CORRECTION: This post originally said Sarah Palin was once a member of the Alaska Independence Party, which was reported by The New York Times. The Times later reported that it was Todd Palin, not his wife, who was once a member of that party.
You’re Sen. John McCain, and you’re running for president. One of your biggest criticisms of your Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, is his lack of experience. So, what do you do? You ask American voters to put Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. And by comparison to Palin’s lack of experience, Obama now looks like Winston Churchill.
Worse, you apparently made this selection after the worst vetting job this side of Thomas Eagleton’s shock treatments.
In another previous life, she supported Sen. Ted Stevens infamous Bridge to Nowhere, which she now claims to have been instrumental in stopping. And that big-time reputation for taking on the good ol’ boys of Alaskan politics doesn’t gibe with the fact that she once worked for a 527 group organized by the goodest ol’ boy of all, none other than Stevens himself.
Then, there is that messy little investigation into whether Palin fired the state’s public safety commissoner after he refused to be pressured by her staff, her family and herself into firing her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper.
Finally, it turns out Palin’s abstinence only approach to sex education didn’t take on her teenage daughter Bristol, who is now with child.
Yep, worst vetting job since Eagleton. And the rapidity with which she is becoming a national joke may well mean that she soon joins him in the history book.
By the way, if you’re McCain, in addition to criticizing Obama’s lack of experience, you also have been making a big deal out of questioning his judgment. Well, the New York Times News Service reported that your vetting team didn’t even arrive in Alaska until Thursday, one day before you tried to seize the momentum after the Democratic National Convention by announcing her as your running mate.
One day - if that - of vetting someone you want to be a heartbeat from the Oval Office? Now, that’s some rush to judgment.
Larry Dale Keeling, a columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader, has spent most of his 35-plus years in journalism reporting on or writing editorials and columns about Kentucky’s politics and political issues. He now brings his experience and expertise on those topics to the KyKurmudgeon blog.
Larry
Both YOU and the NEW YORK Times got it wrong about Sarah Palin being a member of the Alaskan Independence Party. Where are we going to see your correction. Also, both YOU and the NEW YORK TIMES got it wrong about the vetting team. It was a vetting team for the press not Palin. When and where will we see that correction?
Larry:
Both YOU and THE NEW YORK TIMES were WRONG about the Alaska Independence Party. When should we expect an apology?
Larry Dale Hawpe.
Man do you have a bad back or something? You seem to be ill-tempered
lately.
Larry, Please explain again Obama’s experience. Do you mean the few years he spent as a community agitator, another term for which is “shakedown artist” ala Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Or do you mean his experience collaborating with an unindicted terrorist while doling out 49 million dollars of Annenberg Trust money, a large part of which went to the convicted felon Tony Resko who was also involved in his shady housing purchase? Or do you mean his 8 years in the Il. Legislature where he must have set a record for “present” votes. Or maybe his committee chairmanship in the U.S. senate where he has failed to hold a single meeting?
You also hit Mrs. Palin pretty hard on the fact that her daughter is pregnant. Of course the Democratic response would be abortion. That would have been the same response to Mrs. Palin’s new baby, too. That or let the State rear it. You should realize that teen-agers make mistakes, and sometimes adult women do things that are not quite right, too. I think you know whom I’m talking about.
You must have missed some of the details in Gov Palin’s resume - 10 years as a Mayor and 2 as Governor. This is far more executive experience than either Obama or Biden. Even more than McCain if you discount his time in the military which, except for 6 years in a POW camp was nearly all executive experience. I’m sure by now you caught her speech at the convention and understand that she will not be cowed by the liberal media. Any comparison of her to Eagleton is just wrong and premature, as would a comparison of McCain to McGovern.
Mr Keeling,
You’re dreaming! Palin is a home run and the Obama campaign must be in shock after her speech last night.
One thing that concerns me about Sarah Palin is that she got pregnant, had a baby after she was elected governor. Maybe it was an accident or maybe it was planned but either way it is not the best move when you are governor. Will she have a baby while she is vice-president if McCain is elected to the presidency?
Yes, by relying on The New York Times story, I did get it wrong about Sarah Palin belonging to the Alaska Independence Party. The Times later reported that it was Todd Palin, not his wife, who joined that party.
ldk
Keep it up. Keep piling on old Sarah. Regular people love her.
Liberal hate-mongers do what they do best, they HATE her.
I’ll call the HL the day after the election to make sure they put you under a suicide watch. McCain as President, Palin as VP and old Mitch back in the saddle again.
Sure sucks to be a Demoncrat.
Phil C
Last time I checked all the pundits on TV and the newspapers have the same number of votes we regular folks have: one.
I’m casting my vote for McCain-Palin instead of a Hollywood wannabe and a guy who got elected to the Senate when Willie Mays was still playing baseball. And from what I hear after Wednesday’s speech that more will vote Republican come November 4.
Larry? Palin Failin? Come on man! You got this one sooooo wrong! You have got to be eating your hat right now that McCain is pulling ahead of Obama. Well, I guess the good news is that you will still have a job as long as that New England Communist Joel Pett is still at the ol’H&L
If she’s such a good addition to the ticket, why has McCain been afraid to let her fly solo as a campaigner?
ldk
Now that the polls show the bounce what is the next spit ball you can throw at her?
If I was McCain I would keep her close as well. She is currently single handily casting a blanket over the entire Democratic campaign. She is dominating the news and all Obama can do is respond from a defensive position.
I know you are on the opposite end of the political spectrum form her but how about at least giving her the courtesy of admitting what she has done to renergize the Republican Party.
She has become something of a rock star for the R’s. But there is still a long way to go and a lot for people to learn about her, such as the news that she claims per diem for the time she spends at home in Wasilla, which is most of the year according to the reports I’ve read. Talk about milking the taxpayers.
ldk