Thoughts on Palin's talk with Couric?

[freddy]

Especially from people who a planning to vote McCain, or thinking of voting McCain. If you haven't seen it you can go to cbsnews.com for video or transcript.

Is there any way Palin could be considered a good choice for VP? Is there any way that her choice doesn't make it seem like McCain put his needs over the needs of the country by choosing her? I mean, I realize that in the end, he believes that his winning the election is in the best interest of the country, so whatever it takes to do that is putting the country's best interest first. But am I the only one who thinks there might have been a candidate with some crossover potential? One who would be a bold unexpected female move and yet still have some credibility? I mean, I think it was kind of mean of McCain to do this to Palin. Here she is, minding her own business, having babies and grandbabies, and engaging in foreign policy with Canada and Russia, and now she's the subject of what is hands down the best SNL skit I've ever seen.

Okay, so she's not the top of the ticket. That's good.

And, really, anybody could run the country. Right?

Is that basically the arguement in a nutshell?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n4479062.shtml

[ybab]

Well, I'm not going to touch but, but I had to say I just read your post to DH b/c it had me LOL'ing....Very well-written!

Originally Posted by freddy

Especially from people who a planning to vote McCain, or thinking of voting McCain. If you haven't seen it you can go to cbsnews.com for video or transcript.

Is there any way Palin could be considered a good choice for VP? Is there any way that her choice doesn't make it seem like McCain put his needs over the needs of the country by choosing her? I mean, I realize that in the end, he believes that his winning the election is in the best interest of the country, so whatever it takes to do that is putting the country's best interest first. But am I the only one who thinks there might have been a candidate with some crossover potential? One who would be a bold unexpected female move and yet still have some credibility? I mean, I think it was kind of mean of McCain to do this to Palin. Here she is, minding her own business, having babies and grandbabies, and engaging in foreign policy with Canada and Russia, and now she's the subject of what is hands down the best SNL skit I've ever seen.

Okay, so she's not the top of the ticket. That's good.

And, really, anybody could run the country. Right?

Is that basically the arguement in a nutshell?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n4479062.shtml

[jknyc]

It was embarassing, and not in a Biden gaffe sort of way. She simply had nothing to say. It's hard for me to believe that McCain's speechwriters didn't have her memorize a cogent answer to the foreign policy question. I don't think there's an excellent way for her to answer, but any cogent answer that doesn't require forgetting words and making no sense would be better.

[SueW]

Originally Posted by jknyc

It was embarassing, and not in a Biden gaffe sort of way. She simply had nothing to say. It's hard for me to believe that McCain's speechwriters didn't have her memorize a cogent answer to the foreign policy question. I don't think there's an excellent way for her to answer, but any cogent answer that doesn't require forgetting words and making no sense would be better.

There just are not words. And her support seems to be all about defending her rather than promoting her. Bring on the debates. There should be material for late night comedy for years and years.

"Not to belabor the point, but could you give specific examples......"

I'll git 'em for ya and bring 'um to ya. Reminds me of someone, um, "chimpish."

[MelanieOH]

Why could one of them not be chosen?

I think Palin was struck by the limelight and didn't fully think through what being the VP candidate would entail. I wonder what she's thinking now?

Melanie

[ahava]

I used to vote pretty "republican" - straight ticket actually .. but for the last 5-6 years, I call myself a libertarian (I feel the need to clarify my biases before I post! )

McCain would have been a decent choice- I would have had a hard time deciding between him and Obama. But HE PICKED PALIN -- I MEAN HELLO!#$(*&#$*&.

I'm kind of embarrassed for myself (not that anyone else who likes her should be -this is my opinion for ME and ME alone) - I wished I had just shut-up about McCain earlier. Yikes.

Why oh why could he have not found a more conservative Hillary ???

[SueW]

Originally Posted by ahava

I used to vote pretty "republican" - straight ticket actually .. but for the last 5-6 years, I call myself a libertarian (I feel the need to clarify my biases before I post! )

McCain would have been a decent choice- I would have had a hard time deciding between him and Obama. But HE PICKED PALIN -- I MEAN HELLO!#$(*&#$*&.

I'm kind of embarrassed for myself (not that anyone else who likes her should be -this is my opinion for ME and ME alone) - I wished I had just shut-up about McCain earlier. Yikes.

Why oh why could he have not found a more conservative Hillary ???

There were so many to choose from. I don't understand his choice at all. Was it just to secure the extremely conservative base? Was it a one-issue choice (the ultimate anti-choice)? Or did he think women were stupid and would be so pleased to have a woman, any woman, on the ticket that they would vote for their gender alone? That said, she has higher approval ratings from men than from women. Just what do they see?

What specifically is it about SP that her supporter find worthy of electing her to the VP slot?

Sometimes I wish the POTUS and VP races were not single-ticket events - elect each one separately.

[dulaney]

Originally Posted by SueW

There were so many to choose from. I don't understand his choice at all. Was it just to secure the extremely conservative base? Was it a one-issue choice (the ultimate anti-choice)? Or did he think women were stupid and would be so pleased to have a woman, any woman, on the ticket that they would vote for their gender alone? That said, she has higher approval ratings from men than from women. Just what do they see?

What specifically is it about SP that her supporter find worthy of electing her to the VP slot?

Sometimes I wish the POTUS and VP races were not single-ticket events - elect each one separately.

just because she is a woman. We saw one post here about that exact thing. And my mother called me when she was chosen as McCain's running mate. She said "Did you see he picked a woman?". I said yes, and she said, well I am voting for her (my mom is a registered democrat). I think for my mom, at the age of 64, she got very excited and caught up in the fact that a woman could actually be president (with Hilary running- my mom was a big supporter). I think it is something that she never thought she would see if her lifetime and was very excited about the prospect. So, Hilary is out, but wait there's another woman- I think I'll just vote for her.

I told my mom that she could vote for whoever she wants, but she HAD to look at what that person stands for. She said "oh sure, go ahead and ruin all my fun." So, I do believe that there are people that will vote for McCain simply because he has a woman running with him.

To note- my mom has since changed her mind after learning a little about Sarah Palin and her views.

Kristin

[ahava]

many women are voting for McCain/Palin because she is a women. And I think a good majority of these women ARE doing it with they eyes wide open. Many of these are very smart and successful women, and politically savvy. But they just don't care, she is a women darnit and they are tired of waiting.

I think though the same can be said of some Obama supporters (though I think there is a bit of a gap in experience between the 2) - they will vote for him because of his race, eyes wide open, even many conservatives will. They are also smart and successful and politically savvy. They are tired of waiting.

I see their point, I mean really we voted for Bush - how bad can it get. (ya , I voted for him ... twice. Ouch!). At some point, I want a woman in office too -- and the American people track record of all of our politicians is not so good, so all the more reason it makes sense to go by race and gender - IT that is someone's hot point. I believe it to be a COMPLETELY valid reason to vote one way or another.

[SueW]

Originally Posted by ahava

many women are voting for McCain/Palin because she is a women. And I think a good majority of these women ARE doing it with they eyes wide open. Many of these are very smart and successful women, and politically savvy. But they just don't care, she is a women darnit and they are tired of waiting.

I think though the same can be said of some Obama supporters (though I think there is a bit of a gap in experience between the 2) - they will vote for him because of his race, eyes wide open, even many conservatives will. They are also smart and successful and politically savvy. They are tired of waiting.

I see their point, I mean really we voted for Bush - how bad can it get. (ya , I voted for him ... twice. Ouch!). At some point, I want a woman in office too -- and the American people track record of all of our politicians is not so good, so all the more reason it makes sense to go by race and gender - IT that is someone's hot point. I believe it to be a COMPLETELY valid reason to vote one way or another.

I have voted, in minor elections, based mainly on gender. However, when I did do that, the person I voted for was both female and qualified. I will vote for women as I believe on some level that we need to get more women in office, and then worry about finding the "right" women. But not this time.

Now, my mother will probably vote for McCain just because SP is "pretty." That's high on my mother's list of qualifiers for just about everything in life.....but that's a whole nother story, or therapy session!