Aug 30 2008
The Meteoric Rise of a Beauty Queen/Hockey Mom/Mayor/Governor/Vice-President
Yesterday John McCain picked Sarah Palin the little-known governor of Alaska to be his running mate. When I first heard the news I thought McCain had made a big mistake, but after doing a good deal of reading about her and hearing her acceptance speech I’ve warmed up a bit. I still am somewhat nervous about what effect her inexperience is going to have on McCain’s offensive strategy. Thus far McCain’s primary and most effective line of attack has been Obama’s lack of experience. Obama has essentially had no reply when this criticism is leveled but to seek to deflect the issue. He now has an answer-Sarah Palin. Obama’s statements regarding her inexperience and McCain’s judgment in putting an inexperienced politician a “heartbeat from the presidency” will most probably be typical throughout the campaign. If he is smart Obama will not bring up her inexperience lest his own inexperience be highlighted, but we can rest assured that he will use her to deflect the criticism leveled against him. Thus John McCain’s VP pick, while bringing many positives to the table, has effectively taken much of the teeth out of his strongest attack to date.
That being said, I do think that Sarah Palin was a politically shrewd pick in many respects. The strengths she does bring to the table are most certainly a force to be reckoned with. My good friend Paul Matzko highlights and summarizes those strengths in a blog post earlier today. You can find his article here.
Incidentally it seems that the wisest course of action for Republicans would be to not argue Palin’s experience in response to Democratic attack, such as Rush Limbaugh and other radio personalities have done in the last 24 hours. Trying to somehow beef up her political resume by focusing on “quality rather than quantity” is simply smoke and mirrors. She may have more experience than Obama, but comparing the two is comparing apples and oranges. The reality is that they are both inexperienced. Were either one of them to step into the Presidency today they would not be prepared because of their woeful lack of foreign policy and national security experience. Trying to somehow argue that Sarah Palin is more expeienced smacks of partisanship. By simply acknowledging her lack of experience in certain areas, and reminding those attacking her that she is not on the top of the ticket, Republicans will have the leverage to attack Obama on the same grounds. The only difference between the two being that he is on the top of the ticket. This seems to be the wisest course of action as it gives Republicans the opportunity to continue to use their most effective offensive argument to date-inexperience and lack of preparation to be the President of the United States-against Obama.
