News Will Palin's VP Debate Performance Impact McCain's Campaign?

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The discussion centers around John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate in the 2008 election. Participants express mixed reactions to her nomination, noting her limited experience as the governor of Alaska and questioning whether her gender will attract disenchanted Hillary Clinton supporters. There is speculation about Palin's appeal to female voters and potential strategies to counter Barack Obama’s campaign. Concerns are raised about her qualifications and the implications of having a less experienced candidate on the ticket, especially given McCain's age and health issues. The conversation also touches on the broader themes of gender in politics, the effectiveness of her candidacy in swaying voters, and the potential for her to energize conservative bases. Overall, the selection is viewed as a strategic move, but opinions vary on its effectiveness and implications for the election.
  • #121
isly ilwott said:
I think not.

You posted:
That was a different paragraph and nothing to do with you. :rolleyes:
 
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  • #122
Evo said:
That was a different paragraph and nothing to do with you. :rolleyes:

Be serious. How do you expect anyone who reads:

Originally Posted by isly ilwott
Palin would make a much better President than Obama.

In what ways? I don't see her qualified in any way as a President. What does she know about foreign affairs? How could she possibly be fit to be the Commander in Chief of the military?

This is what kills me about people voting for a President based on "family moral values" and how religious they are.

With McCain's advanced age and history of medical problems, it is very likely that she could end up as President, and that to me is completely unacceptable.
to think that the middle statement does not relate to the quoted statement?
 
  • #123
isly ilwott said:
Be serious. How do you expect anyone who reads:


to think that the middle statement does not relate to the quoted statement?
Because it has nothing to do with your quoted statement?
 
  • #124
In case anyone doesn't understand Palin's hairdo, Pentacostal women are discouraged from cutting their hair, or wear pants, among many other things that women are strongly discouraged from.
 
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  • #125
The notion that somebody would make a blanket statement about Palin being a better president than Obama before ANYTHING is known of her positions on national and international issues is hard to fathom. In matters of faith, political ideology, racial, or gender preferences, it is easy to make such sweeping statements, however illogical they may be, because the preference(s) drive the selection process. Right now, apart from her stances on faith, Intelligent Design, and reproductive rights, we know nothing of Palin. She may be smart, savvy, and well-informed on issues relevant to her potential position in the Executive branch, but right now, none of us have a clue. Even McCain had only met her once in person before asking her to be his running mate. That's a pretty reckless roll of the dice, IMO.
 
  • #126
LowlyPion said:
Unfortunately advocating evangelical beliefs is not a skeleton.
I'll rephrase ;-) It's a skeleton to any rational human being.

It's an indication of what she would subject others to if it was her prerogative.
As the sickness goes.
As the Governor of Alaska she can do little to affect that agenda, to impose her beliefs on the Supreme Court or carry national policy away from sound scientific basis.
Thank God for that <---- Thats a play on a word by the way.
As President however, ...
Pop goes the skeleton!
 
  • #127
castlegates said:
I have the distinct impression you missed my play on words. :-)

Apparently so.

Cheers.
 
  • #128
Evo said:
Because it has nothing to do with your quoted statement?
Then why put it in the response immediately following it? It appears to be part of your reply to my statement, attempting to imply that my motives are based on family moral values and religion.
 
  • #129
Evo said:
In case anyone doesn't understand Palin's hairdo, Pentacostal women are discouraged from cutting their hair, or wear pants, among many other things that women are strongly discouraged from.
You should see when they let it all hang down!
 
  • #130
isly ilwott said:
Then why put it in the response immediately following it? It appears to be part of your reply to my statement, attempting to imply that my motives are based on family moral values and religion.
Why would it appear that is was addressed at your quote when it had absolutely nothing to do with your quote? You're trying to create an issue where there is none. I've explained it to you already.
 
  • #131
Evo said:
..., but I do believe that Palin, a devout Pentacostal, would be very scary as President.

If she were to assume office as President, she would be Ralph Reed and Karl Rove's wildest wet dream scenario come true. At once they would be rid of McCain and have a Pentecostal puppet to front things for them.

Imagine the advisers she would surround herself with. Who she would appoint as VP. And cabinet choices.

Imagine how the country would countdown the days to the end of her term.
 
  • #132
LowlyPion said:
If she were to assume office as President, she would be Ralph Reed and Karl Rove's wildest wet dream scenario come true. At once they would be rid of McCain and have a Pentecostal puppet to front things for them.

Imagine the advisers she would surround herself with. Who she would appoint as VP. And cabinet choices.

Imagine how the country would countdown the days to the end of her term.
And don't forget Supreme Court justices. Activist right-wing justices who hew to her views would quickly spell the end to women's rights to reproductive choice at a minimum, and could end up being much more intrusive in social and educational systems and roll back environmental initiatives.
 
  • #133
turbo-1 said:
And don't forget Supreme Court justices. Activist right-wing justices who hew to her views would quickly spell the end to women's rights to reproductive choice at a minimum, and could end up being much more intrusive in social and educational systems and roll back environmental initiatives.

That of course depends upon her opportunity to appoint and surely we would hope they would at least survive her term.
 
  • #134
What is interesting is that for the first time in US history, we are either going to end up with a black President or female Vice-President.
 
  • #135
Evo said:
What is interesting is that for the first time in US history, we are either going to end up with a black President or female Vice-President.

Well at least "idiot" has been taken off the table.
 
  • #136
Just an observation about "inexperience" in both camps. basically that's heavily overrated. Experience brings about complacency (been there, done that) whereas inexperience should trigger eagerness to learn and adrenaline to help alertness and be better judges of the real situation, unbiased by "experience".

The major issue is superior leadership, the ability to judge accurately for taking the best position and motivate people to do the right thing. This is not depending on being male, female, black or white. The best natural leader I know, is my oldest daughter. I mean it; she is truly amazing.
 
  • #137
Some reactions from journalists and fellow politicians in Alaska:
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510249.html
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510220.html
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510048.html
 
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  • #138
I heard her name come up about a month ago as a possibility but then after that, not another peep. They did a good job keeping the surprise under wraps.
 
  • #139
You hear all this talk about how Palin will help get the women's vote. I seriously doubt that. Who are these people that seem to think women are mindless sheeples? I'm personally appalled by her. She follows a religious belief of keeping women in their place as set forth in the bible and would take away a woman's right to choose (abortion). I believe that it should be "a woman's right to choose", it's not that a woman would be forced to have an abortion, she doesn't even believe that women should have a choice. She's what I would call a "throwback".
 
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  • #140
I like this. Unfortunately, these are very significant factors. Regardless of whether you're right about Obama & Biden together, it won't be an issue since they'll campaign separately. Biden will be a great VP on the campaign trail - and he does add something for those looking for some serious punch in terms of experience.

castlegates said:
I see this relationship going the way of the Kennedy Johnson relationship. The more they learn about each others personal lives, the more they turn to hate of each other. It will be fun to watch.

He who laughs at the misfortune of others understands the meaning of life?

Mmmm, I can relate to that. :smile:
 
  • #141
Math Is Hard said:
I heard her name come up about a month ago as a possibility but then after that, not another peep. They did a good job keeping the surprise under wraps.
From what I've heard, it was a surprise to her too! :-p

Apparently McCain bypassed the normal procedure of investigating her.
 
  • #142
isly ilwott said:
Any one of the three others on the tickets would be a better President than Obama.
You never cease to keep me amused. Thanks!
 
  • #143
Evo said:
You hear all this talk about how Palin will help get the women's vote. I seriously doubt that. Who are these people that seem to think women are mindless sheeples? I'm personally appalled by her. She follows a religious belief of keeping women in their place as set forth in the bible and would take away a woman's right to choose (abortion). I believe that it should be "a woman's right to choose", it's not that a woman would be forced to have an abortion, she doesn't even believe that women should have a choice. She's what I would call a "throwback".

PUMAs will vote for McCain-Palin. In fact, they have some snazzy campaign slogans expressing their emotion over the Democratic primary results:

Dammit, I’m mad!

Surely there can be other good "Palin-dromes" as the campaign progresses.

PUMAs comparing Hillary to Ferraro: Gerry paved the way for Hillary. That took 24 years. Hillary paved the way for Sarah. That took two days!
 
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  • #144
BobG said:
PUMAs will vote for McCain-Palin. In fact, they have some snazzy campaign slogans expressing their emotion over the Democratic primary results:
I think a lot would have voted for McCain, but I think (as one PUMA was interviewed after the Palin announcement said, she would not be voting for McCain now) that this is going to turn a lot of them away as they are feminists first and would not approve of her. Still there are ones that are just stupid, IMO. To vote for someone you disagree with on most levels, which I would assume if they were in agreement with Hillary, has got to be pure idiocy. I think this is going to slap some sense back into a lot of them. What kind of numbers do the PUMA's claim to have? I saw a couple of them on tv and they were rather frightening, they were just a hair away from screaming.
 
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  • #145
Evo said:
I think a lot would have voted for McCain, but I think (as one PUMA was interviewed after the Palin announcement said, she would not be voting for McCain now) that this is going to turn a lot of them away as they are feminists first and would not approve of her. Still there are ones that are just stupid, IMO. To vote for someone you disagree with on most levels, which I would assume if they were in agreement with Hillary, has got to be pure idiocy. I think this is going to slap some sense back into a lot of them. What kind of numbers do the PUMA's claim to have? I saw a couple of them on tv and they were rather frightening, they were just a hair away from screaming.
These people will vote democrat regardless of what they say, or regardless of what is done to them by the democrat party. This is the true definition of sheeple. There vote was cast in cement many moons ago.
 
  • #146
BobG said:
He who laughs at the misfortune of others understands the meaning of life?

Mmmm, I can relate to that. :smile:
You know Bob, if anyone could convince me of voting for someone I didn't agree with, it would be you. You seem to be the most level headed poster in P&WA and I wish there was some kind of medal I could give you. But then people that don't like me would turn on you, so maybe you're better off if I ignore you. :wink:
 
  • #147
Evo said:
I think a lot would have voted for McCain, but I think (as one PUMA was interviewed after the Palin announcement said, she would not be voting for McCain now) that this is going to turn a lot of them away as they are feminists first and would not approve of her. Still there are ones that are just stupid, IMO. To vote for someone you disagree with on most levels, which I would assume if they were in agreement with Hillary, has got to be pure idiocy. I think this is going to slap some sense back into a lot of them. What kind of numbers do the PUMA's claim to have? I saw a couple of them on tv and they were rather frightening, they were just a hair away from screaming.

Combined with some other similar groups, their estimate is around 10% of Clinton supporters (1.8 million). (Party Unity Means Action - they changed their name).

Just as one might ask how many Feminists for Life members supported Clinton in spite of her views on abortion, you could also ask how many PUMAs will support a McCain-Palin ticket in spite of their views on abortion. The only power any minority political group has is to show they're willing to throw an election rather than have their viewpoints ignored.

It rarely works. The election is rarely close enough for the defectors to matter. Once in a while, though, the party they left wishes they hadn't.
 
  • #148
isly ilwott said:
You see, I'm not worried about Obama's lack of experience either.
...
Obama is still wet behind the ears.
Do you know what you mean when you type those words up?

And speaking of lousy judgment, how about that McCain huh? And I thought George Bush was clueless about the Middle East.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0209/24/lkl.00.html

CALLER: Being a veteran yourself, Mr. McCain, how do you feel about going to war a third time?

MCCAIN: I thank you for the question because that keeps me awake at night. Because I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women. And that's a great tragedy. But I also believe that these young men and women, as they go into war, are fully understanding that they will be possibly saving the lives of possibly millions of people, including possibly millions of their fellow citizens, because there is very little doubt that if Saddam Hussein acquired a nuclear weapon and the means to deliver it, that he would attack the United States of America.
Freaking funny!

For a change, can we have someone that is capable of a little thought, please?
 
  • #149
Just saw Palin give another speech. Yipes!
She repeated the first speech almost word for word.
The speech writers must be off for Labor Day.
She's still wearing those high tec Spectacles though, so everything is going to be all right!
 
  • #150
Actually, the counter to Palin on the ticket is pretty straight forward.

Hillary Clinton is going to have to play a key role in the Obama campaign and go on a serious attack against Palin.

Will she do it? There's some risk to her own political career if she attacks too hard.

If she's accepted that she had her only real shot at the Presidency, then she probably will. She sets the table for other Democratic candidates like Napolitano or Sebelius. (This would be best for a number of reasons, not least that succeeding a husband isn't exactly the best feminist message - it looks too much like a Bill Clinton 3rd term instead of the first woman President.)

Of course, 2000 should have been McCain's only real shot and look at where we are today. It's not 100% given that this is Clinton's only shot. She might not want to make her most ardent supporters mad.
 

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