Why did McCain pick Palin???

[stacyp9]

If John McCain had picked up a newspaper in August, he would have known that Sarah Palin was under investigation by the Alaskan (Republican controlled) legislature. He would have known that Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was getting ready to go on trial on Federal charges. He should have known that Sarah Palin was a Director of Ted Steven's 527 Fundraising committee, that she was elected Governor only after he endorsed her and she used the endorsement in a heavy blitz of television and ad in the last week of her campaign and that the two have had a mutually beneficial relationship.

Now, in the final week of his presidential campaign, he is faced with:

- Sarah Palin having been found to violate State Ethics laws;
- Ted Stevens guilty of abuse of office and his running mate (the Governor of Alaska) so far refusing to ask Stevens to step aside from office
- Questions about the Stevens/Palin relationship to continue through the week.

McCain did not need a crystal ball to see this as a distinct possibility. What strengths did Sarah Palin bring to the ticket that outweighed the baggage she brought to the campaign with these issues.

He needed a female that appealed to the far right. He did not understand that the majority of Hillary supporters would never support a Palin.

 

[stacyp9]

I believe history will report that McCain lost the election (assuming he will) because of Palin, not the economy. Had he chosen a running mate that addressed concerns over his lack of economic experience, I think he would win.

Deb

I think if he loses it will be because his policies are the exact same policies as Bush.

 

[scrump]

I'll be in the minority and say that I don't think McCain picked Palin to attract the embittered Hillary supporters. If you supported Hillary, there's very little to be happy about in Palin.

That said, I have no idea why he did pick her. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

 

[djm99]

I'll be in the minority and say that I don't think McCain picked Palin to attract the embittered Hillary supporters. If you supported Hillary, there's very little to be happy about in Palin.

That said, I have no idea why he did pick her. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

One of the first interviews Palin did she was asked about Obama not picking Hillary. Palin's response was something to the effect of “I bet he wishes he picked Hilary now”. Why? Because McCain picked me, a woman. Like she would 'get' Hilary’s voters. At least that's how I read into her comment. I even agreed with her at that time.

 

[bimshire]

He pick Sarah because he is the original "maverick."

 

[bicker]

Totally OT, as that's not what this thread is about. If you want to discuss the choice of Obama by the moderate Democratic party, start a new thread.

That wouldn't serve the purpose of derailing a topic that is utterly damaging to the McCain/Palin cause, though.

 

[Took]

DId anyone see the article by Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post? She offers a somewhat different take on McCain's pick of Palin.

http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/1339259.html

It's a controversial piece, to say the least, but it may, in fact, be true.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I've had the feeling that McCain was pressured into the pick by the neocon wing of the party, that they may have threatened to withhold support if he chose someone like Lieberman and Ridge.

No doubt there were several other DC outsiders with more experience the neocons would have supported. The choice of Palin has to be simply because of her gender and the surprise and buzz it would create. The fact that she's an unknown played against her and too much has come out to make the swing voters wary, things that could have been negated by deeper experience.

The Kathleen Parker article linked above is interesting to say the least. Of course, if the parties were reversed and this was said about a Democrat pick, the outrage would be overwhelming.

 

[bicker]

Especially given Biden's appearance.

 

[ConcKahuna]

I think if he loses it will be because his policies are the exact same policies as Bush.

Especially given Biden's appearance.

Palin is a looker, and about 40 years ago McCain was pretty easy on the eyes himself.

 

[Tikitoi]

Mccain picked palin because he wanted to make his own history. He knows by Obama being elected as President, this is making hx in that he will be the first African Amn Pres of US. And on top of that with Hillary running and her having the chance of becoming first female president, he took that into consideration as well. Bottom line he shot himself in the foot with Palin.