From Politico.
While the applause for Palin among conservatives has been loud and long, there are prominent, articulate dissenters, including columnist Jonah Goldberg; former counsel to Dick Cheney Shannen Coffin; National Review senior editors Rick Brookhiser and Ramesh Ponnuru; and former Bush speechwriter and columnist David Frum.
"McCain's supporters argue that he is more serious about national security than Barack Obama. But the selection of Sarah Palin invites the question: How serious can he be if he would place such a neophyte second in line to the presidency?" Frum asks. "So this is the future of the Republican party you are looking at: a future in which national security has bumped down the list of priorities behind abortion politics, gender politics, and energy politics. Ms. Palin is a bold pick, and probably a shrewd one. It's not nearly so clear that she is a responsible pick, or a wise one."
Palin Laughs As Opponent Is Called "Bitch," "Cancer"
"Either McCain thinks the war on terror isn't serious, or he thinks the vice-presidency isn't," Brookhiser argues. "We have shown the same color-by-numbers mindset that liberals did when they rallied to Obama. Liberals love Obama because he is a Numinous Negro. Conservatives love Palin because she has a Downs baby and an M-16. For both sides, that is all on earth ye know and all ye need to know. You might call it mystical and childish. May I be so wrong that a hundred harpies will pluck my eyeballs."
"The choice also says a lot about McCain. First, that he is a bit desperate," Coffin writes on the National Review site The Corner. "Second, that he is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn't really need a Vice President.... Rather, the Office would seem poised to return to the 'proverbial warm bucket of p***' category."
Goldberg is less critical than openly worried: "It all comes down to whether Palin holds up under intense scrutiny. If it looks like this was purely a stunt, then McCain's critics will be right that his "country first" mantra rings a bit hollow. If, on the other hand, she proves to be as impressive as she seems, no one will care about how small Wasilla is. All I can say is I hope McCain's vetters did their job."
Ponnuru, in turn, raised a laundry list of doubts:
"Inexperience. Palin has been governor for about two minutes. Thanks to McCain's decision, Palin could be commander-in-chief next year. That may strike people as a reckless choice; it strikes me that way.....To the extent the experience, qualifications, and national-security arguments are taken off the table, Obama wins. And it's not just foreign policy. Palin has no experience dealing with national domestic issues, either....Tokenism. Can anyone say with a straight face that Palin would have gotten picked if she were a man?"
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Comments: 29
Who is this guy?
Can't wait for the vetting....puttin country last.......ambition Mr McCain is no reason to put your country into harms way. Did you say terrorists?
and i don't think the democrats get to choose the republican vice president.
i like her. she's no nonsense, common sense. she's a fiscal conservative, works with independents and democrats and republicans. she's strong on ethics and honesty. and she's an action person.
the mccain team is an action team. i've had enough of a talk team.
How can the 72 year old McCain. after four bouts with cancer, really believe that he will not have any other health related issues. Apparently he doesn't feel that Americans deserve a qualified Vice President. So much for him always putting "America First". This decision was arrogant and short sighted.
Obama did cocaine when he was young, but you're criticizing somebody whose daughter made a poor decision. That's real mature.
THAT'S HIPOCRYTICAL....YES OBAMA TURNED OUT JUST FINE IN COMPARISON. AGREED PRODUCT OF A SINGLE MOTHER........RAISED ON FOOD STAMPS...NOT OF A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF DENIAL.
Making an issue out of strictly family issues in a pollitical campaign is really disgusting.
Lt's talk about the war. the defcit. the supreme court.family values.....hmmmmm Making an issue out of strictly family issues in a pollitical campaign is really disgusting. IT CERTAINLY IS!!!!!
So if you'd like to get off this digusting partisan BS I'd be more than happy to accomidate.
HE DIED AT 75 of a stroke.
It's been my observation that longevity is more gender based than that. Long lived females tend to produce more long lived females. This doesn't neccesarily translate to the sons. My own family shows this. The women in the family, on both sides live to middle 80's to late 90's. The men tend to make it into their early 60's. They used to die of a heart attack in their early 40's, but now with better medical intervention, they survive that early 40's heart attack, and live another 20 years quite well. After that it's down hil quickly, and then...poof!
Ok ok.. age is a factor, either way, I'd vote McCain/(anyone on his short list and extended shortlist) over Obama/Biden. I think McCains got an easy four more years, but i wont give him 8. Not a 2 term president.