Diary of a Mighty Bastard

I made my comments on Obama's pick for Biden. Now it's the GOP's turn, as John McCain named Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin to be his Vice President Choice.

Unlike Obama's pick, this is hardly a safe choice. Using the same four criteria that I used before:

1- If anything should happen to the President, could the VP step into the office and take over the duties as President?

2- Does the VP help the President with any perceived weaknesses of the Presidential candidate?

3- Will the VP nominee hurt the Presidential candidate?

4- Can the VP nominee help the Presidential nominee get elected?

(1)- The biggest problem. She's been mayor of a town, and Governor of Alaska for 2 years. I'll argue she has more experience than Obama does (and in terms of exceutive experience, has more experience than all of the other three). I'd really feel a lot better if she had more than one term as governor

(2)- She'll definitely help. She's a solid Conservative on the issues, while McCain has had problems with the base. She's a known battler of both corruption and pork spending (much better than the current administration). She helps with the GOP's problem of being a party of "Old White Men"

(3)- Could she hurt? Absolutely. She could be another Dan Quayle (a relatively unknown GOP rising star who wasn't ready for Presidential politics). From what I've seen, she's been very impressive. But she hasn't been put under the microscope like the other candidates. It's very possible she will make a verbal gaffe that will haunt her and McCain...

(4)- ... but she could also really help McCain win the election. Not that the VP pick alone will help someone win. But I've been checking with my fellow members of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy... they love this pick. They've been more excitied about this pick than anytime in the last 3-4 years.

This is a high-risk but high-reward move, for McCain and Palin. For the next two months, she's going to be put through the wringer. If she can handle the pressure, she will be a tremendous asset to McCain- and will set herself up for the future (my guess- if McCain loses and she does a good job, she's the nominee in 2012).

Would I have made this pick, if I were McCain? not if I thought I'd win without her. Gov. Palin is doing a great job in Alaska, but I'd want her to have another term before I'd put her on the ticket.

But I don't think McCain can win, as things stand now. McCain needed something to shake up the campaign (Obama, OTOH, just needed not to screw up). This qualifies. We'll see if it works out.

As a Conservative, I have hopeful trepidation. I want her to do well. But it's a gamble.

When I wrote my post before, I didn't realize one piece of information: John McCain only met Sarah Palin once before deciding on her as the Vice Presidential nominee.

I'm sorry- that's not a gamble; that's stupidly reckless.

Everything I've seen about Sarah Palin, I've liked. I think she has a very good chance as a leader of the GOP- even as a President- in the future.

But for McCain to make this decision after meeting her once is reckless on his part. I would have been MUCH happier if he had picked Joe Lieberman, because I believe he really thinks Lieberman could take over as President if needed.

There's no way someone could make that decision after one meeting.

I like Gov. Palin. I hope she does very well. My comments don't reflect on her at all.

But they don't reflect on John McCain very well.