Just hours after Barack Obama's historic acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination, before 70,000 awestruck Americans at Denver's Invesco Field, the Republican nominee landed a McHottie of a running mate--Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
In one move, John McCain destroyed the central message of his campaign platform and negative campaign against Obama. And all for the opportunity to have an attractive political figure at his side. The double entendre is intended: Palin is flat-out gorgeous. McCain now can travel the country with trophy wife on one arm and trophy veep on the other. Bookend babes. Talk about your poll bounce.
I can't help but assume this will quickly take its toll on Cindy McCain. Her blonde hair, brilliant smile and vibrant wardrobe have been an arresting and consistent element throughout her husband's campaign. Her cover-girl looks that much more youthful perched beside her 72-year-old hubby. Yet from this point on, there's a bigger, brighter name on the marquis, a stunning woman with no wrinkles to hide and exuberance on her side. How long will Cindy's vanity remain dormant before her hem climbs higher and her neckline plunges deeper? McCain's numbers may grow from sheer cat-fight anticipation.
The right-wingers are spinning as fast as they can to workshop potential responses to McCain's quantum leap of faith. Give them a break, they've only had a few hours to back up what is described in favorable terms as a baffling selection. But they've fired out some really creative doozies.
One initial retort is to take the offensive--like the challenge they're laying down to democrats, this "you want to debate experience? let's go!" tactic. Beneath its bravado is the suggestion that those in Obama's camp who question the pick are being hypocritical, given the Illinois senator's limited experience. What they seem to forget is the fact that the Republicans are the ones who initiated the experience issue. In fact, they made "not ready to lead" the tag line of their anti-Obama ad campaign. Why on earth would Obama make his inexperience a topic--who in his position would? Team McCain raised the point and now they've contradicted their position. The hypocrisy is theirs and theirs alone.
Another GOP spin is that Palin is "the most popular governor in the United States", on the basis of her 69% approval rating. This is priceless. A high school poly sci student could point out the flaws here. True, no other governor may have as high an approval rating... IN THEIR STATE. But going from here to saying she's the most popular governor in the country is a stretch of Bubble-Yum proportions. Frankly, I doubt that 5% of the nation had even heard of Sarah Palin before today. All you can logically conclude from this statistic is that she is more popular among Alaskans than any other governor is among their residents.
Then there's the argument that Palin has more experience than Obama. Here are the facts:
o Palin has served 20 months as governor and six years as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population: 6,715). Comparatively, Obama has been in the United States Senate for four years and served in the Illinois Senate for eight years before that.
o Palin's previous pursuits included stints as a sportscaster and commercial fisherman, as well as four years on the Wasilla City Council. Obama taught constitutional law at University of Chicago Law School for 12 years, and worked for a law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development for another 11 years.
o Palin received a bachelor's degree in journalism (minoring in political science) from the University of Idaho. Obama earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, then graduated from Harvard Law School after becoming the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. He earned an academic scholarship. She won a scholarship for finishing second in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant.
A year and a half as governor of a state with a population of 600,000 may technically be "executive experience". But it bears mentioning that not too long ago, her fellow Republican George Bush (daddy) and some other maverick named Perot attacked a relative unknown named Bill Clinton, by suggesting the state he governed (Arkansas) was roughly the size of Wal-Mart. Arkansas has FIVE TIMES the population of Alaska.
Still another spin, most recently tossed out by Florida's republican governor, is that what's really important is which presidential candidate is best equipped for the job, a contest McCain wins "hands down". Well if we can measure the two candidates on the basis of their first major decision as their party's nominee, you'll have a hard time making that argument. Biden and Obama had worked closely for years as fellow senators. Reports are that McCain had met Palin just once before yesterday. JUST ONCE. Forgive me but I must repeat this. McCain and Palin had met only one time before yesterday. That meeting was six months ago.
What does it say about the man who is asking us to put him in charge of our nation? It appears he has treated the issue of who will take over the presidency should be be unable, more like a blind date than a serious process? Is this a harbinger of the type of decision making we can expect in a McCain administration?
Furthermore, what does this selection really say about his views on gender equality? Could a move aimed at "breaking the glass ceiling" for women, belie an altogether malodorous intention? McCain's recent off-handed comments about entering his wife in the "Miss Buffalo Chip" pageant, once chalked up as a tasteless ad-lib, may actually be just another stitch in a pattern of apparent objectification. From his second wife Cindy (with whom he began a relationship in the midst of his first marriage)... to the lobbyist friend that led several close to him to question his political sensibilities (remember the New York Times article that was inexplicably forgotten simply because the two never "did it"?)... to today's choice of running mate... it's clear the man likes to surround himself with babes.
Ask yourself: would Palin have been his choice if she didn't possess such dazzling good looks? If you can't answer with a resounding "yes", what does that tell you? Last time I checked, promoting someone seemingly under-qualified for a position, based on his or her physical appearance, is textbook sexual discrimination. And anyone guilty of this is more male chauvinist than maverick.
Bottom line: the only people who hail McCain's choice of running mate are people who would hail any choice (Lieberman aside) the man made. It's their job as members of the Grand Old Party to get behind the decision. But deep down, they must be freaking out. They've spent the day not boasting about McCain's choice but defending it. Frankly, it's hilarious if not downright jaw-dropping to watch right-wing strategists and pundits lauding the 44-year-old Alaskan's credentials, mere days after criticizing Obama's.
What most of them won't admit, is that before today they had no idea of this woman's background and qualifications, if they even knew her at all. McCain said of Palin in his speech this afternoon, "When you get to know her, you'll be as impressed with her as I am". Yet, having met her just once before yesterday, he barely knows her himself.
Now that's what you call a first impression.
