Sarah Palin: pro and con

Amid the torrent of coverage of the heretofore obscure Sarah Palin, there comes today a classic clash -- via dueling columns -- from two noted commentators on whether John McCain hit a home run by tapping her to be his running mate or struck out.

From the right, making the case for the round-tripper (with a caveat), is the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol. Says he in an editorial for his magazine:

Millions of Americans -- mostly but not only women, mostly but not only Republicans and conservatives -- seemed to get a sense of energy and enjoyment and pride, not just from her nomination, but especially from her smashing opening performance.

Palin will be a compelling and mold-breaking example for lots of Americans who are told every day that to be even a bit conservative or Christian or old-fashioned is bad form. In this respect, Palin can become an inspirational figure and powerful symbol.

Kristol's one caution is summarized by the piece's headline -- he opines that the McCain camp must "Let Palin Be Palin" if it's to fully benefit from her.

From the left comes the alternative take by Newsweek's Jonathan Alter, and the headline and subhead for his piece make his view clear:  "McCain's 'Hail Sarah' Pass ... His choice for veep is all but set up for failure in the fall."

Alter writes that for all the initial excitement Palin's selection sparked within the GOP, "there's a reason that rookies" usually flail about on the main stage of U.S. politics. In predicting that fate for the former mayor of a small Alaskan community (referenced in this passage), he writes:

It's not her lack of name recognition; America loves a fresh face, especially one that's a cross between a Fox anchor and a character on "Northern Exposure," the old TV show about an Alaska town about the size of Wasilla.

The problem is that politics, like all professions, isn't as easy as it looks. Palin's odds of emerging unscathed this fall are slim.

On election day, one of these pundits will be able to pat himself on the back; the other will hope folks forgot what he wrote.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[JenniG]

Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks?
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
This is what this nation needs, real people in office.
McCain said he's running "to fight for you, to make government stand on your side, not in your way." In Palin, he found "the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle, and put their interests before your needs."
McCain has enough money and power to just retire yet he wants to serve the people.
His record reflects true care and concern for all the people of this great nation.
Palin would have had a whole lot more fun as Gov over VP yet she is willing to work with all other elected persons to serve WE THE PEOPLE.
McCain is a real person, rich yes but more important honest, did he picked Sarah because she is also a real person, young yes but more important she has worked her way to her current job, not by pushing the systems to work for her but working for the people and making the systems of government work for her constituents.
CNN, C-SPAN, FOX/MSNBC, & PBS et al, must now show the playing field as even.
Obama: 7yrs state senator + 2yrs US senator =9 years
Palin: 4yrs city council + 6yrs Mayor + 2yrs Governor = 12 years
One young enough to ask the hard questions and want answers & One old enough to now where to find the answers, and who can help with the real work ahead.
WE the People need the work done and done right.
WE THE PEOPLE must make the best choice for the future.
Bob, Paul and Cindy along with Barack/Joe, John/Sarah must be asked the tough questions; nice stages and good speeches don't get the job done. Rick Warren showed us that anyone who is willing to set it up can ask and get answers. Comments on air are great but We the people need Tim Russert style hard ball’ no spin’ to the point’ answers from all candidates. We need real facts not opinions, not last week’s talking points. All 360 degrees of each party’s candidates must be the shown. Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks?
GOD BLESS the USA
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.” JMG

[layden s.]

It does seem like a shrewd calculation by McCain to win a few voter groups, although I don't think she is qualified to be president. Especially with delicate international and national security issues.

Her education and political activities don't show that international issues are her strong suit. I wouldn't feel comfortable with her jumping into the complicated issues in the middle east, Pakistan, North Korea, and Russia.

It is also discouraging to see that Oil will continue to be the main focus of our energy policy, instead of alternative sources.

[Russ Knapp]

This is America! Anything is possible. Nominating Sarah is exciting and invigorating. I wish her the best...

She is new, fresh and exciting and just what's needed in this election.

Talk about change? This is change...

[eric]

Since when did we start wanting the PTA and Vice Presidency mixing blood??
I dont care if she is man, woman, or ape... She knows squat and is from Alaska where it took a wopping 115,000 people to vote her in as Gov. Really can you represent the US better than to pick somebody that lives in isolation... dropped everything when she heard Ivana Trump was coming to the "Big City" to peddle her perfume.. Why you ask... Because Ivana Trump represented Class, Culture, and Glamor to her.... A @@@@ Bumpkin 2 steps away from being my president.

[JR]

One didn't say anything, the other fell for the hype.

[Soledad Gonzales]

She majored in SPORTS journalism in Idaho and is an extreme conservative of the right. It's fine if McCain thinks a young, fresh perspective is needed in Washington (Obama) and it's great Republicans have finally put a woman on the ticket, but it's blasphemy that she mentioned Clinton and Clinton supporters in her acceptance speech as paving the path for her to what...push back the gains in women's empowerment by taking away a women's right to chose and alongside a man who called his wife a c*nt and suggested his wife enter a topless beauty pageant while he was campaigning. It seems like McCain has a one-tracked mind - the white house and chasing beauty pageant contestants. No thinking democratic, no intelligent women rights supporter would be duped by this! And Clinton supporters are offended that McCain thinks women would be fooled by him.

[James]

It's likely that it will be Jonathan Alter, because he's right: rookies are gaffe machines, and Palin hasn't been prepared for the maelstrom that she has just entered.

[Michael]

Bottom line, shes as far right as they come, anti-abortion, even in cases of rape, gun nut, creationism, anti-environment, etc....May play well in AK but not so well in the lower 48.

[Susan]

I don't know who Bill Kristol spoke with but most people I know were personally offended by McCain's choice. It exemplifies the current state of politics, it's a game. All the republican party has in its pocket is the pro-life, pro-gun, anti-gay fear mongering. Bringing in an hugely inexperienced policitian who has nothing more than her gender and her Christian ideologies creates a lightning rod of distraction to the real, immenient issues that we face as Americans. I used to respect McCain. No longer, this choice is an insult to all those who love this country. Do I want to hear about this brother in law? Nope. Our economy? Our fossil fuel dependence? Iraq? Health care? Yes. McCain and the republicans prefer a decoy than facing momentumental challenges for our country. And, as a parting shot and as a woman, the woman vote? Please, with all due respect, if I was Joe Biden, I'd be hard pressed not to say: 'Mrs. Palin, I know Hillary Clinton and you are no Hillary Clinton.'

[Hilary Smith]

I'm voting for Obama and I hope he wins. But with a woman and a minority both represented in this election, it's clear that the old order is crumbling. It's wonderful. Freedom is all about the freedom to change. America will come back newer and better.

[Dave]

I think McCain is smart like a fox.

He knows he's going to lose in November, so he picked someone for his VP who has a good chance to make it onto a Republican ticket in any of the next EIGHT general elections.

And note that despite his slamming Obama as "nothing but a celebrity" (my words), Palin is a sports figure, a beauty queen, and media eye-candy. Let her show that she's ten percent capable and she'll morph into a formidable contender in the next go-round. And the next. And the next.

[John O'Brien]

People need to remember that Sarah Pallin would realistically be one heartbeat away from being the President of the United States. Especially since John McCain is close to being in his cups. What happens if during the grueling schedule of a presidential campaign, he dies?
Does Sarah become the candidate? If your answer is no, then she has no right to be the running mate.

I for one, think that her credentials to be a world leader are awfully weak. Governor for 2 years, Mayor of Wasilla (Pop. 6,700), degree in Journalism. Come on folks get real.

[Christian Prophet]

What an amazing political season! Obama Democrats are ignoring all truth and attacking Sarah Palin like rabid dogs. Reason: she is more qualified than Obama. Read:
http://christianprophecy.blogspot.com/

[Jill Cashman]

ITS NOT ABOUT LIKING MRS. PALIN .........

She met him only once before .....They are practically strangers

She has said that she believes in teaching creationism in the schools.

She is against the right to choose.

She says she doesn't know very much about foreign affairs and has NO foreign policy experience.

It is absurd to think she is qualifed ! It is absurd to think she could step into the Presidents shoes.

[AsBee]

At least until recently Jonathan Walter was not known to be partisan - at least to me he wasnt. That is until he and Chirs Mathews and Keith Olberman, et. al., started getting tingling feelings up their legs everytime the "chosen one" made a speech. As a registered democrat I used to avoid Fox, that is until this tingly legged talking heads turned me off the democratic party for their obvious bias towards Obama

Vote for McCain / Paylin - the only real pair in this election that will fight for change, and has a demnostrated record of standing up against their own party and putting country first and "me" second.

Registered Democrat for McCain / Paylin :)

[joe j]

Hmmm...Seinfeld's "Elaine" for Vice President?

What's next, Kramer for Secretary of State???

[paxinterra]

It's always sad and disappointing to see how mean-spirited, angry and venomous liberals can be. Liberal opinions are frequently clouded by anger and small-minded prejudices. The Liberal’s self-serving sense of self-importance, elitism and presumed intellectual superiority over the "stupid" conservatives/republicans, will always be the foundation of their failure as a political movement. This nation will never elect a left-wing liberal to a national role of leadership.

It's equally interesting to me how such a self-aggrandizing bunch of so-called intellectuals don't appear to have the sense to see what a snake oil salesman Obama is (great speech, but no possible way to implement his agenda without crippling our economy) and the utter contempt that their beloved Clintons hold for them.

McCain-Palin will win in a landslide this fall. Not because of race, not because of gender, not because of any of the other illusionary straw dogs that will be paraded out in the coming weeks, but because Americans in general are smart, savvy and know when they are being sold a liberal socialist bill of goods.

[Paul]

These pros and cons are merely initial reactions to someone few know anything about. Palin has yet to be veted by the blogisphere and the press. No doubt much remains to be seen.

Inevitably we're going to find out much more under this huge spotlight of a presidential campaign. The ruckus politics of Alaska is going to be hashed out nationally now which is bad news for Uncle Ted, Palin's mentor.

Maybe we'll find out the logic behind picking her as the VP nominee. Besides her gender or shoring up conservatives and evangelicals, its hard to see what Palin brings to the ticket.

It would be cynical to think that the plan is to just fight cultural wars in lieu of addressing issues. No doubt much remains to be seen.

[Emma]

This Lady has got more executive experience than any candidate on the ticket; her political career began in 1992, while Obama's began in 1996. She FOUGHT her party elite and BIG companies to become governor; Obama never fought any establishment - the establishment made him.

If her decision to have a baby diagnosed with downs syndrome was wrong, then I assume that all people born with downs syndrome wish they were never born. I am yet to find one person who wishes her mother aborted him/her.

Women can now look forward toward having a real representative at the Whitehouse or wait until 2012 for a ceremonial handover to Hilary.

Finally, it would seem that this lady and Obama both studied political science....Obama is running for the position of PRESIDENT and this lady for the Vice President.

[John Quimby]

Governor Palin is no Hillary Clinton.
It's really that simple.

[R Newmann]

You farmers are all alike. You take the bait and vote against your own best interests over & over again.

[Wes]

McCain made a good choice. He has appeal to many independents and moderates, but he still needed to address the true fiscal, social, and constitutional conservatives. They are a substantial part of the electorate. Gov. Palin will appeal to social conservatives because she lives what she believes. She will appeal to fiscal conservatives because of her realistic and intelligent handling of corruption and reform of Alaska's budget and state finances. Her appeal to constitutional conservatives is solid because of her Second Amendment literalism stand and honesty.

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) would have loved this moment. She is not a Congressman nor a lawyer, two people he considered not much better than criminals. She is as qualified as any number of our past presidents, to include President William Clinton and President Ronald Reagan.

[Phyllis Davis]

What a pathetic decision! Does McCain think that women will be wowed by him just choosing any woman to run on his ticket? Women appreciated Hillary's struggles to get where she is, to gain the experience she garnered and to truly be an equal opponent. Nancy Polosi is also admirable. But it's the "old boys " idea that just throwing in any woman will make women vote for him is totally insesnitive, insulting and truly underscores how far out in left field he really is. Sorry, Hillary would have got my vote, but today it just got delivered to Obama.

[West of the Mississippi]

On Sarah Palin:
A. She is much better looking than Dick Cheny.
B. She can serve coffee and rolls during Cabinet Mtgs.
C. After her visit to AK troops in Middle East she now knows how to shoot a rifle, which apparently qualifies her as Commander in Chief.
D. She apparently knows how to clean fish.
E. She has and perhaps will continue to "Go forth and multiply".
F. She might know where Russia is.
G. She is what every good Republican man wants in a wife !
NO ONE KNOWS how she would act as VP, or #45 !

[richard spink]

Palin reminded me of something when I first saw her yesterday. Now I know what it is - The Stepford Wives. She has a creepy confidence about her which isn't re-assuring in the least. She has had time to learn that humility which comes from realizing that some things are really really hard however much rhetoric you throw at them. This girl sees the world in black and white. I want someone with grey on their palette too.