A certain segment of our readership is just dying to know what we think. I'm sure the rest of the boys will weigh in, as will I, but I want to get things started with some reaction from others...
The Good:
Sean Hackbarth: "Palin pick undercuts Biden's "next Dick Cheney" line" Fred Thompson: ""I am absolutely delighted by this selection. Once again, John McCain has shown that he is an independent thinker who paints in bold strokes. Sarah Palin is a conservative reformer with executive experience who will bring a breath of fresh air to Washington . She will be an ideal running mate for John McCain, and will make a major contribution to our country's future." Jeff Beatty: "I have never doubted that John McCain is the right person to lead us through these tough times. Sen. McCain is the president to deal with our country’s two pressing challenges: restoring our economy and bringing tough, visionary leadership on national security. Today, I am just as certain that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska is the superb vice president we need for America right now.
Gov. Palin is known in Alaska as a rock solid executive and a no-nonsense reformer of what had been wide spread corruption in that state’s politics. With this breakthrough choice John McCain and Sarah Palin are poised to usher in a new wave of change and reform to a Washington that has stopped working for the people of America. I look forward to joining President McCain and Vice President Palin this January to make this change work for people right here in the Commonwealth." Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner: "Sarah Palin is a popular and proven reformer with a record of accomplishment and real executive experience."
America's Anchorman -- Rush Limbaugh: "Here's the way to look at McCain picking Sarah Palin as his running mate. Hillary Clinton has been replaced by the other woman...again." The Bad: (Not From Today)
Ed Morrissey: "She’s younger than Barack Obama and has held the governor’s office for less time than he’s been in the Senate (2006, versus 2004 for Obama). She has not served in elected office above that of mayor prior to her gubernatorial victory. She has not yet been tested in any kind of major-media election process." Sean Hackbarth: "Sen. John McCain would have to abandon any inexperience attacks on Sen. Obama. Experience may be a strength more with general election voters than Democrats who have been choosing the lesser experienced Obama over Sen. Clinton"The Counter Argument
AP's Ron Fournier: "Analysis: Palin's age, inexperience rival Obama's"Matt's Chat
Let's start with Fournier, since the experience argument is the biggest complaint I think it is hilarious that Obama supporters are going to talk about experience
now. But since that seems to be what everybody wants to talk about, let's do so...
Governor/Mayor vs. Legislator -- I've never really had that much trouble with calling Obama's legislative experience worthwhile. The problem with Obama's experience is that it isn't executive experience. We can talk about how the little town that Palin was mayor of wasn't that big of a deal. We can analyze the demographics of the state of Alaska and decide that there isn't a vast population there. None of that actually matters because the experience of having to make decisions is still real. That is the kind of experience that Sarah Palin brings to the table that Barack Obama and Joe Biden do not...and quite frankly, John McCain hasn't had that kind of authority since his days in the military...Let's talk about the politics of this pick because when I Twittered that I thought Palin was a good pick and that Biden was in trouble, I was referring to the politics.
Palin reassures the conservative base on judges. Why? McCain made a choice that social conservatives can support without selecting somebody that ticks off the center/moderates. Never discount the Hillary Factor. Sarah Palin represents the face of legitimate feminism in America. There are a LOT of ticked off female Democrats who are now going to seriously consider voting McCain who wouldn't have previously. The Other Hillary Factor. The reason why I say Biden is in trouble is that now he runs the risk of becoming the next Rick Lazio. Biden's value in the debates as an attack dog is lessened due to that risk. Energy. Palin knows this issue like the back of her hand. Why? Because it's her back yard that the energy debate has been about all these many years. Pro-Life. Palin is considered as something of a pro-life hero and the story of her youngest son is why. That lends Team McCain some ammo in that particular fight. The Lori Viars set ought to LOVE this pick...Having said all of that, is Sarah Palin something of a risk? Yes, I think she is. But if America really is hoping for change,I really believe that you will not find a stronger team devoted to change than McCain/Palin. I know of only one issue that may blemish her record; but I don't know enough about that yet to speak on it authoritatively, so I won't do that just yet. But even that issue -- what I know of it -- is not something that would derail her or make her appear unfit for duty.
Call it spin if you want, but that's my read of the situation as it currently stands. We're all going to get to know Sarah Palin over the coming days, weeks, months, and years but my gut reaction is that she is the real deal and she's in it to win it. As Rush said today, Sarah Palin represents the segment of Americana who is for Babies, Guns and Jesus. She is a serious reformer and an advocate for the kind of change that I have been clamoring for locally, regionally and nationally.
Sean update: Checking all the news sources less than 2 days after the Barak Hussein Obama's "historic" speech, nothing about it. Even if you disagree with this pick, the Obama camp has been disarmed. Brilliant move, considering by moving the speech Obama wasnt going for helping a bunch of people see him. He was going for something "Berlinish" to make a mark in history. Now crickets......
