McCain selects running mate

[White Shadow]

Senator John McCain has announced that Sarah Palin (governor of Alaska) will be his running mate in his Presidential campaign.

Discuss.

[Monde Luna]

I think it's a smart move for McCain. I don't know much about the Alaskan Governor though. Either way this presidental election will go down in history. In 50 years it will be in the history books.

[Maru]

Uungh. I think she's exceedingly unqualified, and could actually be Romney in drag. Or just the antichrist. She's not ready to lead. If McCain wins the election and happens to, god forbid, be killed or can't run the country anymore, Palin is not prepared to take the position.

Not to mention I highly disagree with where she stands on a handful of serious issues. I was still weighing who I was going to vote for in this election, and Palin's nomination is not helping and almost sealed the deal on my Obama/Biden vote. I still have some thinking to do, but I don't like this woman. At all.

[LuciaOne]

I agree with Maru- This woman has little to no experience. She's been Alaskan governor for a few years, and that's it. No other experience. She gets her "Barracuda" nickname from when she played basketball in HIGH SCHOOL.

[Kizyr]

The only thing I don't particularly like is her stance on civil unions/domestic partnerships. Otherwise I'm not upset or anything.

I'm not sure if it was a smart pick. But, VP candidates really don't tip the scales for any election, and I don't think this one will be any different. My guess is that McCain is banking on former Hillary supporters who feel burned by the primaries switching sides. But really, I think that'll be a negligible effect, if an effect at all. KF

[Monde Luna]

Just out of curiosity do any of you think his choice will have the ability to sway uninformed voters. I think the majority of people that vote really have little clue on who they are voting for, or use stupid reasons to cast their votes for a particular candidate. For instance when I used to work at a nursing home I had to assist the residents with their ballots if they lost their writing skills. Often times they would pick someone because of what their last name was, what type of job they held, or because they where number three on the list. Many of these people where highly educated very intelligent people but they voted basically just for the sake of voting. I'm sure there are thousands of people that select their candidates that way. It used to drive me crazy! As for me I still don’t know who I am voting for, I don’t have the knowledge to make a good decision yet.

[Imperial Knight]

My guess is that McCain is banking on former Hillary supporters who feel burned by the primaries switching sides. But really, I think that'll be a negligible effect, if an effect at all. KF

I'm thinking that won't work very well either. My own sense is that there are a significant number of Clinton supporters who view this pick as a shameless and transparent pander and will thus be pushed to the Dems ticket by this pick. A friend of mine who supported Clinton in the primary stated that she got the impression from the pick that John McCain thought that picking a woman, any woman, would be enough to satisfy Clinton's supporters. It's also perhaps worth noting that the Palin pick didn't go over all that well with women according to Rasmussen's poll on the subject. Finally, a lot of Obama's problems with former Clinton supporters tend to be with her older and blue-collar supporters more so than with the women (Obama in fact polls a good bit better among women than Kerry did).

Personally, I'm not that impressed with the pick, but then again I'm a committed Obama/Biden supporter so I'm not really the kind of person that McCain needs to be impressing.

Edit: Source for the polling data is http://www.fivethirtyeight.com

[White Shadow]

Uungh. I think she's exceedingly unqualified, and could actually be Romney in drag. Or just the antichrist. She's not ready to lead. If McCain wins the election and happens to, god forbid, be killed or can't run the country anymore, Palin is not prepared to take the position.

The Spycraft game I'm running right now is based on that line of thinking, although the woman is quite a bit different than Palin.

[Maru]

I agree with Maru- This woman has little to no experience. She's been Alaskan governor for a few years, and that's it. No other experience. She gets her "Barracuda" nickname from when she played basketball in HIGH SCHOOL.

I KNOW, RIGHT?! Uungh, spare me, please!!! Palin = vomit.

Uungh. I think she's exceedingly unqualified, and could actually be Romney in drag. Or just the antichrist. She's not ready to lead. If McCain wins the election and happens to, god forbid, be killed or can't run the country anymore, Palin is not prepared to take the position.

The Spycraft game I'm running right now is based on that line of thinking, although the woman is quite a bit different than Palin.

What, that an unprepared VP has to take the position of President? Or that Satan in "Feminists For Life" form has taken over the world?

I'm not sure if it was a smart pick. But, VP candidates really don't tip the scales for any election, and I don't think this one will be any different. My guess is that McCain is banking on former Hillary supporters who feel burned by the primaries switching sides. But really, I think that'll be a negligible effect, if an effect at all. KF

I think it tips the scale for voters on a personal level. I've never been heavily into politics, so I can't back up the statement statistically, but I'm sure VP picks always have an effect on presidential elections. How can it not? I've only been eligible to vote in the 2004 election, but I weighed both options carefully and looked to where the both the Presidential and VP candidates stood and their experiences in government. Afterall, like I said, the VP has to be ready to lead. Palin is not. People should seriously consider how the country will run under the VP if, god forbid, McCain or Obama are killed during their presidency.

However, I don't think that McCain is banking on former Clinton supporters. I think he knows that would have been way too obvious and transparent. And if he was, then boo.

[Werefrog]

I learned in my American politics class that the VP is most often chosen to "balance" the ticket. The most common thing they balance is geographical region. In other words, if the presidential candidate is from the South, the VP is from the North. I'm not sure what effect this really has on the election, but I could see there being an effect in the swing states.

[Sonic#]

I do remember hearing that the choice of a vice president does not seem to affect the election. (Except, of course, in extreme cases; the Mule messes up all psychohistory... more seriously, it probably makes little difference who someone picks among the front runners, at least in total votes... if my hearsay is correct.)

... that was a mess.

I wasn't really in support of McCain in the first place, and this does nothing to make me want to support him. I disagree with many of her stances, but of course most of those would've been prevalent amongst the other candidates anyway.

[Angelalex242]

Or maybe you're thinking of it wrong.

She's a social conservative the religious right will be quite happy with. She isn't there to make converts, she's there to mobilize the Republicans. Remember you well the 2004 election was won by the best turnout ever of the Republican base, not because they won a lot of converts. With the country in a generally Republican hating mood at the moment, McCain can't win unless he recreates that miracle of 2004.

Also...inexperience in a VP isn't particularly worrisome. I would rather see an Inexperienced VP then an inexperienced top of the ticket What happens when the veep has all the experience, but the main candidate does not?

Well, that's what Bush/Cheney was. Cheney had the experience. Bush did not. Behold the results.

Better by far to have the top of the ticket with the experience, and let the veep be the padawan learner.

Either way, traditionally, there's 3 presidential debates, and 1 Veep debate. I assure you all, most people are going to pay attention to the 3 more then 1. At which point, it's Obama's Oratorical skills against McCain's age and experience.

Not that the debates necessarily change minds either. Bush lost the debates and won the election. Of course, he was kind of unique that way.

[Kizyr]

I think it tips the scale for voters on a personal level. I've never been heavily into politics, so I can't back up the statement statistically, but I'm sure VP picks always have an effect on presidential elections. How can it not? I've only been eligible to vote in the 2004 election, but I weighed both options carefully and looked to where the both the Presidential and VP candidates stood and their experiences in government. Afterall, like I said, the VP has to be ready to lead. Palin is not. People should seriously consider how the country will run under the VP if, god forbid, McCain or Obama are killed during their presidency.

I think most analysis on past elections have pretty much shown that there hasn't been a case where the VP pick made the difference between someone winning or losing an election. It probably has a little effect, but I don't see how it has enough of an effect on the outcome to make a difference.

If you consider... It's entirely up to the President how much of a role the VP will have. And, with a few exceptions, Presidents won't pick a VP that has significantly different views or stances on any of the issues that will come up in an election.

However, I don't think that McCain is banking on former Clinton supporters. I think he knows that would have been way too obvious and transparent. And if he was, then boo.

Thinking on it more, Palin and Clinton are so radically different that I think you're right. It would be way too obvious and wouldn't fool anyone if that was his goal.

I think he's trying to pick someone with a tough image (since everything is tougher in Alaska) that's... well, young. Palin appeals to social conservatives, and she looks like she balances the ticket against McCain. She's also green enough to have no dirt on her. ...then again, she's also green enough to have little experience. KF

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I think he's trying to pick someone with a tough image (since everything is tougher in Alaska) that's... well, young. Palin appeals to social conservatives, and she looks like she balances the ticket against McCain. She's also green enough to have no dirt on her. ...then again, she's also green enough to have little experience. KF

Well, she does have some dirt on her -- mostly along the lines of abusing her position as mayor and then governor to get certain people she had personal issues with (like her ex brother-in-law) fired from their government jobs.

Never mind how she has to deal with her abstinence-only education stance while having a pregnant teenage daughter (wow, abstinence-only actually does work! ).

[phyco126]

Never mind how she has to deal with her abstinence-only education stance while having a pregnant teenage daughter (wow, abstinence-only actually does work! ).

Believe me, I laughed so friggen hard when I heard that. Our school actually enforced abstinence eductation, but also supported it with safe sex. Pretty much went:

"Hey kids, do not have sex. It's bad, m'kay? But since we all know you will be banging each other anyway, we will also teach you how to do it safely, m'kay? Remember, safe sex doesn't just keep you pregnent free, m'kay, but also prevents you from participating in risky behavior such as having wild monkey death punch sex, m'kay?"

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Never mind how she has to deal with her abstinence-only education stance while having a pregnant teenage daughter (wow, abstinence-only actually does work! ).

Believe me, I laughed so friggen hard when I heard that. Our school actually enforced abstinence eductation, but also supported it with safe sex. Pretty much went:

"Hey kids, do not have sex. It's bad, m'kay? But since we all know you will be banging each other anyway, we will also teach you how to do it safely, m'kay? Remember, safe sex doesn't just keep you pregnent free, m'kay, but also prevents you from participating in risky behavior such as having wild monkey death punch sex, m'kay?"

That's pretty much how my high school did it. The basic idea was "abstinence is best and is the only 100% guaranteed way, but if you insist on going about it, here's how to do it safely." Same thing, pretty much.

[Kizyr]

I still say talking about Palin's kids is off-limits, no matter what they're doing or have done. I'm in agreement with Obama on that point.

Besides, there's plenty about Palin that's far more problematic. Like, oh, her stances on abortion (this is coming from someone who's pro-life, too), civil unions, or drilling in Alaska. KF

[Nobiyuki77]

Disclaimer: I was never for the McCain ticket at any point, and am still 100% decided on Obama.

The choice of Palin as a VP pick has (sadly) proven to be a brilliant move, despite the fact that she's definitely not a person I want to be this close to the Presidency. She's inexperienced, she thinks community organizers don't have real responsibilities, she's earmarked millions and kept the money, she's abused her power, she's lied about her stance on issues like Bridge to Nowhere, and thinks that the war in Iraq is a mission from God.

But the Republican politicians backing her are crazy. Do you honestly expect me, an intellegent adult, to believe that someone has foreign policy experience because her state is near Russia geographically? Perhaps I should be the American embassador to Japan because I'm such a huge fan of anime and japanese videogames and therefore I must be an expert on Japanese relations, cultures, and business practice.

Not to mention they're doing everything possible to keep her away from the media unless she's giving a speech or it's an "interview" which isn't really an interview; more like a scripted bio. I hope Biden tears her to shreds in the Debates.

[Maru]

I still say talking about Palin's kids is off-limits, no matter what they're doing or have done. I'm in agreement with Obama on that point.

Besides, there's plenty about Palin that's far more problematic. Like, oh, her stances on abortion (this is coming from someone who's pro-life, too), civil unions, or drilling in Alaska. KF

I completely agree -- Palin's children do not need to be in the spotlight, and speaking about them in regards to the election is un-called for.

Her stance on abortion is, for lack of a better word, sickening (as are most of her other policies). That's a huge can o' worms, though, so I'm not going to rant and rave.

[phyco126]

What exactly is her stance on abortion? O_o

Also, her daughter is in my spotlight solely because of the whole abstinence only eductation.