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Clinton v. Palin, Anyone?
Below is a guest blog entry by economist and MoJo author Nomi Prins:
That wasn't Sarah Palin running for Vice President tonight. It was Palin running for President, reaching straight for the hearts of small town America, fists pumping the air, lips blowing kisses.
No matter who wins this year, I predict Palin will be on the ticket in 2012. If Obama/Biden win, Palin has just been groomed to be the GOP pick for 2012. And, if McCain/Palin win, well… she's next in line for the GOP nomination. And who do you think would be the Democrat? A Clinton/Palin fight could present a fascinating and less muddled arena in which the actual views and policies of two women trump their gender.
On the election at hand, progressives should over- rather than underestimate Palin's ability to debate Joe Biden, and concentrate on picking apart the policies she and McCain represent. Palin has shown she is tough enough to stand up to Biden, and that she can figure out what she needs to communicate (probably, even without a prompter). And maybe that's a good thing for all of us. It may bring more attention to the national issues, and less to her personal ones.
Great... and Anne Coulter wannabe as pres. in 2012. Go America.
One speech, and one that didn't provide any credible policy positions or differentiation from George W. Bush, and you're ready to anoint Palin the GOP messiah?
There are nine-weeks left of this campaign. If she makes it through without any more of the tragi-comic events that we've seen up until now (and she better not have any major gaffes after the hubris she displayed last night), then I might agree with you.
More likely, as a neophyte to the national campaign meat grinder, she will look much less poised and confident in the daily give-and-take. She's had some of the best speech writers and media trainers working round the clock for the past three days to prepare her for one speech in front of an adoring audience.
Things will be more challenging on the road where she'll have to deal with split second decisions on what to say to questions on which she can't possibly be prepared to answer.
So who gives in on abortion, Palin or Clinton? Sometimes the people who pose as real political thinkers are bumb as s--t.
I bought an Obama-Biden magnet last week, but I'm mystified by the repeated references to her falling down "without a speechwriter." When in a modern presidential campaign does any of the four candidates *not* have half a dozen writers and coaches preparing them for every event? We need to go after policy, after the hard facts (and they will be very hard on the Republicans), not rely on image. Obama's promise is a substantive campaign, and we should follow suit.
The only thing that conservative voters think about walking into the booth is their gut feeling. Same as liberal voters. The difference is, conservatives are prompted by words, liberals by actions.
Therefore, a candidate who says the right words, with confidence, will always prompt the majority of conservatives to act in their favor.
The mental image of a world of riches, infinitely sustainable, with perfect morality where everyone can accumulate wealth in peace until Jesus comes, is more than enough to make them pull the lever.
The author has a good point.
Palin showed that she is totally comfortable scorning actions by using those very actions with no sense of hypocrisy.
She showed that she is willing to advertise how little she (read they) cares about social issues.
She made fun of people talking about them running for their guns and bibles Having made here career campaigning for guns and bibles.
She chided a black man for championing civil rights over aggressive wars for profit, and received a standing ovation. (At that point, I realized that the 11:15-11:45 part of her church speech from June is not fantasy, but very likely imposed destiny.)
She made fun of rousing political speeches and cast them as false and opportunist. This in the form of a rousing political speech so riddled with falsehood and opportunism that I almost suffocated.
The war is over, and the working classes just lost.
I am blown away by all the faces in the crowd at the GOP convention last evening that bought into the hype of Ms. Palin bringing change to Washington. Her words and stance on ALL subjects as far as I could tell were indentical to the current Presidential administration.
As far as what I witnessed, the only difference between George Bush and Sarah Palin is "lipstick".
McCain has given himself a fighting chance of winning the White House that, before Friday morning, seemed to be slipping away. Indeed, the bristling reaction on the left testifies to Democratic fears that the choice of Palin could indeed be a game-changer in 2008.
Liberals howl that Palin has no experience, no qualifications to be president of the United States. But the lady has more executive experience than McCain, Joe Biden and Obama put together.
None of them has ever started or run a business as Palin did. None of them has run a giant state like Alaska, which is larger than California and Texas put together. And though Alaska is not populous, Gov. Palin has as many constituents as Nancy Pelosi or Biden.
She has no foreign policy experience, we are told. And though Alaska's neighbors are Canada and Russia, the point is valid. But from the day she takes office, Palin will get daily briefings and sit on the National Security Council with the president and secretaries of state, treasury and defense.
She will be up to speed in her first year.
And her experience as governor of Alaska, dealing with the oil industry and pipeline agreements with Canada, certainly compares favorably with that of Barack Obama, a community organizer who dealt in the mommy issues of food stamps and rent subsidies.
Charles, that's a telling phrase, "mommy issues". Suddenly conservatives have discovered a liking for feminism, but the sexism is barely beneath the surface. Your phrase suggests to me just how hard conservatives are having to swallow these days. At the same time it looks like you're trying to pull the usual trick of feminizing male Democrats by implying that Obama can't deal with manly issues like oil pipelines, just weak women's issues.
Personally, I'd rather have a president whose early experiences include working with people who are struggling rather than imposing her morality.
It is obvious why John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his VP pick. Look at the clip where he is making the announcement and she is standing next to him. He is unabashedly staring at her breasts, which she always exposes by unbuttoning the top button on her overly-tight blouse. Am I the ONLY one who has picked up on this? Why is the media patently IGNORING this "reverse sexism"? It is unfortunate (but true) that many men are more than willing to vote with their penises, rather than their brains...something Palin has obviously capitalized on in the past, and continues to do so. Do we want a woman like this in the White House? Methinks not.
-Peter Simmons
Cherokee Village, AR
Hey peter,
I think you must be the ONLY man in AR who thinks the way you do...:-)
Or else you are gay..?
Bill
SHARON & DEVILDOG...
THANK GOD I'M NOT ALONE.
IT'S CLEAR THAT MCCAIN PICKED PALIN BECAUSE HILLARY IS OUT. IF OBAMA WAS OUT WOULD MCCAIN HAVE PICKED CLARENCE THOMAS FOR VP?
She's weak and didn't speak of anything substantial. She says she's all about change and bringing the parties together, but too bad those phrases were already taken by Obama. She took shots at the other side, which does not promote unity.
The GOP is setting her up to be their puppet in 2012. People forget that she's running as VP and not Pres. Get over it and see what McCain is all about. All the focus has shifted off him, which is exactly what he's hoping for.
Ignorant women, like a co-worker of mine, will vote simply based on the fact that she has a vagina. The fact that they they're both women and can procreate makes them feel 'connected' Heads up. There are 6 billion people on the planet and we can all procreate.
Republican voters are promoting this woman like she is god, but they've only known her for a week, unless you live in Alaska.
I'm sad to see so many Americans buying into the garbage the the GOP is selling. Selling fear, selling the idea that Obama isn't ready, but Palin is? Don't forget 9/11 cause is has so much relevance (ugh!) and don't forget to buy more duct tape for your windows in case of a chemical attack.
Peter, you are the one that thinks this way and imagines such things. Go on the web to biggums and look at them to your heart's content, but please don't share with us your own dirty mind.
Fact is, Palin has two years experience just like Obama. One is governor and another is a Senator. Picking Palin and all the talk about her lack of experience just keeps the issue alive about Obama's lack of experience. Why are we holding the mother to a higher standard than the Man Obama? Because Obama just can't accept a woman as an equal or he would have nominated a woman (Clinton) as his VP like McCain did. If a woman is good enough for the GOP, why not the Democrats?
Oh Sharon wants her cake and to eat it, too. If Obama had picked Hillary, a lot of feminists would have felt it was either, a] pandering or b]insulting to see Hillary take the subordinate VP role to him. I guess you'll be voting McCain/Palin? You must not be using your uterus anymore, but try to think of younger women who still value a choice.
Oh, and Bill Nigh, you show your capital ignorance of the people outside of your militia group once again. Peter's sexist comments about Palin's physique and wardrobe make me LESS likely to think he is gay. The LGBT community is very sensitive to women's issues and while there certainly are gay men capable of saying what Peter did, I think they are few and far between enough to avoid that kind of assumption. Then again, here I am making a critical comment TO a boob, so that might muddy the argument.
Paul, what is the matter with the militia? Are you afraid of guns? I bet Sarah makes you question yourself, because she is a woman that is good with a gun.
"And her experience as governor of Alaska, dealing with the oil industry and pipeline agreements with Canada, certainly compares favorably with that of Barack Obama, a community organizer who dealt in the mommy issues of food stamps and rent subsidies."
"Personally, I'd rather have a president whose early experiences include working with people who are struggling rather than imposing her morality."
And I'd prefer to have someone in the White House who's experience, and values, is with helping people who are struggling to get by in this country, rather than in helping the oil companies get what they want.
You are right David. Obama only has two years as a Senator. McCain has many times that, so we will vote for McCain because he is the more experienced one. Also, McCain is not a racist like Obama's Pastor Wright.
You're dead wrong. She's just what this country needs - a fresh take! She is a strong woman that is highly motivated to get the job done. The Bush administration and congress (republican and democrat) have left a mess so big it will take years to over come. The few fault finders in Alaska are some long timers who have taken advantage of the system and are mad that she changed things. She upset their apple cart. They are both republicans and democrats. But the people of Alaska - love her - she is the real thing!