Chapter 78.8: McCain-Palin, My First Impressions

Perhaps first impressions is a misnomer, since I'm offering them here a day after the announcement. But I don't mind saying this was my first impression: if disaffected Hillary voters go for the Republican ticket purely because he selected a women to the vice presidential slot of the ticket, then there's something seriously wrong with how people think.

At a certain level, I feel bad for Governor Palin. She's being used like a pawn, though her career after 2008 has just been placed on a higher path. Her selection is so blatantly opportunistic — trying to sway those angry Democrats who were Hillary supporters — that it's beneath the presidency. Does anyone actually think that a person who's spent more time as the mayor of 8,500-strong Wassila, Alaska, than she has as governor of a state with just 670,000 people is ready to step in as president if something happens to the 72-year-old who could be the leader of the free world? Her selection completely undermines the Republicans argument that Sen. Obama is not ready to be president.

Moreover, this selection strongly suggests that the conservatives still run the Republican party, which will only bode poorly for those millions of Americans who ascribe the recent economic difficulties on the conservative policies of President Bush's administration and the previous Congress that followed essentially in lockstep. True, things aren't much better under the current Democratic-led Congress, but I certainly believe there was more debate about things now than there was during the first three-quarters of the Bush administration.

That's another thing I don't like about McCain's selection of Gov. Palin. He's reported to have made the decision based on just a couple conversations. I have enough faith in Sen. McCain to believe he assessed her background and recognized that Palin's conservative stands coupled with her willingness to rock the boat made her a good match for him. But I can't help but think he'd have done more to help his cause by selecting Carly Fiorina as his VP. She's already part of his team as a chief fundraiser and has actual experience leading major corporations. I recognize that Alaska is not exactly some political backwater, but I simply don't think Palin has more experience than Fiorina.

The more I read about Palin, the more I think she could be underestimated, so I'm sure there's a lot more to be learned. But I have to say, it seems to me that the Republicans have conceded that they have little shot of winning the election.