So, how about that whole Palin as VP thing huh? That’s gotten kind of interesting of late. With so much new and exciting information coming out about the Governor, I thought I’d come up with a list of my favorite things I’ve learned/read/heard since her selection by Senator McCain. Without further ado:
1. The Republican talking point that Palin is a national security expert because Alaska…..is close to Russia. Cue Cindy McCain (via):
2. Palin being touted as a principled reformer on earmarks….while three times in recent years Senator McCain’s annual list of ‘objectionable’ pork spending has included earmarks from his new running mate (via).
3. Republicans saying her selection “breaks a glass ceiling”. Uh, Democrats had a woman on the ticket 25 years ago.
4. In trying to bolster her foreign policy experience McCain’s campaign said she’d visited Germany, Kuwait, and Ireland…..except the “visit” to Ireland was really just a brief stopover so the plane could refuel. Oh and she’s been to Canada.
5. That she wasn’t really vetted. Or to be more accurate, they did a Google search and interviewed her the day before the announcement. Just a routine VP selection, no big deal.
6. She hates polar bears. Or, to be more charitable, doesn’t like them enough to give them protection under the Endangered Species Act (via).
7. This may be my favorite: She has national security experience because she’s Commander in Chief of the Alaskan National Guard. This is ludicrous even ignoring the fact that the Alaskan Governor basically has no role in supervising the National Guard (via).
8. Her nomination led to this video of CNN’s Campbell Brown making McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds look like a moron:
9. That John McCain was so angry about the above interview that he canceled his own interview with Larry King. Take THAT CNN!
10. Hearing the Republicans use the talking point that Palin was Governor of “the largest state in the union” as an example of how experience she is. This is true…if you’re talking about land mass. Population-wise, Alaska, with less then 700,000 people, ranks 47th out of 50 (via). Still being the Governor of so much empty land must be quite a challenge.
11. She’s was in the pews when a man at her church gave a sermon that included the touching wisdom that terrorism was God’s way of punishing the Jews for not being Christian (note: if this involved a black preacher, a la Reverend Wright, this would probably be a much larger deal I suppose).
12. John McCain started his 2008 Presidential campaign before Palin was even Governor (via).
13. She’s currently involved in an ethics investigation about her role in getting her former brother-in-law fired in which she’s already had to backtrack from some incorrect statements and which she is now refusing to cooperate with. Sounds like a Bush administration veteran.
14. As Mayor of Wasilla, she wanted to know how to have books banned from the library. How old-school conservative.
15. Hailed by the McCain campaign as being against the evil Bridge to Nowhere. Turns out she was for it, then kinda stopped being for it when people complained although not really.
You’ll note that this post hasn’t mentioned the fact that Gov. Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is pregnant (until right now that is). That’s primarily for two reasons, 1. I don’t really think a candidates family life is relevant and 2. Gov. Palin’s selection/record has so many other flaws that I don’t really see the point in bringing up family stuff. Having said that, Byron York, writer for the conservative National Review, is exactly right when he says:
I don’t usually engage in these scenarios, but I’ll do it here. If the Obamas had a 17 year-old daughter who was unmarried and pregnant by a tough-talking black kid, my guess is if that they all appeared onstage at a Democratic convention and the delegates were cheering wildly, a number of conservatives might be discussing the issue of dysfunctional black families.
Gives me nightmares to even think about. Anyway thats my little list. I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few things or more will pop up so perhaps I’ll update it in the future.