Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/" target="_blank">http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/</a> This makes the first out in the open print request from a conservative for Sarah Palin to resign from the ticket. She's described as eager, but "clearly out of her depth." No kidding.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Oh yea. It worked so damned well for McGovern when he dumped Eagleton. Whatever anyone thinks of her, dumping Palin would be a disaster.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I think if Palin said she needed more time with her newborn or her pregnant daughter, no one would (openly) question that very much. But she doesn't strike me as someone who believes she is out of her depth. She says she didn't hesitate to take the job when asked, and I haven't seen any evidence that she's having any second thoughts now. When she makes (repeats) her beloved RNC stump speech, she does so to wild applause. She'll paint the press as the enemy, and it's "real people" that matter, and that'll go pretty darn far in this country. She believes the hype.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>But she doesn't strike me as someone who believes she is out of her depth. She says she didn't hesitate to take the job when asked, and I haven't seen any evidence that she's having any second thoughts now.<< Exactly. She doesn't blink, remember? I do think at this point McCain is damned if does, damned if he doesn't. If Palin resigns, Obama will talk about it every single day about how McCain can't be trusted to make decisions. We'll see pictures of Sarah Palin in every Obama ad, as well we should. I've agreed with 2oony on just about everything he's written lately, but I will disagree with this: >>I think if Palin said she needed more time with her newborn or her pregnant daughter, no one would (openly) question that very much.<< I think it would get very openly questioned. I think every single news report or talking head would be asking if that's why she really resigned. Then the New York Times or Washington Post would cite "unnamed sources" within the McCain campaign about how she was asked by McCain to resign for the good of the campaign. It would be non-stop coverage as to why. 20 years ago? Maybe no one would've questioned. But in our 24/7 news cycle, it'd be all-Sarah, all the time. Even more than usual.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Well, you're right. It would certainly be questioned in terms of McCain's judgement in choosing her to begin with. I should have said it was a "plausible" reason that could be used for her to exit the campaign. (Not that I believe for a minute that will actually happen at this point).
Originally Posted By dshyates Well, picking her was definitely a "maverick" move. A roll of the dice. Very politician, not so Presidential.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I think Sarah Palin is just the latest in the Myth of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. I think Ross Perot was the previous person in that role. Everyone wants that "real" person who understands what people want, who isn't financed by lobbyists and stage-managed by handlers and entangled in all the Washington insiders stuff. People projected that onto Sarah Palin and only now are reluctantly coming to grips with the fact that it was never really there.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 "Whatever anyone thinks of her, dumping Palin would be a disaster." Yeah, I just can't see her stepping down either. I think it would be a big problem for him. He might make the immediate problem go away, but I think it would not play well to the swing-voters.
Originally Posted By gadzuux I wouldn't put it past the McCain campaign to do this as yet another stunt to divert attention away from the issues. As long as the discussion is on the issues, McCain fails. In fact, McCain undercut his own supposed strengths of experience and character. The choice of Palin effectively prevented McCain from using the 'experience' card, and his own lowbrow ad campaigns, distortions and flat-out lies invalidated his character claims. All he has left is his POW/hero card, and cheap political stunts that divert attention. And these have been backfiring on him, to no one's surprise. Most recently it was the 'suspending' his campaign, thus taking the whole bailout crisis and making it about him. Last week it was calling for the head of the FTC. Three weeks ago it was the surprise appointment of Palin. Each one has been a "maverick" move that ultimately undermined his own campaign. He may have rallied the base - a bit (they never really were much on board in the beginning). But it's pushed the independents and moderates away. At the time I thought it was a mistake, and said so, but what do I know? Perhaps there are more gullible christians than there are persuadable independents. Or perhaps not. I think he's stuck with her now. She brings nothing to the campaign in terms of ability to effect change in washington, so she's already served her only purpose - energizing the evangelical base. Maybe they think McCain is "one of them" too, but I doubt it.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf I hope she doesn't quit - she's the best reality tv show this season. Sure, like most reality tv it is clearly scripted and is more like a quirky drama-com, but it's entertaining nonetheless. We can call it "Survivor: Washington DC".
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 I think a lot of the evangelical base are kind of annoyed that he would support a bailout plan. They view it as near socialism, so they aren't that pleased apparently. So, I think Palin might be a wash at this point. She energized the base, but the bailout has them questioning again.
Originally Posted By dshyates "I think a lot of the evangelical base are kind of annoyed that he would support a bailout plan." That's the great part about conservitives. Ideology is the only way. No solicial help even if the whole dang country goes down the tubes. Tax cuts in the face of a $14 trillion deficit. Deregulate to solve the problems of deregulation. All they got is ideology. Pragmatism isn't even in their vocabulary. They proudly proclaim their Ideology and then explain the liberals point of view which is in their eyes direct opposite of their goals. Even though in reality non-conservatives are just looking for answers, not imposing a preconcieved philosophical answer to every question or problem encountered. McCain's knee-jerk reaction earlier this week where he was screaming for more deregulations and "off with his head" answers isn't reassuring that if McCain gets elected that we will be OK.
Originally Posted By gadzuux We saw this same ideology battle in the CA state budget recently. The republicans hamstrung the ability of their own republican governor to reach consensus. It didn't matter if there was a $17 billion dollar shortfall, all they could focus on was the "no taxes" mantra. In the end, it was accounting tricks that resolved the problem - for another year. Like borrowing against anticipated future earnings on lottery tickets. Now THAT'S responsible budget making. It's ultimately a selfish mindset - they use the more polite term of "pocketbook" voters, but it's just another version of "I've got mine, jack".
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Palin is the Harriet Miers of the McCain campaign. If he TRULY cared about that country, she would step down immediately. Obviously she was vetted properly enough, met the woman one day for LITTERALLY 15 minutes and because she's a symbol, she can somehow work. And sadly she may can for helping to get him elected, but for any real positive and structured influence on the country, hell no!! Palin is a big, big joke. Of course she wont leave because as people have said here, if he does dump her, hes essentially dumping his campaign as well. Obama and co. would jump all over it and it would advance the perception he cant make a real decision, 6 weeks away from election time. A real danger for him.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Yeah, there's no way he can dump her without damaging his campaign irrevocably. Unless she does way more than just hold her own in the debate Thursday (which I think she could do, but probably no better), I think she's peaked and is on the downslide. McCain made his decision and enjoyed a bump as she energized the base and at least piqued curiosity in undecideds - the problem is that as most non-GOP-base voters see more of her, they like her less. So McCain has to live with this decision that in the end I think will prove a minor drag on the ticket, at least among swing voters. But he can live with that better than the huge negative that dumping her would be.
