John McCain's cruel joke

It is difficult to understand McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, to be his VP choice. This is a woman so woefully unprepared to be even Vice President, let alone President, that leading her to accept this nomination is little more than a cruel joke which will undoubtedly hurt her and probably backfire on McCain. More than a cruel joke, it is an insult to the American public. First of all, McCain doesn’t even know her, having apparently spoken to her only a couple of times prior to his selection (so much for his wanting someone he could be comfortable with). After all these weeks of criticizing Obama as being unprepared for the Presidency, he picks a woman who makes Obama look like a grizzled veteran more than ready. The Brafia spokespersons are trying desperately to show that Palin is as experienced as Obama even though the comparison is patently absurd. One of these spokesman (on Fox news, I think) actually claimed she has Foreign Policy experience because Alaska is close to Russia! I’m not certain that she has ever been out of the U.S., and I doubt she has often even been out of Alaska. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. Obama has a law degree from Harvard, was editor of the Harvard Law Review, and is a Constitutional Lawyer. She was mayor of a small town in Alaska before becoming Governor two years ago. Next to Wyoming, Alaska has the smallest population of any state, some 500,000 pretty widely scattered voters. Obama served in the Illinois state senate and in the U.S. Senate for as long as she has been Governor. He is widely traveled and has at least some Foreign Policy experience. She has none.

I guess McCain believes she will appeal to the base. It’s hard to believe she is going to appeal to anyone else. She is completely anti-abortion, is opposed to equal pay for equal work, wants to drill in ANWAR, participates in hunting wolves from airplanes, believes creationism should be taught in the public schools, apparently doesn’t believe in evolution, voted against saving the Polar Bears, is a hunter and snowmobiler, likes mooseburgers (what this has to do with anything I’m not sure), and does not believe human activity has anything to do with global warming. She is either a fool or an idiot, or both. She once won a beauty contest in her small town and later was runner-up in the Miss Alaska contest. She is a mother with five children. Her husband is said to be part Eskimo. She is currently being investigated for some kind of quasi-nepotism problem. This is what McCain wants to bequeath us as President should anything happen to him (he’s 72). Is this McCain’s idea of “Country First?” I should think this shows nothing but contempt for our country. I personally believe if this is not just a sick joke it is an example of absolutely irresponsible judgment. McCain is a known sexist and apparently believes American women are completely stupid. He is using this young woman for his own political purposes, pure and simple, and she apparently believes she is qualified to be President. I cannot, no matter how I try, imagine this woman as President of the U.S. While this ploy might win a few votes from women so far out on the extreme right as Palin, I think it is unlikely to generate many votes from Hillary Clinton supporters (even the outraged ones). McCain was said to need a “wow” moment. He has now used up his wow moment and there are unlikely to be many more coming. From now on it’s just Calamity John and his sidekick, Ms. Desperation. I wonder if she was even thoroughly vetted and if she will stand up to the scrutiny she is about to receive. This could prove to be truly embarrassing for both her and McCain. One person I talked with this morning suggested that McCain knows he can’t win so he just wants to have some “fun.” Some fun. Romney and others who were under consideration are said to be furious (and for good reason).

LKBIQ:
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
Napoleon Bonaparte