Harry’s Place

Yes, there is. Joe Biden was about the worst choice that Obama could have made (except for Tim Kaine, the clueless and catastrophic governor of Virginia) - and he made it knowing that he refused to make the best choice (Hillary) out of pique and vanity. McCain had a number of options - all of them ok as Vice Presidents, none of them capable of doing anything but hurting his attempt to be President. He made a brilliant strategic choice that showed daring, courage, and wisdom (showing, as I argue at hofjude.com , the wisdom of the American tradition of demanding a record of military service of its presidents).
Obama cringed rather than acted, out of vanity and fear - McCain acted wisely and strategically. That’s the conclusion to draw from these choices.

Glad that you’ve realised the Buchanan story has no legs, but nevertheless some absurd statements here from Gene. I’ve not yet seen anything that qualifies as a favourable post from this Democratic stooge about John McCain, in spite of the fact that he represents the best chance for the GOP to break free of the Bush-Cheney years, and to shake up a complacent Congress.

Scaremongering about Reagan’s assassination is beneath contempt, unless you think that Obama’s luvvies really are fanatically deranged.

PS: Sam, impressed with your blog.

I like how she wears her hair on her head like that.
You know, piled up with the straggly bits hanging down.

But, that’s about it.

Since Ronald Reagan, I can’t think of any president, let alone vice-president that had real depth of world view at entry to the office. They have to grow into it. Character is the main thing.

Glad that you’ve realised the Buchanan story has no legs

I haven’t realized that at all.

Gene, you’re spooked. We can tell. It would be a real yawn to list all of Obama’s misdemeanours. Take defeat gracefully. Have you written about her Downs Syndrome child yet?

isn’t it reasonable to compare Obama’s most important and possibly fateful choice so far– Joe Biden– with McCain’s? And isn’t it reasonable to draw some conclusions from those choices?

Yes it is.

1) McCain’s political wisdom and experience allow him to make a bold, forward-looking choice for VP, while Obama was clearly on the defensive with the Biden pick, a decision Obama was forced into after his unreadiness to be President was exposed with his dithering during the Georgian crisis.

2) McCain’s reform ticket inspired him to look for someone fresh from outside Washington who is willing to challenge corruption both within the party and without. The Biden pick looks stale, and reminds voters of Obama’s association with Washington Democrats and the murky underworld of Chicago Democratic politics.

3) McCain puts executive experience first, rather than trying desperately to shore up his ticket with an old guard Washington insider. Whereas McCain has executive experience as a commander in the Navy, and Palin running the USA’s biggest state, neither Obama nor Biden have ever run anything of significance.

Just watched Biden introducing Obama in Pennsylvania today - he came across as a inebriated mumbler, slurring his speech and forgetting his lines. If this is what Palin is facing, Obama is going to end with egg on his face by the end of the VP debate.

Obamas is friends with William Ayers, a self-confessed terrorist and someone who led a group that killed Americans and intended to kill Americans. He launched his career at Ayers house and worked with Ayers on a committee.

All teh Democrats could come up with was that Obama was eight at the time. Doh!!!!

Thanks, O.L. The Buchanan story is dead, since a) she is telling the truth, as, oddly, Sarah tends to do; and b) Gene’s question about whether she would welcome David Duke is moot, since DD is supporting Obama this year, as is Pat Buchanan for that matter (for different reasons: DD out of a belief that electing BO will finally prove that racism is scientific; Pat out of a hope, shared by e v e r y anti-Zionist in the States, that Obama will force Israel to its knees).

Very weak piece Gene, Very weak indeed the phrase Clutching at straw’s come’s to mind.

OT Prediction for 2012 Palin vs Clinton, An all female presidential ticket, Any Taker’s?

“In July I linked to a Time magazine article about the respective gambling habits of Barack Obama (a cautious but winning poker player) and McCain (a risk-taking crap shooter).”

When a state senator plays poker with a bunch of lobbyists it isn’t really gambling.

List of Buchanan’s Alaskan campaign leaders in 1996 here. Palin is not among them.

Busted link, let’s try again here. .

You know, you don’t have to be a liberal Democrat or an Obama supporter to find the Palin selection disturbing. I suspect there are a lot more conservatives like this who are currently holding their peace.

Just noticed the Politico link that Gene has added - more of the same tired refrain from Democrats. If visiting Politico, take the time also to read the news that John McCain raised 4.5 million dollars in donations alone yesterday as a result of the Palin pick, and Jonathan Martin ‘I have never seen a crowd with the energy I witnessed yesterday’ at John McCain’s rally.

This was a masterstroke, which has thrown the Democrats on the defensive.

The best rebuttal to the Democrats’ desperation claim I’ve read from a US pundit, as well as a great explanation of why McCain has trumped Obama with his choice of Palin, is that offered by Ed Morrissey here.

DD out of a belief that electing BO will finally prove that racism is scientific; Pat out of a hope, shared by e v e r y anti-Zionist in the States, that Obama will force Israel to its knees).

Oh, what a weird backwater this is. Buchanan is a fool, but he is not that stupid. I don’t think he believes that. I think he just wants to stick one over to the Reps.

Believe it or not, it may actually be nothing to do with Jews or Israel (which may come as a surprise to folk reading HP over the last week or so)!

I have never seen a crowd with the energy I witnessed yesterday’ at John McCain’s rally

Considering her hardly does rallies, that is hardly surprising.

For those interested in how these smear campaigns are run, here is another interesting link.

The local Alaskan Press seems to be scared shitless.
They all imply thaht Palin doesn’t know much about much.

Most people would acknowledge that, regardless of her charm and good intentions, Palin is not ready for the top job. McCain seems to have put his political interests ahead of the nation’s when he created the possibility that she might fill it.

She’s going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he’ll be around at least that long,” said Charlie Black

Vote for me! I promise not to die until my second term in office!

What’s going to be the test of Palin’s mettle is how she answers questions about Buchanan and the trooper-gate. If she handles it well, probably she will be an asset to McCain’s ticket. Mis-handle it, and bear in mind she has not had to deal with national attention before now, and she’ll become a liability. McCain, in fairness, probably realises this - it’s why she’s a gamble after all.

Remember that in politics it’s the perceptions not the truth that count. If she fails to dispel the doubts and becomes perceived as a Buchananite, then it’s bad for her and bad for McCain.

I know that for the likes of Maven, McCain could give a speech in which he insults a group of disabled children and makes them cry, repeatedly muddles Iran and Iraq, promises to start a nuclear war with Russia and then falls over and needs to be helped to his feet and they would still hail it as a masterstroke. But surely the less crazy McCain fans among you can see the element of risk (calculated, no doubt) in this choice?

Good link chuck.

The Obama campaign reducing itself to underhand smears while trying to disguise the evidence? One would almost think it smacked of desperation!

Another Editorial.

For all those advantages, Palin joins the ticket with one huge weakness: She’s a total beginner on national and international issues.

When McCain talks about the Iraq Pakistan border, I don’t think Sarah will be able to correct him.

The Buchanan story is dead, since a) she is telling the truth, as, oddly, Sarah tends to do; and b) Gene’s question about whether she would welcome David Duke is moot, since DD is supporting Obama this year, as is Pat Buchanan for that matter (for different reasons: DD out of a belief that electing BO will finally prove that racism is scientific; Pat out of a hope, shared by e v e r y anti-Zionist in the States, that Obama will force Israel to its knees).

I’m a lot less concerned about whether a deluded Buchanan is supporting Obama than I am about whether a deluded (or otherwise) Palin ever supported Buchanan.

But surely the less crazy McCain fans among you can see the element of risk (calculated, no doubt) in this choice?

I’m not sure anyone is denying that there is an element of political risk involved in a VP pick. But if that is the key point Gene is trying to make, it is utterly banal, since i) one takes a calculated risk whenever one makes a VP choice, and ii) in comparison to the risk of nominating a presidential candidate with just three years experience in the Senate, most of which has been spent not doing his job but running a vainglorious presidential campaign, the chance McCain is taking looks small fry.

Old Labour

Thanks for making me laugh.

Whereas McCain has executive experience as a commander in the Navy, and Palin running the USA’s biggest state,

“I’m a lot less concerned about whether a deluded Buchanan is supporting Obama than I am about whether a deluded (or otherwise) Palin ever supported Buchanan.”

This statement makes no sense, Gene. At some point in the past, Palin may have supported an odious candidate.

That same odious candidate and other odious folks support Obama out of the belief that Obama will fulfill their racist and/or hateful ambitions. Now why would they think Obama would do that? Could it be that they know more about Obama than you do? Could it be that Obama really is one of their ilk? You don’t spend 20 years listening to folks like Rev. Wright (or his fellow travelers in religious bigotry) and not come out unscathed.

I mean really, if the Republicans were as bad as people think they are, why is it that folks like David Duke supporting the Democrats this time around?

Seriously, Gene, come up for air.

Didn’t there used to be a script that deleted the likes of Mackie? Any links to it would be appreciated.

This is slightly off-topic and may not qualify as racist but it still pisses me off 20 years later. In 1988 or 1989, writing as a columnist, Pat Buchanan advocated a U.S. takeover of Canada. Only the Toronto “elites” would mind, he says. He ended his column with the pompous claim that “the 21st century could then not but be the second American century.”

Perhaps not racist, but a major asshole. And the remark about the Toronto elites shows just how out of touch he was with Canadian sentiments then (and now). Imagine advocating a takeover of your closest ally!

I can appreciate that selecting Palin has diminished somewhat McCain’s ability to attack Obama on the ‘experience’ front.

But isn’t it a bit rich for Obama-ites to now question Palin’s lack of experience? I mean Palin being selected hasn’t suddenly turned Obama into a massively experienced candidate. All that has happened is that the Republicans will now look slightly hypocritical if they attack Obama on these grounds.

Let’s get some perspective here.

Fair point Mark.

But lets hope Palin can educate herself soon.

Palin: I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq.

““As mayor, I will welcome all the candidates in Wasilla.””
Did Ralph Nader visit Wasilla?

she seems to be a bit of a Ron Paul fan too.

In this interview, Palin calls controversial Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul “cool.” “He’s a good guy,” she added. “He’s so independent. He’s independent of the party machine. I’m like, ‘Right on, so am I.’ ”

Jesus.

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/08/29/sarah-palin-republican-vice-presidential-nominee-plugs-romney-paul-but-not-mccain-in-mtv-interview/

McCain’s chioce is a good one. Gene’s attempts to smear her as some sort of Buchanan desciple is lame and smacks of desperation

Palin was the runner-up in a the Miss Alaska pageant, is the mother of five children and can cook a mean moose stew.

In other words, she can do more than all the pols in Washington put together.

Palin is a winner because of the names she has given her kids. Different or what. Track ( boy), Bristol (girl, natch) Willow (girl) Piper(girl ) Trig (boy, just born). Original, huh?

Cletus the slack jawed yokels childrens names.

Children: Brandine, Gummy Sue, Tiffany, Andie, Gordon, Lizzie, Jackson, Heather, Cody, Dylan, Dermot, Jordan, Taylor, Brittany, Wesley, Rumer, Scout, Cassidy, Zoe, Chloe, Max, Hunter, Rubella Scabies, Kendall, Caitlin, Noah, Sasha, Morgan, Kyra, Ian, Lauren, Q-bert, Condoleezza Marie, Phil, Birthday, Crystal Meth, Dubya, Incest, International Harvester, Jitney, Witney, Mary, Stabbed in Jail

Holy shit, gene. I may have supported Buchanan in 1996, and I know I cheered him on in ‘92, when he won the New Hampshire primary. And that’s a vicious little way to associate her with David Duke, in my opinion. I think Maven is right. You’re sure acting spooked. Well, Borking is, after all, a Democrat tactic.

“She wrote in a letter to the editor of an Anchorage newspaper: “As mayor, I will welcome all the candidates in Wasilla.” (I can’t help wondering if this would have applied to David Duke if he had run for president and visited the town. After all Buchanan’s and Duke’s views on a number of issues– immigration, race, “Jewish power” and Israel– are not a million miles apart.)”

Hm. Guilt by imagined association. Desperate stuff. I get the feeling
Gene´s going to need help if Obama loses.

A (biased) scan of the posts seem to have a reasonable number of posters who also agree that Gene is spooked. A few people identify him clutching at straws. Obama’s stock is so low I guess like teh Democrats the only way is to attack Palin.

I think we will find that Palin turns out to be a “Thatcher”. I get it now. That’s what some are hating. The misogynist Democrats can’t stand a bossy woman who gets her way. That is what’s behind this.

The funniest line I heard from a Republican was that the choice of Palin has made us realise that its actually Obama who is the ‘affirmative action’ candidate.

Tim -

She was responding to

‘A lot of students ask me to ask you. Ron Paul - cult following in Alaska?’

Perhaps you could suggest a response that she might have given instead?

I think we will find that Palin turns out to be a “Thatcher”. I get it now. That’s what some are hating. The misogynist Democrats can’t stand a bossy woman who gets her way. That is what’s behind this.

Whoa there…

But isn’t it a bit rich for Obama-ites to now question Palin’s lack of experience? I mean Palin being selected hasn’t suddenly turned Obama into a massively experienced candidate. All that has happened is that the Republicans will now look slightly hypocritical if they attack Obama on these grounds.

Not in the least. The main argument of the McCain campaign has been that they should receive votes because only they (a) have the experience – and therefore the character and knowledge – necessary to be president) and (b) only they properly value experience.
Appointing Palin extinguishes both (a) and (b). When she’s attacked - correctly, obvs - for being inexperienced, they’ve argued, and will continue to argue, that character matters more than experience. So experience isn’t , after all, the main reason to prefer McCain to Obama. The other response to arguments about her inexperience has been that she has more executive experience than everyone else running. But if that’s the case, then why is she only running for VP? If the McCain campaign values experience as much as they say they do, thenshe ought to head the ticket. Either way, then, they’ve taken the sting out of their best (so to speak) argument.
Of course, the experience argument was always complete BS anyway. I much prefer the honesty of the white racist right:

… I couldn’t be happier about the Palin selection. Palin undercuts McCain’s argument that Obama lacks experience? I assume most persons realize that McCain makes that argument only because he doesn’t think he can get away with denouncing Obama as a Negro Communist.

Sorry, here’s the link.

Simplification coming.

“Palin hates Jews!” - Dems

“Palin loves Jews!” - Republicans

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1016506.html

I happen to know that the Republican comments came first. Are there no depths to the Dems?

And here’s your confirmation: ‘Presidential scholars say she appears to be the least experienced, least credentialed person to join a major-party ticket in the modern era.’(Politico.com)

The scholars have spoken! And a Norwegian historian says GW Bush is the worst president ever!! (I didn’t make that up.) Game over!

Tim Kaine is inexperieced, but that wasn’t why he was passed over. Obama didn’t choose him because of his own inexperience.

Emmanuel, you have missed my point entirely.

When you say “update” do you mean “correction”?

She seems like a pretty good choice for the Republicans (just as Biden apepars pretty good for the Democrats so far).

She did seem slightly manic. When she got to the bit in her speech where presumably the speech notes said (hand gesture) at the point where she said “we worked with our hands” I thought she was going to start a fire with her super-rapid hand-rubbing! Mind you in the frozen wastes of Alaska I guess that could be quite useful…

She also has that ultimate attribute of a politician: shamelessness.
We saw how strong a card that could be with someone like Blair. Here she was using her life story to appeal simultaneously to homely soccer mums and glass ceiling breakers! Her confidence that her experience was American experience was quite breath-taking.

No wonder you’re worried Gene!

Tim -

Perhaps you could suggest a response that she might have given instead?

I suspect the honest answer would’ve been “I don’t know”

I reckon this is what spooked Gene:

I think — I think as well today of two other women who came before me in national elections.

I can’t begin this great effort without honoring the achievements of Geraldine Ferraro in 1984…

(APPLAUSE)

… and of course Senator Hillary Clinton, who showed such determination and grace in her presidential campaign.

(APPLAUSE)

It was rightly noted in Denver this week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America…

(APPLAUSE)

… but it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.

(APPLAUSE)

There are a lot of interesting points being made here. The main thing is, whoever the eventual winner is, that we all get behind them when the time comes.

Emmanuel:

Oh dear - the ’scholars’ quoted in the story appear to be Democrat stooges. No surprise to discover that a large part of liberal academia supports Obama, nor to find supposed ’scholars’ gliding over the fact that Barry Obama is the least experienced and least credentialed presidential candidate in modern history.

Quoted in the story, with thanks to OpenSecrets.org

GOLDSTEIN, JOEL
ST. LOUIS,MO 63105
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LA
6/16/08
$250 Obama, Barack (D)

KENNEDY, DAVID M
PALO ALTO,CA 94304
STANFORD UNIVERSITY/PROFESSOR
4/20/07
$2,300 Obama, Barack (D)

Emmanuel:

Oh dear - the ’scholars’ quoted in the story appear to be Democrat stooges. No surprise to discover that a large part of liberal academia supports Obama, nor to find supposed ’scholars’ gliding over the fact that Barry Obama is the least experienced and least credentialed presidential candidate in modern history.

Quoted in the story, with thanks to OpenSecrets

GOLDSTEIN, JOEL
ST. LOUIS,MO 63105
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LA
6/16/08
$250 Obama, Barack (D)

KENNEDY, DAVID M
PALO ALTO, CA 94304
STANFORD UNIVERSITY/PROFESSOR
4/20/07
$2,300 Obama, Barack (D)

You’re probably right Tim.

I’m not really swinging either way in this election.

I’m just baffled at how the usual reasonableness at HP seems to have gone out the window as partisanship (on both sides) kicks in.

Welcome to an election year!

… but it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.

How does being No2 to a man do that?

Being No2 to a 72-year-old man does it, presumably!

You guys might be interested in this; http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/31096_Obama_Campaign_Behind_Anti-Palin_Smear_Site.
Seems our friends at Fightthesmears.com from the Obama campaign team have been doing a little maskirova.

Please note that this is not proof that the Obama campaign is behind this deceptive web site

Obama plays Chicago-style, Rischard. Can’t beat the other team? Have them taken off the ballot.

There are a lot of interesting points being made here. The main thing is, whoever the eventual winner is, that we all get behind them when the time comes.

I’m not a religious man, but if McCain wins, I’ll probably start praying for his health and safety.

‘Presidential scholars say she appears to be the least experienced, least credentialed person to join a major-party ticket in the modern era.’

For a different take on this, MyDD.

Mesquito.
if McCain wanted to put a woman on the ticket, why do you think he passed over Kay Bailey Hutchison in favour of someone who does not seem to know much about politics?

Presidential scholars who contribute to Barack Obama have spoken …

GOLDSTEIN, JOEL
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
6/16/08
$250 Obama, Barack (D)

KENNEDY, DAVID M
STANFORD UNIVERSITY/PROFESSOR
4/20/07
$2,300 Obama, Barack (D)

hat tip: ace

I’m sure the Kos Kids are similarly spooked, Mephisto.

if McCain wanted to put a woman on the ticket, why do you think he passed over Kay Bailey Hutchison in favour of someone who does not seem to know much about politics?

Because she’s going to be the next Governor of Texas?

Because 4 Senators is a bit too much? Even if one served only a few monsths before deciding he shoud be President?

McCain will always be three steps ahead of the game. Compared to Obama, and especially compared to Bush, he is is a political genius.

Look at what he has planned for the coming week, demonstrating just how Republicans put ‘Country First’.

Did anyone else see sicko pseudo-lib Michael Moore claiming that Hurricane Gustav was a gift from God?

As a complete outsider to American politics, it strikes me that Palin is an inspired choice. She will tap into the very strong foundational myths of most of backswoods America. She is a strong woman, with no connection with effete intellectuals, from all accounts she is feisty, she has been a beauty queen, she is not particularly associated with the timeservers in Washington, she is a Thatcher-figure, (not that that is a recommendation in my book, but not everyone thinks like me!). I don’t know who will win, but I can see why the Democrats are rattled.

And of course, the really smart things for Republicans to do is draw everyone’s attentions to these rumours just so there’s no one who is ignorant of them…

Anyway, here’s that well-known ultra liberal David Frum on Palin. I have no idea how representative his view is, though.

Sarah Palin may well have concealed inner reservoirs of greatness. I hope so! But I’d guess that John McCain does not have a much better sense of who she is, what she believes, and the extent of her abilities than my enthusiastic friends over at the Corner. It’s a wild gamble, undertaken by our oldest ever first-time candidate for president in hopes of changing the board of this election campaign. Maybe it will work. But maybe (and at least as likely) it will reinforce a theme that I’d be pounding home if I were the Obama campaign: that it’s John McCain for all his white hair who represents the risky choice, while it is Barack Obama who offers cautious, steady, predictable governance.

But question: If it were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat away from the presidency?

He’s probably just rattled.

http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2VhOWE0N2VkOWI3MDdlODRlZWE4ODljMDc2NjliZDk=

As for the public reaction. It’s favourable - but 67% of those surveyed want to know more about her before making a decision. So plenty to play for on both sides. A couple of titbits, though.

35% of voters say the selection of Palin makes them more likely to vote for McCain while 33% say they are less likely to do so.

She’s also viewed favourably by 48% of women - so the feminist bounce might be limited.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/palin_makes_good_first_impression_is_viewed_more_favorably_than_biden

Oh, you can find plenty of Republican pundits with opinions similar to Frum’s. They neither like nor understand populists, they think the Republican party should be led by high minded thinkers like themselves. Now, I would be the last to suggest the Palin has a lot of foreign policy experience, or that Obama does either, but there are other qualities that make for successful American politicians. This election is going to be interesting.

There you have it: Governor Palin, who may not really be the mother of a Down’s syndrome baby, might have supported David Duke. Yer only as smart as the crowd you run with, Gene.

According to a bit in that Kos article 87% of Alaskans think she’s lying about the trooper thing.
Anyone got a link to that poll?

What is it with these Republican headbangers that they think they can defeat anyone by repeating the word of the day - today it’s “spooked” - like some ju-ju charm?

Still, that’s about the level of debate for people who are supporting a creationist, eh?

According to a bit in that Kos article 87% of Alaskans think she’s lying about the trooper thing.

I think the important words are “that Kos article.”

CNN has run a pre-selection clip of McCain proclaiming that his top criteria for a vice president would be “finding the person most qualified to step in and assume the presidency.”

Surely this should be

CNN has run a pre-selection clip of McCain proclaiming that his top criterion for a vice president would be “finding the person most qualified to step in and assume the presidency”.

in British English.

Wh