wasn’t educated at an elite east-coast Ivy”???
Perhaps it is the application of what appears to be public grade school logic Albert.
August 30th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Actually Albert, I don’t believe that Reagan defeated the Soviets, at least not on his own. While he did a good job of forcing them into spending large amounts of their resources on their military I believe that it was McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Levi’s Jeans that was ultimately their demise. The more the Soviets opened the door to capitalism, the more their people hungered for it. This is the exact thing that is happening in China today, just with China adapting a little better to it. Eventually however, communism cannot by definition co-exist with capitalism because communism needs suppression to survive and capitalism needs freedom. Capitalism is the reason why the Soviet Union ultimately fell. I am only agreeing with Paul about the condition of the Soviet Empire prior to Reagan.
Also, I believe that you keep calling me a “right-winger” because you believe that moderates or those in the middle of the political spectrum and without affiliation cannot hold strong political views. I find it interesting that liberals complain that those who are against abortion are one issue voters, but would never consider voting for a single pro-life candidate let alone allow a person with pro-choice convictions to stand beside them on other issues. While it is true that I lean right on many issues, I certainly don’t identify myself as such. Do you lean far LIBERAL left on EVERY issue Albert? I personally would rather think for myself than be a sheep, no matter how they try to hide the socialistic leanings behind the word “progressive.” I gave a sizeable list of convictions I hold that are traditionally left leaning, how about you Albert? On what issues have you made your own mind up on?
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:41 am
I get so tired of “Ooohh, Joe Biden and his foreign policy!” So what, if that’s all the Dems have they need to shut up. But maybe foreign policy is all Biden has, that’s all I hear about night and day. They better find something more interesting than he has solid foreign policy and he can get red in the face and show his a$$ in front of the world. I’m sorry his first wife was killed and I admire him for going home on the train every night to see after his children. But I wouldn’t vote for him for Notary Public, he’s too hot headed. I haven’t talked to too many dems out of the public light that care much for Obama or Biden. And maybe BOTH sides know no better than to shoot themselves in the foot. Obama had it sewed up if he’d made Billary his running mate. After he picked Biden, McCain’s points went up. Then McCain picked Palin, and his numbers went all over the board, up, down, sideways. Who knows… This is going to be an interesting race. They seem to be causing themselves more problem than the other candidate does. Am I the only one that’s noticing this?