The McBush (yawn) veepstakes

I'm yawning in part because I could hardly sleep last night after the excitement of the convention and Obama's brilliant acceptance speech (which I watched again starting at 11:15 p.m.).

But I'm also underwhelmed by John McCain's VP rollout, which will probably happen within the next few hours. Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty have  been ruled out. (Hooray!) I'm pulling for Joe Lieberman.

Seriously, though, whether he appears as running mate or mere prime-time speaker, it's likely that Loserman will be the only kinda sorta not really-a-Democrat at the Republican party next week. Contrast that with the parade of disaffected Republicans who spoke in Denver, including two GOP lifers who helped introduce Obama last night. It won't be pretty.

Update 8:50 a.m.: It appears that John McCain has picked first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running-mate. (I really wish it had been Michael Palin, but oh well ...)

OK, I'll admit this is an audacious choice (though hardly historic, since the Dems had a woman VP candidate 24 years ago). Good for him. But Palin is even younger and less experienced than Barack Obama. With no national experience, will voters feel she's prepared to be a heartbeat away from the presidency of a man who turns 72 today?

Also of note: She is a Sandpoint native and a U of I grad. That will probably translate into a percentage point or two in Idaho from people who "knew her when," but many of those folks would probably be voting for McCain anyway. I doubt she'll hurt our Dems as much as Mitt Romney would have.

I like Markos' take:

Let's be honest: John McCain clearly wanted Tom Ridge or Joe Lieberman, but he was afraid to buck his party's choice ideologues. So then they looked at Mittens, but having a baker's dozen homes wasn't looking so hot. So he figured that with Pawlenty, he might make a play for Minnesota, but that got shot down over the last week as it become increasingly obvious that Biden would wipe the floor with him in their debate.

Throw in Obama's ground-shifting speech last night, and it was clear that McCain had to throw a hail mary to just remain in the game, much less be competitive.

So we get Sarah Palin, who has a fairly compelling personal story and is an attractive woman, but has scant political experience, zero name recognition outside of political junky circles, faces an ethical investigation by her own legislature, and will now be forced to run a grueling national campaign despite having an infant child at home.

Those are the marks of desperation, and really, given his precarious electoral position, John McCain had no choice.

Update 1:30 p.m.: So just how badly do you think the Sarah Palin choice will divide the already riven Republican Party? The Main Street GOP appears to be livid that McCain passed over well-qualified, well-vetted candidates for someone with no national credentials. But you know that a pick is really disastrous when it divides Idaho's most regressive Republican voices.

Writing early today on his blog, Adam Graham pre-emptively labeled Palin as the least stupid of McCain's possibilities while strongly questioning her resume (or lack thereof). On the other hand, Bryan Fischer is greeting her selection as "outstanding" - mostly because she is against a women's right to have an abortion. (Memo to Mr. Fischer: We're all pro-life, pal. The difference is, Democrats are working to reduce abortions through family-planning and comprehensive sex ed, not to mention economic policies that value families and children. "Just say no" doesn't work, nor does driving abortions into the back alleys.)

Maybe Brandi will get to break the tie - unless she's bummed out at being passed over.

1:38 p.m.: One more thing, from the comments, Sisyphus unearths a video showing Sarah Palin being grilled over an ethics investigation and admitting that she isn't exactly sure what the vice president does.

Comments

[Bill Sali Fan]

Won't you Anti-Sali Socialists be surprised when RINO McCain comes out with the only choice that will truly Lock Up The Base and guarantee the election result: Bill Sali, Hero of the Owyhees. Remember, you heard it here first. ( http://billsalifan.blogspot.com/2008/08/obvious-choice-bill-sali-for-vice.html )

[tim johnstone]

Wow. That's the dumbest thing I've read today. What I'm hearing this morning is that Sarah Palin from Alaska will be the pick.

[Julie in Boise]

So Tim, you don't think Bill Sali would lock down the conservative base for McCain? :)

Sarah Palin. Now, if it was Michael Palin, maybe ...

My only reaction to that (other than "who?") would be that he's pandering to try and retain the few Hillary Clinton supporters who insist they're going to vote for McCain.

[Bill Sali Fan]

Yeah, right. Sarah Palin has a girl's name, so he'll get laughed at just like the guy in "My Name is Sue" by Johnny Cash.

[Bill Sali Fan]

Michael Palin? He's not even a citizen! That just shows how much you Anti-Sali Socialists know! (On the other hand, the strong morals he showed as Sir Galahad in resisting the peril of the girl's school would appeal to all Patriotic Americans.)

[Julie in Boise]

Gov Palin is still in Alaska, ABC reports.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/mccain-vp-conte.html

And they say Obama is young and inexperienced? Palin is 44 and a first-term gov in Alaska. But check it out: She was born in Idaho and is a Vandal. (And yes, BSF, Sarah is indeed a "she.")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

I am still pulling for Joe Lieberman.

[Bill Sali Fan]

Yeah, right. Just goes to show what you Anti-Sali Socialists know; the Founding Fathers never envisioned a woman as Governor of Alaska, and the people of Alaska are known to be manly men who love the Constitution and the Founders -- just like Bill Sali.

[theresa]

Wow it will be interesting to see if all the rumors are true and she IS the pick --- gotta admit I never saw that one coming....

t

[Julie in Boise]

She's the one. I'm not even sure McCain saw it coming.

[theresa]

ROFL Julie knowing you -- I could hear your voice saying that as I read that .... and girl I have to admit you are probably correct.

t

[Sisyphus]

Republicans just through their "untested and inexperienced" argument out the window and she doesn't make McCane any younger. McSame reached into the most scandal ridden Republican Party machine to pick her and she has her own scandal brewing. Alaska politicians are bought and paid for by oil companies. While she appears to have challenged them on occasion an Alaska politician is still beholden to them. This'll be the gift that keeps on giving.

[Sisyphus]

through=threw. Sheesh.

[idagreen]

Well, I just listened to her speech, I think she closed with "I god bless you and god bless America". Did someone sneeze? May have heard wrong but she sure looked like she could have used a xanax.

Sis is on target with the tainted Alaska connections. There is plenty of muck there, and the aspect of experience is a bomb. Did she really brag about being Commander In Chief of the Alaska National Guard as foreign policy background? (no offense to the good members of the NG)

Pandering to the supposedly disenfranchised female Hillary supporters will also be a hoot. This will be fun.

[Akitagod]

I think it's cute when Republicans try to be progressive . . .

Maybe her secret service codename will be "Gold Digger" -- I mean, if the GOP steals the election (they'll have to use voter fraud at this point), the odds of Palin becoming President are fairly high.

[Julie in Boise]

Remove just one letter, and you get:

McCain/Pain

[Sisyphus]

She's a religious right wingnut who has already received the Village Idiot's seal of approval. She wants creationism taught in schools. That position worked so well for Rick Santorum. Well we just secured Pennsylvania. And one month ago she stated that she didn't even know what the VP does. Bring it on.

[theresa]

She actually SAID she does not KNOW what a VP does?!?!

baffles!!

I would LOVE that link if you have it!

t

[Sisyphus]

Click my name Theresa.

[Julie in Boise]

Thanks for that, Sis. I've included it in an update to the main post.

What a fun story, eh? Nationally, this pick appears to be a huge liability for McCain, but I'm really curious to get some people weighing in on to what degree her Idaho connections might hurt Obama and our downballot Dems - or not.

[Sisyphus]

Massive discussion at HBO. Click me again.

And I touched on that up there on this morning Julie. I think what it does is get the religious right more interested in voting and certainly rejuvenates a dottering campaign because everyone is curious about her. It'll certainly get more people to watch next week which should be very interesting when the uninvited Gutav shows up.

But its a double edged sword. I cautioned DFO to not be so overwhelmed with calling her an Idahoan just yet with her own scandal and the others in Alaska. She refused to call for Steven's resignation upon his indictment. So many Republicans have brought such great shame to our state and she could be another. And as far as her wingut affiliation, I think that works to our favor with the schism in the party spilling over to the Sali race. We need to wedge that baby.

[Sisyphus]

Gutav=Gustav

dottering=doddering

Blogging at the speed of light

[Julie in Boise]

Thanks for the HBO linkage, too. I checked up there a few times earlier this morning and was surprised to see that DFO hadn't blogged it yet.

[theresa]

thanks for the link!

off to spam it at my friends!

t

[Julie in Boise]

Sis wrote: "And as far as her wingut affiliation, I think that works to our favor with the schism in the party spilling over to the Sali race. We need to wedge that baby."

Hey, when we have Adam Graham and Bryan Fischer disagreeing, we don't need to do much wedge-wielding. Of course, Adam will probably come around soon re: Palin, but I suspect the corpo-cons will remain secretly apoplectic about Sali and this inexplicable move by McCain - before voting McCain-Pain to salvage their tax breaks, of course.

In other words, Palin's presence on the ticket probably won't hurt Walt Minnick, though it might sway a few Gem State votes from Obama.

[Sisyphus]

It'll motivate more wingnut Rs, lukewarm over McCain, into the voting booth. I think we'll see some odd vote splits this go.