2008 US Election Thread

[TheBert 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/pal...date/index.html

McCain picks Alaska Gov. Palin as running mate

(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain has picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, a senior McCain campaign official told CNN on Friday.

Palin, 44, who's in her first term as governor, is a pioneering figure in Alaska, the first woman and the youngest person to hold the state's top political job.

She catapulted to the post with a strong reputation as a political outsider, forged during her stint in local politics. She was mayor and a council member of the small town of Wasila and was chairman of the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska's oil and gas resources, in 2003 and 2004.

The conservative Palin defeated two so-called political insiders to win the governor's job -- incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski in the GOP primary and former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in the 2006 general election. iReport.com: What do you think of McCain's VP pick?

Palin made her name in part by backing tough ethical standards for politicians. During the first legislative session after her election, her administration passed a state ethics law overhaul....

So mack's been keeping the secret of Alaska women to himself.

[fat pat 0]

VPILF

[gxc999 7]

VPILF

Lol, totally. I think McCain made a shrewd move picking a woman. He's trying to hone in on unsatisfied Clinton supporters. I think this might scare off a few hard core right wingers but pick up many more moderates, female voters and Clinton backers. This may very well put him over the top.

[Monty22 821]

VPILF

Lol, totally. I think McCain made a shrewd move picking a woman. He's trying to hone in on unsatisfied Clinton supporters. I think this might scare off a few hard core right wingers but pick up many more moderates, female voters and Clinton backers. This may very well put him over the top.

Who will then go vote for whom? Macain is viewed by the right as the lesser of 2 evils, and they will vote accordingly.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

I think she's a great choice. I believe that she would be a better president than either McCain or Obama.

[mik3 1]

They better hope the VP debate is full of fluff questions, otherwise there's a chance Biden makes this former sportscaster cry.

[Chadd 916]

VPILF

Lol, totally. I think McCain made a shrewd move picking a woman. He's trying to hone in on unsatisfied Clinton supporters. I think this might scare off a few hard core right wingers but pick up many more moderates, female voters and Clinton backers. This may very well put him over the top.

She's a lifetime member of the NRA, strongly pro-life and a fiscal conservative. Just because she has a vagina, doesn't mean she's going to appeal to moderates and women. I'd bet that very few women who actually believed in Clinton's positions would even consider voting for Palin.

VPILF

Lol, totally. I think McCain made a shrewd move picking a woman. He's trying to hone in on unsatisfied Clinton supporters. I think this might scare off a few hard core right wingers but pick up many more moderates, female voters and Clinton backers. This may very well put him over the top.

Who will then go vote for whom? Macain is viewed by the right as the lesser of 2 evils, and they will vote accordingly.

Bob Barr?

[gxc999 7]

Be certain that when only 48% of the Clinton backers are satisfied with Obama and a woman on McCain's ticket, Obama's in trouble. On the other hand, the hardcore Christian conservatives might be frightened off. At this point, it might be a coinflip but I predict McCain will steal it by 1 or 2 points come November.

[bheidepr 0]

Big risk and I am guessing it will come with a big reward....

She is a hockey mom too!!!!

[Spreedizzle 1]

And a hottt hockey mom who is a former runner up to the Miss Alaska pageant. Now where did I hide those swimsuit photos....... ;)

[Jason Harris 31]

McCain has interesting reactions during her introduction. I swear it almost looks like he didn't really want her on his ticket, which makes a bit of sense considering I just read they had met only once prior to yesterday.

I thought before he announced his VP that the worst thing he could do was choose a woman, and, although she seems to share similar values, I still thing it will backfire.

EDIT: Unfortunately, I can't get the link to go to her speech; it keeps going to his.

[mack 44]

Sad when one party's VP has more experience than the other's Presidential nom. I can't wait for Andrew Halcro to jump on this and get an aneurysm.

[kosydar 0]

Be certain that when only 48% of the Clinton backers are satisfied with Obama and a woman on McCain's ticket, Obama's in trouble. On the other hand, the hardcore Christian conservatives might be frightened off. At this point, it might be a coinflip but I predict McCain will steal it by 1 or 2 points come November.

VPs make very little (if any) impact on the general election, unless they're caught with a dead hooker or something of the like. No true liberal who was all about Hillary is really going to vote for McCain now just because a woman with complete opposite politics is his running mate. Bottom line- people vote for the presidential nominee, not the VP nominee no matter what they are.

[mik3 1]

Shut down the election,

[gxc999 7]

Be certain that when only 48% of the Clinton backers are satisfied with Obama and a woman on McCain's ticket, Obama's in trouble. On the other hand, the hardcore Christian conservatives might be frightened off. At this point, it might be a coinflip but I predict McCain will steal it by 1 or 2 points come November.

VPs make very little (if any) impact on the general election, unless they're caught with a dead hooker or something of the like. No true liberal who was all about Hillary is really going to vote for McCain now just because a woman with complete opposite politics is his running mate. Bottom line- people vote for the presidential nominee, not the VP nominee no matter what they are.

Normally I would agree with you, but this election is rather extraordinary in several senses. McCain's team decided this based on calculation. There is no doubt in my mind that they talked to dozens and dozens of focus groups, some of which had to include dissatisfied Clinton supporters and undecided, single women. This was an extremely planned move.

[Chadd 916]

Be certain that when only 48% of the Clinton backers are satisfied with Obama and a woman on McCain's ticket, Obama's in trouble. On the other hand, the hardcore Christian conservatives might be frightened off. At this point, it might be a coinflip but I predict McCain will steal it by 1 or 2 points come November.

VPs make very little (if any) impact on the general election, unless they're caught with a dead hooker or something of the like. No true liberal who was all about Hillary is really going to vote for McCain now just because a woman with complete opposite politics is his running mate. Bottom line- people vote for the presidential nominee, not the VP nominee no matter what they are.

For proof of this comment see the 1988 election and the Dan Quayle vs Lloyd Bensen debate.

[Jason Harris 31]

Be certain that when only 48% of the Clinton backers are satisfied with Obama and a woman on McCain's ticket, Obama's in trouble. On the other hand, the hardcore Christian conservatives might be frightened off. At this point, it might be a coinflip but I predict McCain will steal it by 1 or 2 points come November.

VPs make very little (if any) impact on the general election, unless they're caught with a dead hooker or something of the like. No true liberal who was all about Hillary is really going to vote for McCain now just because a woman with complete opposite politics is his running mate. Bottom line- people vote for the presidential nominee, not the VP nominee no matter what they are.

Normally I would agree with you, but this election is rather extraordinary in several senses. McCain's team decided this based on calculation. There is no doubt in my mind that they talked to dozens and dozens of focus groups, some of which had to include dissatisfied Clinton supporters and undecided, single women. This was an extremely planned move.

I have a feeling it was more of a calculated gamble; i.e., will people who intimated they'd be willing to vote Republican if a woman was on the ticket actually vote that way when the facing the lever? If so, will they actually vote that way with this woman on the ticket? The Republicans will taut her outsider status, whereas the Democrats will suggest she's underqualified -- at this stage of her career -- to be a 73-year-olds heartbeat away from the Presidency.

I've felt all along that McCain choosing a woman would come across as pandering and would turn off more woman than it wins. That said, there's no doubt that, outside of a superlative last name, Bush had no business even thinking of running for President, let alone winning twice, so the majority of Americans haven't exhibited that they are deep thinkers when it comes to choosing our politicians.

[TheBert 0]

I googled pictures of the town she was executive of

From that to the presidency. She's got a much better hard knock life story than Obama.

[Monty22 821]

^^^VICE Presidency^^^

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

On This Week today one Republican senator said that Palin was better prepared/experienced to lead the country than Obama. And even used the argument that Alaska is closer to Russia as proof of foreign policy experience.

[Chadd 916]

^^^VICE Presidency^^^

Unless he knows something that the rest of us don't. In that case there are some guys with dark glasses and ear pieces that would like to have a conversation with him.

[mik3 1]

On This Week today one Republican senator said that Palin was better prepared/experienced to lead the country than Obama. And even used the argument that Alaska is closer to Russia as proof of foreign policy experience.

haha yeah, I posted that video on the last page.

I hate how bad cable news coverage has become. There's fox spewing stuff like that, then the idiot Olbermann being just as bad for liberals on msnbc.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

No, different than the link you put. This was a senator from SC who said it.

[mik3 1]

Oh wow. So is this going to be some sort of talking point? JR, you've lived near Cuba AND Canada. Why weren't you picked?

[cxo 0]

...so the majority of Americans haven't exhibited that they are deep thinkers when it comes to choosing our politicians.

Have they ever?