Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

[Miroslav]

The more I think about it, the more I see that Palin was a risky but shrewd bet - and one that seems to be paying off. Like most people, I misjudged her at first by just focusing on her lack of experience and contrasting her with Hillary's historic run...when in fact the reality is this:

It's not about whether she is really good or not (perhaps she may be). Her value lies in the fact that she is such an effective foil to Obama's image.

Got trouble dealing with Obama, the populist outsider/reformer/change-bringer? Then fight fire with fire and get your own. She's proven that she is charismatic and good enough to capture the spotlight and favorably place herself in peoples' minds as a reformer and a Washington outsider. And it seems she has credibly stripped some of the sheen off of the Obama campaign as "owning" all the buzz about reform, change, outsider status, populist rhetoric, etc. - all the stuff that emotionally fired people up about Obama.

And here's the really smart part: Even when you try to nail her for her weaknesses, they quickly point you back to Obama. Palin's inexperienced? Maybe she won't be as effective? OK, sure. But...then what can you say about Obama, who is even just heading for VP but for the top seat? If you say that she's empty and lacks substance...it's hard not to then apply that same standard to Obama.

The gamble was whether Palin would go over well with the broader public. She did. And it was only effective because it was Obama on the other side...who they watched go first and pick a 30+ year Washington insider as VP.

The Obama campaign should pay attention and take her seriously now as a threat. They're getting a taste of their own medicine.

[DIDI]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

Now think of her as President of the USA

[88Mariner]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

smart choice for mccain. bad choice for the united states.

[sammwalk]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

yeah it was pretty smart- except she's a fucking reactionary. just what we need more of.

fuck that useless patronizing irrelevant shit-eating sassy gun-toting isolationist fundie hockey-mom. i fear for this country if she has any more power than she does now. i fear the mindless people who would elect her. i fear her foreign policy and the disaster of international relations under her blind over-confident control. i fear her 10 x dick cheney. she makes cheney look liberal and friendly. that abhorrence must not be suffered to continue in politics.

[k3n3]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

fuck that useless patronizing irrelevant shit-eating sassy gun-toting isolationist fundie hockey-mom. i fear for this country if she has any more power than she does now. i fear the mindless people who would elect her. i fear her foreign policy and the disaster of international relations under her blind over-confident control. i fear her 10 x dick cheney. she makes cheney look liberal and friendly. that abhorrence must not be suffered to continue in politics.

fuck that useless patronizing irrelevant shit-eating sassy arrogant liberal Obama. i fear for this country if he has any more power than he does now. i fear the mindless people who would elect him. i fear his foreign policy and the disaster of international relations under his blind over-confident control. i fear his 10 x joe biden. he makes biden look conservative and intelligent. that abhorrence must not be suffered to continue in politics

[BeachBum]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

'' Telling You , Told You So In 08 '' , Is Telling You Again .

[88Mariner]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

fuck that useless patronizing irrelevant shit-eating sassy arrogant liberal Obama. i fear for this country if he has any more power than he does now. i fear the mindless people who would elect him. i fear his foreign policy and the disaster of international relations under his blind over-confident control. i fear his 10 x joe biden. he makes biden look conservative and intelligent. that abhorrence must not be suffered to continue in politics

ah yes, thinking inside the box. nicely done.

[DIDI]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

fuck that useless patronizing irrelevant shit-eating sassy arrogant liberal Obama. i fear for this country if he has any more power than he does now. i fear the mindless people who would elect him. i fear his foreign policy and the disaster of international relations under his blind over-confident control. i fear his 10 x joe biden. he makes biden look conservative and intelligent. that abhorrence must not be suffered to continue in politics

Sorry I like sammwalk's better, and i am looking from outside.

[superdave]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

The more I think about it, the more I see that Palin was a risky but shrewd bet - and one that seems to be paying off. Like most people, I misjudged her at first by just focusing on her lack of experience and contrasting her with Hillary's historic run...when in fact the reality is this:

It's not about whether she is really good or not (perhaps she may be). Her value lies in the fact that she is such an effective foil to Obama's image.

Got trouble dealing with Obama, the populist outsider/reformer/change-bringer? Then fight fire with fire and get your own. She's proven that she is charismatic and good enough to capture the spotlight and favorably place herself in peoples' minds as a reformer and a Washington outsider. And it seems she has credibly stripped some of the sheen off of the Obama campaign as "owning" all the buzz about reform, change, outsider status, populist rhetoric, etc. - all the stuff that emotionally fired people up about Obama.

And here's the really smart part: Even when you try to nail her for her weaknesses, they quickly point you back to Obama. Palin's inexperienced? Maybe she won't be as effective? OK, sure. But...then what can you say about Obama, who is even just heading for VP but for the top seat? If you say that she's empty and lacks substance...it's hard not to then apply that same standard to Obama.

The gamble was whether Palin would go over well with the broader public. She did. And it was only effective because it was Obama on the other side...who they watched go first and pick a 30+ year Washington insider as VP.

The Obama campaign should pay attention and take her seriously now as a threat. They're getting a taste of their own medicine.

Very good points. For me, I'm still assessing her. I want to hear her campaign more, learn more about her and see how she handles herself in debates. Let's see if she's a credible candidate or if she gets exposed as another ignorant conservative in lipstick and a skirt. One good speech does not make a VP.

[Miroslav]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

I don't disagree with you guys in terms of her being bad for America - I personally don't like many of her opinions.

[toasty]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

I think you raise some pretty good points, but I'm going to reserve judgment for the time being, because I think that while it may have had a positive impact in the short term, I have serious questions about whether she can sustain this energy -- particularly when we're really no going to be seeing her much at all between now and November (she's got 30 fund raisers scheduled in the next 30 days -- doesn't leave a lot time for stumping). In the age of the 24 hour news cycle, that speech of hers will be a distant memory come November. What have you done for me lately, ya know?

The gamble was whether Palin would go over well with the broader public. She did. And it was only effective because it was Obama on the other side...who they watched go first and pick a 30+ year Washington insider as VP.

The Obama campaign should pay attention and take her seriously now as a threat. They're getting a taste of their own medicine.

They've definitely taking her seriously, and they should, but I'm not sure you can say that her speech necessarily went over well with the broader public -- the folks on the convention floor went nuts, but they're hardly the broader public. As to the public at large, it seems that everyone agrees that she gave the speech really well, but the polls I've seen don't suggest that it actually translates into votes or that people have changed their mind about her experience based upon her speech.

[sammwalk]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

I really wish she were less polarizing. Her extreme views (obviously) put me off, and what's more, it's like, who the fuck are you? She comes out "swinging" but it's not like she has a history of a political platform to stand on. I can see her running in four years, but now?

And anyone who draws similarities between Obama and Palin is confused. What, because they're both young? I'm sorry, I think that they couldn't be more different in almost every way. Attitude, tone, energy, personality.

I understand why Palin's popular. I think the same people who like her would like to pave the US coast to cost with shopping malls. It strikes me as odd because you'd think being avid hunters or "rugged individualists" that these same people would advocate environmental protections and be anti-corporate. Seriously, people's idealogies are really freaking compartmentalized.

[Miroslav]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

on one more note, I would say... it just boggles the mind that we could live to see times where someone as inexperienced and unqualified as Palin is considered for VP.

Then again, it still boggles the mind that we could live to see times where someone as inexperienced and unqualified as Obama is considered for President.

But I guess it's what must happen, given how badly the last administration has blown it and how desperate people are for something - anything, really - that is different.

[DIDI]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

And both Palin and Obama got there the same way. They both speak well ??

When the dust settles this could be a good thing for the Democrats. The disgruntled Hillary crew should swing back really quickly after looking at this women .

[sammwalk]

Re: Sarah Palin was risky, but actually a pretty smart choice

on one more note, I would say... it just boggles the mind that we could live to see times where someone as inexperienced and unqualified as Palin is considered for VP.

Then again, it still boggles the mind that we could live to see times where someone as inexperienced and unqualified as Obama is considered for President.

But I guess it's what must happen, given how badly the last administration has blown it and how desperate people are for something - anything, really - that is different.

this begs the question: what defines "experience" for the president? Because obviously it doesn't seem to matter: Bush is terrible, and would pass Obama and Palin in "qualifications". Then again, an actor wound up being the best Republican in recent memory.