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BarbaraGordon · 09-05-2008, 02:16 PM

Actually, if I can be serious for once, Kraut has the right idea but the wrong specific. He suggests that in selecting someone who's shiny and pretty and inexperienced, McCain "gratuitously forfeited his most powerful argument against Obama." But that's not exactly true. After all, no one cares quite so much about the nonsubstance or the inexperience of the VP. Choosing a real maverick, a young maverick, a here-and-now maverick -- that's the strength of this pick. I don't think that's a gamble at all.

So where's the risk? Well, consider what made McCain such a surprising and formidable pick for the GOP - it was his moderate-ness, his crossparty appeal, his unalienatingness. And it is that strength, not his claim to experience, that he's jeopardizing with this VP.

McCain has been in Washington for so long that his record is all over the middle 2/3s of the spectrum. He can portray himself as anything he needs to; and, indeed, he has. But with Palin, McCain is forfeiting an awful lot of that freedom. There's no gray with Palin, and her only flip is in her hairdo. There's no getting around that she's a hard-core right-wing social conservative.

McCain was clearly hoping this choice would energize the faction of the GOP base still disgruntled that Huck didn't garner the nomination. And certainly it has. But perhaps more important is whether this pick will alienate those moderates and crossparty voters so critical to McCain's potential success.

Among her positions that may alienate moderates: she is pure pro-life, supporting the prohibition of abortion with almost no exception; she supported the Alaskan amendment banning gay marriage; she is an advocate and even provides incentives for aerial hunting, among the most gruesome forms of the sport (if at that extreme it qualifies as such); and she's among an evangelical sect that New England Americans find absolutely alien in its practices. Though the socially conservative right will be thrilled with her beliefs, the swing voters - those who will in large measure determine this election - will not be as impressed. Whereas before these middle voters were choosing between an extreme liberal ticket and a right-moderate ticket, now they're left choosing between two extremes.

It's a dichotomy McCain himself set up, but honestly I don't know if it's a dichotomy that benefits McCain in the long run.

09-05-2008, 02:16 PM	#6
BarbaraGordon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gotham City Posts: 7,157	Actually, if I can be serious for once, Kraut has the right idea but the wrong specific. He suggests that in selecting someone who's shiny and pretty and inexperienced, McCain "gratuitously forfeited his most powerful argument against Obama." But that's not exactly true. After all, no one cares quite so much about the nonsubstance or the inexperience of the VP. Choosing a real maverick, a young maverick, a here-and-now maverick -- that's the strength of this pick. I don't think that's a gamble at all. So where's the risk? Well, consider what made McCain such a surprising and formidable pick for the GOP - it was his moderate-ness, his crossparty appeal, his unalienatingness. And it is that strength, not his claim to experience, that he's jeopardizing with this VP. McCain has been in Washington for so long that his record is all over the middle 2/3s of the spectrum. He can portray himself as anything he needs to; and, indeed, he has. But with Palin, McCain is forfeiting an awful lot of that freedom. There's no gray with Palin, and her only flip is in her hairdo. There's no getting around that she's a hard-core right-wing social conservative. McCain was clearly hoping this choice would energize the faction of the GOP base still disgruntled that Huck didn't garner the nomination. And certainly it has. But perhaps more important is whether this pick will alienate those moderates and crossparty voters so critical to McCain's potential success. Among her positions that may alienate moderates: she is pure pro-life, supporting the prohibition of abortion with almost no exception; she supported the Alaskan amendment banning gay marriage; she is an advocate and even provides incentives for aerial hunting, among the most gruesome forms of the sport (if at that extreme it qualifies as such); and she's among an evangelical sect that New England Americans find absolutely alien in its practices. Though the socially conservative right will be thrilled with her beliefs, the swing voters - those who will in large measure determine this election - will not be as impressed. Whereas before these middle voters were choosing between an extreme liberal ticket and a right-moderate ticket, now they're left choosing between two extremes. It's a dichotomy McCain himself set up, but honestly I don't know if it's a dichotomy that benefits McCain in the long run.