All I can say is WOW !

The Republican VP pick has the experience in government that Barak Obama does not. She is a women who has 5 children - balancing work and motherhood. I bet SHE knows what is in the pantry at home.


I am not a Republican but I wont vote for Obama.


Barak, you were just plain crazy not to pick Hilary.

She would have closed the deal yesterday.

Now ? Well its looking really wobbly.

I will not be voting for either of the 2 major parties ... but from outside, this looks like a fairly smart pick.

It's doubtful that women will defect from the Dem party in huge numbers, but even a 2-3% peel could hurt Obama badly.

Still, the numbers say that the VP picks usually make rather little difference. I still think it will come down to debate performance, attack ads, and trying to reach low-information voters in about 4 states. Like it always does.

you just watch the bounce.

We'll see how smart a pick she is if the investigation that she abused her position to get her ex-brother-in-law fired turns up something substantial.

As it stands, I have faith that most of the real Hillary supporters, as opposed to the fake PUMA/GOP trolls will see this as a naked attempt to seek their vote.

She is more anit-choice than McCain. She was a part time mayor of a town less than 9000 and Gov. less than 2 years. She was a Journalism major with a minor in Politics. Ya Great choice. It is a gimmick to get Hillary voters and they are smarter than that.

It's an extremely smart move. You couldn't possibly imagine a better contrast with Joe Biden. Joe Biden, for heaven's sake!! Can you imagine what the VP debate will look like?

Not to mention, it's been said that the VP selection is the only literally presidential thing a candidate ever does. And look at the contrast!

It also speaks to intelligence and strategy. Specifically, Obama should have seen this coming. McCain's very old, boring, Washington insider, a known (and not very well liked) quantity. He's running against a young man who's the first black presidential candidate ever. Picking a young woman as his VP was - at the very least - something 'Bama should have anticipated. If he had an ounce of strategic thinking in him, he'd nullify the move by picking Hillary ... and if she wasn't willing (why on earth wouldn't she be??) there's all kinds of exciting young Democrats he could have chosen.

Instead, obviously worried about his own shortcomings, he picked the single most boring, uninspiring Washington insider imaginable. *NO ONE* is as uninteresting a VP pick as Joe Biden. How could he not have seen this as a huge vulnerability?

At the end of the day, the campaign's kinda like The Apprentice - an extended job interview. What skills is Obama displaying, besides fancy talk? None. McCain, on the other hand, just reminded us all what someone who thinks about strategy looks like!

Very exciting.

I must agree with Munich and Greatbear. Fanatical Hillary supporters aren't shallow enough to defect simply because McCain threw them a bone. And yes, VP's have little to no substantial effect on election outcomes.

Good point Isara. No offense, but McCain's an old guy... what happens when he croaks in office and we're left with this hippie running off to hubby's snowmobile meets??

Thankfully, McCain won't win this election.

conquistador117:

I must agree with Munich and Greatbear. Fanatical Hillary supporters aren't shallow enough to defect simply because McCain threw them a bone. And yes, VP's have little to no substantial effect on election outcomes.

Well, to be fair, I did say it was a smart pick. I think *most* Hillary supporters won't defect. The problem is, it doesn't take "most." If the Dems' share of the female vote decreases by 4%, they're in serious trouble.

You're dumber than the average Obama voter if you don't see that they can't attack Palin on lack of experience. Lack of experience?? Really??? She's the VP candidate; and the *top* of the Democrat ticket has no executive experience at all and his professional experience is as a "community organizer".

You're also unbelievably dense if you think that women are going to see a woman as a "gimmick" just because she's a woman. Don't you understand that's *exactly* the mindset a lot of women are trying to fight? Conversely, if you can find anyone who thinks Palin's a "gimmick"...then wtf is Obama himself? He's gimmickry made flesh!

I was also a Hilary supporter, however I'm not sure that if Obama chose her as his running that would have really increased his chances. As much as I love Hilary she is a divisive figure that republicans have been ruthless towards I have no doubt that if she were the running mate the republicans would have increased their cruel treatment toward her.

I am impressed that McCain is taking such a gamble and is finally trying to woe women voters, but I can't help but see this as an empty gesture that undermines every criticism he has made toward Obama. To tell you the truth I would much rather see Sarah give it a couple years and work up to running her own campaign.

Irma:

All I can say is WOW ! The Republican VP pick has the experience in government that Barak Obama does not. She is a women who has 5 children - balancing work and motherhood. I bet SHE knows what is in the pantry at home. I am not a Republican but I wont vote for Obama. Barak, you were just plain crazy not to pick Hilary. She would have closed the deal yesterday. Now ? Well its looking really wobbly.

Sarah Palin is not Hillary Clinton, and as for balancing work and 5 children, she probably has a nanny for the little tots!