McCain picks running mate

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Sapphyire77x

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McCain pulls off those tricky tactics once again and goes with a woman.

US Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has picked Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, as his surprise running mate.

At 44, she is three years younger than Barack Obama and is credited with reforms during her first term, but she is relatively unknown in US politics.

Mr McCain appeared with her on stage at a rally in Dayton, Ohio.

Analysts say Mrs Palin was chosen to rejuvenate the campaign of Mr McCain, who is celebrating his 72nd birthday.

Some commentators are calling Mr McCain's running mate decision the strangest since Dan Quayle, George Bush Senior's young and untested pick in 1988.

The fact that she is a woman and a fresh face on the national scene is obviously a potential plus, bringing an excitement and newsworthiness to the Republican ticket, the BBC's Justin Webb reports.

But her less than two years in office would undercut one of the McCain campaign's central criticisms of his Democratic rival Barack Obama: that he is too inexperienced to be commander-in-chief.

The choice seems an audacious, perhaps slightly desperate, effort to bring youth and vigour to the Republican ticket, our North America editor adds.

Todd and Hillary

Speaking to a large crowd, who sang Happy Birthday when he appeared, Mr McCain introduced Mrs Palin as someone who "understands working people".

Profile: Sarah Palin

"She's got the grit, the integrity and commitment to the common good which are exactly what we need in Washington today," he said.

"She's exactly who I need, who this country needs, to help me fight to turn the same old Washington politics on its head."

Thanking Mr McCain, Mrs Palin said she would be honoured to serve next to him.

She introduced her family including her husband of 20 years, Todd, saying: "My husband was a lifelong commercial fisherman... [He is now] a production operator up in the oil fields up on Alaska's north slope, and he's a proud member of the United Steelworkers' Union. And he's a world champion snow machine racer."

Speaking of her time in office in Alaska, she said she had "fought corruption".

She paid tribute to other American women in politics, including Hillary Clinton, Mr Obama's defeated Democratic rival.

"It was rightly noted in Denver last week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all."

Analysts say Mrs Palin may have been chosen by the McCain campaign as a tactic to win over those Democratic women voters who were disappointed by the defeat of Mrs Clinton to Mr Obama.

The Obama campaign suggested Mr McCain's choice was irresponsible, referring to Mrs Palin's former role as mayor of the small Alaskan town of Wasilla.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," said spokesman Bill Burton.

Broad appeal

John McCain and Sarah Palin side by side on his election website
Sarah Palin now appears side by side with Mr McCain on his website
Announcing Mr McCain's decision, his election website said Mrs Palin had "brought Republicans and Democrats together within her administration [in Alaska] and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington".

At the same time, she is a strong conservative, fiscally and socially.

She also opposes abortion and her baby son has Down's Syndrome.

Abortion has been a key issue cited by Republican voters who feel Mr McCain is not conservative enough.

Mrs Palin lacks foreign policy experience and while being a Washington outsider can be an asset for the McCain ticket, it also means she has not been tested on the national stage.

Her electoral chances may be harmed by the fact that she was placed under investigation in Alaska by state lawmakers at the end of July.

She sacked a public safety commissioner and the allegation is that she sacked him because he had not fired a state trooper who is Ms Palin's former brother-in-law, and who is in a custody battle with her sister.

She says she has "nothing to hide" and is "cool" about the investigation.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7588435.stm
 
I don't believe this. Hmmm, very tactical game both McCain and Obama have going on. By having Biden, all of the slightly racist people won't fret, but with having a woman for McCain, some Democcrats may want to consider voting for McCain. Very interesting.

Though her credidentals have me very worried. Just a mayor....no experience...no foregin policy. And she has a high shot of being president(let's face it;McCain is old)? Interesting, if she hs no experience than I guess she is just something that makes McCain's attempt to president look a lot prettier.

But yeah, wow.
 
Lethal Carnivine said:
I don't believe this. Hmmm, very tactical game both McCain and Obama have going on. By having Biden, all of the slightly racist people won't fret, but with having a woman for McCain, some Democcrats may want to consider voting for McCain. Very interesting.
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Biden was a highly strategic choice, really.
 
Also, Biden wasn't the candidate designed to mollify racists by saying "HEY! WE CAN STICK A BLACK GUY AND A RACIST ON A TICKET TOGETHER!"

Although I think Biden is more old-school than racist...Palin is definitely a choice designed for attracting the Vagina Vote.
 
This pick, IMO, only signifies McCain's desperation to win and women should be more insulted they're being courted with a cheap political ploy.

If American women fall for this and vote McCain just so they can see "one of their own" in the White House, they really are stupid.

Especially Hillary Clinton supporters, for that matter. McCain is against equal pay for equal work. McCain is against just about everything Hillary stood for.

Furthermore is anyone concerned a woman who's only "executive experience" is running a state with more Polar Bears than People is now a click away from being Leader of the Free World (and with McCain being 72, that's a real possibility)?
 
evkl said:
Also, Biden wasn't the candidate designed to mollify racists by saying "HEY! WE CAN STICK A BLACK GUY AND A RACIST ON A TICKET TOGETHER!"

Although I think Biden is more old-school than racist...Palin is definitely a choice designed for attracting the Vagina Vote.
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lol, that's a funny way to say it.

Ling Ling said:
http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/showpost.php?p=612062&postcount=443
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I personally, prefer the two topics... the election thread has kind of gotten difficult for me to fallow. (I mean for me to go back and read everyone's comments from the last time I've read before posting)

I'm trying my best to keep a neutral view on this pick, but it just seems so shallow. Almost insulting to women in a way, not only because it says "Look, it's a woman! Now go vote", but also because you can easily pervert the view as vice president is sort of like the "wife" of American Politics taking a second place role. Hardly something a feminist would call respect for equality when the role is hardly equal.

I also dislike the fact that she doesn't bring any balance to the McCain campaign. Still conservative on issues of abortion and for the destruction of our natural parks and keystone environments for oil. I guess there are claims that she is for gay rights, but I'm not sure, and I would assume being from a family of teachers she would be for improving public education, but she also is from Alaska and has no problem drilling there. Don't get me wrong, I believe she is highly intelligent, bold, and just as qualified to be Vice President as any pick, but she comes off very much to me as the type who knows her place and will fold in a less civilized argument. In other words, I think what ever disagreements she may have with McCain, in the end she will be a "yes" ma'am. (Which no doubt could be a secondary reason why McCain would want her)

The most hilarious part, is how much of a publicity stunt of a choice this is: We got ourselves a female mother of 5, with young children, and one in the military, She is young and inexperienced, family members in education, from not the richest family,and plays basketball while going up for a role no one else has had like them before. Do these features sound familiar to anyone? It's freakin' hilarious, and If I had more confidence in people I'd say it is too obvious to work. If Hilary was given the Nomination over Obama would McCain have started looking for a "black guy" as running mate?

Truth be told, anyone would be lying to say the Biden wasn't picked with some goals in getting appeals in areas where Obama wasn't popular, but at least he brings a vastly different opinion to the table as well. What good is that for the country to not have different view points in such a high role?

At this point, who ever a person decides to vote for, I seriously hope they vote in clear mind of the Candidate who views the problems in America and has the best plans to develop the country in the future. Not the one who they feel most comfortable with/ identify with more, not the one who "is the best leader/ most qualified" (or whatever sort of shit-crap jargon a person wants to make up). Not the person with the most dreams for the future! Not the biggest "Religious" person. Just a clear decision based on facts.

It's difficult, I know I don't have all the facts, but come November I damn well sure will try.
 
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This also goes completely against one of McCain's main arguments against Obama -- that he's inexperienced. And let's face it -- she doesn't have anywhere near the political experience of Obama, McCain, or even Biden. For McCain to pick her is just...a cheap shot. I do not believe that, should something happen to McCain if he wins and can no longer perform his duties as president, that this woman can run our country.

Another reason McCain might have picked her is so that he might gain support with the 'hey, I'm just another average Joe like you' voters. Because really, how much more small-time can you get than a mayor in Alaska? McCain definately emphasizes with the common people (sarcasm).

It's looking more and more like Obama's getting my vote...
 
Well, Huckabee or something would have been a better choice imo.
Then you get more voters who would've switched to Obama, he just picked Palin because she's a woman, not because she's any good.
 
"Epic Fail" said:
Well, Huckabee or something would have been a better choice imo.
Then you get more voters who would've switched to Obama, he just picked Palin because she's a woman, not because she's any good.
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Trust me, there's a lot more to this than her just being a woman. If he wanted to pick a woman, there were other female candidates in the Republican party that he could've picked.
 
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/palin-ethics-investigation/
Unfortunately for McCain her reformist credentials are being brought into question over possible ethics violations which is gaining national attention.
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/475539.html
And the person she chose to replace the person she fired had no business being in that position.

A gamble by McCain. Palin has never been under the national microscope and the RNC had no chance to do damage control on her. It's quite possible Romney and Pawlenty will try and engineer a roll call against her since neither is happy with this.
 
I don't think she got vetted at all...the number of problems that are coming out, so quickly after her pick, with very little need for media scrutiny, is extremely troubling for the McCain campaign. Her identity is being shaped in the minds of non-conservative voters by the Obama camp, not the McCain camp.
 
Does anyone have any opinions on her daughter being 5 months pregnant? Many want to be quick to point out that it is a family issue, but I'm not so sure. Presidents and Politics aside, I can't help but to think of the irony for a person that is supposedly for teaching abstinence instead of sexual education in schools.

I think one can argue that it may not have mattered what she taught, but if you ask me, it's that aspect that is controversial, that such a strong supporter to have this happen. Personally I don't think abstinence or sex education work on their own, but a balance is needed of both. I just don't know about this... I may agree it's not a good idea to target family members in politics...

....but I think we can still make comments about the ideas behind them. (Cause really, teen pregnancy... it's not that big a deal at 17, because your life will suck as much as if you got pregnant any time then, (17,18,19,20,etc) if you planned to go to college. That part I sympathize, because despite how much a blessing a child can be, the wrong timing can really ruin things for you almost permanently (I'm sure they have the funds to not be bothered by this though). But it makes you wonder if they did try condoms, because if not, then it's a whole 'nother box.) Basically, what I'm saying is I hope people aren't afraid to point out this important issue due to it being related to her family. (I mean, if one of her daughters were caught bringing a gun to school with ill intent, I believe that would be fair game for discussion, wouldn't it? right?)

Republicans will probably end up blaming Juno for it anyways...
 
There's also an as of yet unproven rumor her fifth child is in fact her daughter's as well.

What was McCain thinking? Was he even thinking? The vetting process on this woman must have ended with her having not having a dick. How else could they pick someone with so much baggage?
 
Surprisingly, the evangelicals are coming to their support. Why? Because the daughter is NOT having an abortion. I love that she's become a role model for NOT doing something. Which, by that logic, makes me a hero for having not killed anyone. I expect massive amounts of praise and the support of the evangelical community now.
 
And the latest latest...the Alaskan independance party claims (which, as the name implies, is not exactly made up of proud, patriotic americans) Palin was one of their numbers in the 1990s.
 
McCain's running mate keeps mouthing about Americans and their morals, how about she try to keep her daughters legs shut first?
 
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