McCain VP Choice
Here is analysis by Joe Trippi, a Democratic political consultant, on why Democrats had better be careful in underestimating John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin for Vice-President:
I have seen a lot of commentary on why John McCain’s pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is a cynical and transparent ploy to bring disaffected women who supported Hillary Clinton to his cause - and why this ploy would fail.
But I don’t think John McCain and the people around him are that stupid.
Something else in his speech introducing Palin as his choice caught my attention and I believe shines some light on the real reason McCain chose the Alaskan.
McCain said of this pick “I have found the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle, and put their interests before your needs...I found someone with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies; someone who has fought against corruption and the failed policies of the past."
The McCain campaign plans on making an assault on Barack Obama’s strength as a change agent. And challenge, what the McCain campaign will describe as, Obama’s weak or non-existent attacks on corruption within the Democratic Party and other institutions throughout his career.
Like the Swift boat attacks of 2004 on Senator John Kerry, a decorated Viet Nam Veteran -- this assault will be on what is now a strength of Barack Obama's -- his focus on changing a broken system in Washington.
To make this assault, McCain picked in Palin someone who has taken on the corruption in the GOP in Alaska, turned against her own party’s establishment, and fought for reform.
The McCain/Palin duo will challenge Barack Obama’s claim of “a new kind of politics” and chastise Obama and Democratic vice presidential Nominee, Joe Biden, for their “silence” in taking on corruption in their own party in Illinois, Delaware and Washington, DC.
The McCain campaign intends to claim that “more of the same” in Washington means Barack Obama and Joe Biden and will make the argument that if you want to “shake things up” then McCain and his reform minded running mate from Alaska will get the job done.
My initial reaction was that in picking Palin, McCain had taken away the argument that Barack Obama wasn’t ready to be president. I now think my initial assessment on that score was wrong. Over time, the McCain team will insinuate that if you think a first-term Governor isn’t ready for the number 2 slot, are your really sure that a first-term Senator is ready for the number 1 spot?
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Here is video of Sen. Fred Thompson on Fox News today, talking about the developing situation with Hurricane Gustav and John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin.
Here is video from Fox News Sunday today where Sen. John McCain discussed with Chris Wallace his choice of Gov. Sarah Palin to be his Vice-Presidential running mate.
Here is video of CNBC's Maria Bartoromo today on Meet the Press talking with Tom Brokaw about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin being chosen to serve as John McCain's Vice-Presidential running mate. Bartiromo recently interviewed Palin, and said she is a "savvy pick" because of her great knowledge on the Energy Issue.
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David Brody has written a very good article that discusses why he believes John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for Vice-President "may make sense." He makes some very good points, particularly highlighting the fact that Palin gives voters a choice on the appeal of "making history." Here is part of the Brody article. I encourage you to go over to Brody's site and real it all:
Let me lay out why picking Sarah Palin may end up going down in political history as a masterful stroke of genius by John McCain and his team. There are pitfalls, no doubt about it. But let’s look at why this pick makes complete sense in so many different ways.
For the most part, social conservatives and the Evangelical base are now about to come fully on board. Obama’s enthusiasm gap has narrowed considerably. Anytime you have motivated Evangelicals behind you it means your candidate is in a good spot. Watch for pro-family organizations and the McCain team to now start working together to get out the vote. This CAN NOT be emphasized enough. Talk about a Holy Ghost party! . . . . . .
Let me also make one more point. And this may be the most interesting part. By picking Palin, I believe the parameters of the contest have changed. Let me explain. McCain loses the experience argument to a degree but he also put a major dent in Obama’s “March to history” theme. Basically, in a way this has become Palin vs. Obama and now voters are going to have to choose what kind of history they want to make. Plus, 9this thing has so many layers) every time the Obama campaign brings up Palin’s inexperience, the McCain campaign brings up Obama’s inexperience. And they go one further by saying that actually Obama has less experience than Palin. Here’s the point: In a strange sort of way, they have cast Palin and Obama on the same level. Comparing a VP prospect like Palin to a presidential prospect like Obama could very well be a winning hand for the McCain campaign because it brings Obama down to a VP level. . . . . . Read it all
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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked by the Washington Post for his reaction to John McCain's selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential running mate. Here is what he said:
Gov. Sarah Palin is exactly the right choice for John McCain's running mate. The contrast with Sen. Joe Biden is extraordinary.
Biden came to the Senate in 1973; Sarah Palin was 9. Biden has spent all those years in Washington; Sarah Palin spent them in the American West.
She is against tax increases; Biden is for them. She is for drilling for more American oil, and Biden is against more American oil.
If you want real change, count on Palin. Her record in Alaska proves that she will take on Washington lobbyists and Washington interests. Obama's first big choice was for continuity of the Washington system -- an old Washington hand who is comfortable with lobbyist money. McCain's choice of Sarah Palin is a move for real change. Every reformer and every Hillary Clinton supporter should take note -- they have an opportunity to reject a disappointing betrayal of their hopes and vote for real reform and real opportunity for women.
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Jonathan Martin reports at Politico:
All that attention combined with the good vibrations from the base delivered McCain a financial shot in the arm yesterday.
His online haul from the Palin pick: $4.49 million, per a campaign aide.
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Gov. Sarah Palin - John McCain's choice as Vice-Presidential running mate - made a very positive impression in her debut yesterday, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey. Following her speech in Dayton, Ohio, Americans have a favorable opinon of Palin by a 53%-26% margin. Following Joe Biden's debut as Obama's pick, 43% had a favorable impression of him:
Sarah Palin has made a good first impression. Before being named as John McCain’s running mate, 67% of voters didn’t know enough about the Alaska governor to have an opinion. After her debut in Dayton and a rush of media coverage, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 53% now have a favorable opinion of Palin while just 26% offer a less flattering assessment.
Palin earns positive reviews from 78% of Republicans, 26% of Democrats and 63% of unaffiliated voters. Obviously, these numbers will be subject to change as voters learn more about her in the coming weeks. Among all voters, 29% have a Very Favorable opinion of Palin while 9% hold a Very Unfavorable view.
By way of comparison, on the day he was selected as Barack Obama’s running mate, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden was viewed favorably by 43% of voters.
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Here is video of Karl Rove on Fox News earlier today giving his analysis of the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's Vice-Presidential running mate.
Michael Barone, one of the foremost political authorities in America, has written a column that says John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin is a pick that gives the McCain Campaign the opportunity to highlight some very key issues, including Obama's vote against the "Born Alive Infant Protection Act" in Illinois, and his opposition to 2nd Amendment Rights:
Palin is the mother of five, including one born in April with Down syndrome. Many parents who expect Down syndrome children choose to abort them; Palin, who is staunchly pro-life, did not. This provides a vivid contrast with Barack Obama's 2003 vote against the Born-Alive Protection Act, which his campaign has admitted was "virtually identical" to a bill that passed the U.S. Senate in 2001 by 98 to 0. That may become more of an issue than mainstream media would like, as I argue in my forthcoming Creators Syndicate column.
Palin is a strong advocate of Second Amendment rights (a lifetime NRA member) and of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (will she change McCain's mind on this?). Cultural conservatives have no basis for objecting to her. Neither, I would think, do economic conservatives. She supported Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell in his primary race against 35-year House incumbent Don Young, father of the "Bridge to Nowhere."
Foreign policy experience? Well, Alaska is the only state with a border with Russia. And it is the only state with territory, in the Aleutian Islands, occupied by the enemy in World War II. On the other hand, my recollection is that Geraldine Ferraro, who had far less experience especially in foreign policy than George H. W. Bush, held her own in the 1984 vice presidential debate.
