McCain's Running mate

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Apart from that, I am not believing anything I hear about her for the next two weeks. Let the dust settle and the smoke clear first. There's still plenty of time before voting day.

I didn't realize, they're letting Aussies vote this time around?

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I didn't realize, they're letting Aussies vote this time around?

I've been arguing that for years.
The USA dictates our foreign policy.
The USA sets our trade policy.
The USA influences our environmental policy.
The USA strongly hints at our social policy.

I reckon we SHOULD have the right to vote for the prez of the USA.

(Okay guys, just kidding, but I assert the right to have an opinion about the candidates.)

I also note that I have twelve days left to learn how to spell Palin :p

[jinx]

Eh, fuggit, maybe we should... joke as it is...

[warch]

Why not Michelle Bachman?! Dang. I must admit, I thought the affable (and more experienced) Gov Pawlenty was the threat.

Heckuvajob.
I think it is a very appropriate choice that highlights the caliber of decision making we might expect from a Pres. McCain (or his handlers).

[Undertoad]

Well that's that. Reuters:

The 17-year-old daughter of the Republican vice-presidential candidate, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, is pregnant, Palin said Monday in an announcement intended to knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child.

Bristol Palin, one of Palin’s five children with her husband, Todd, is about five months pregnant and is going to keep the child and marry the father, the Palins said in a statement released by the campaign of Senator John McCain.

She didn't give birth 4 months ago, because she's five months pregnant now.

[Sundae]

Phew.
Oh wait - I mean, oh dear.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by richlevy

When the commentators mentioned her flying home during her 'labor' as an example of toughness, my wife looked shocked. It might actually be better for her if she wasn't pregnant and was covering for her daughter. Trying to sell her to women conservatives as an effective mom and politician are going to be difficult.

I have to assume your wife is not conservative, right? It's a little weird that you transpose her reaction into a belief about how people who are not like her will react. The statement the Pallins gave said,

Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents... Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family.

which is completely in line with their political beliefs, and the official social conservative reaction so far is:

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson issued a statement commending the Palins for "for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances." He added: "Being a Christian does not mean you're perfect. Nor does it mean your children are perfect. But it does mean there is forgiveness and restoration when we confess our imperfections to the Lord."

It's a non-story, and won't affect her standing with social conservatives at all, just like Cheney's lesbian daughter didn't.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I have to assume your wife is not conservative, right? It's a little weird that you transpose her reaction into a belief about how people who are not like her will react.

You mean non-mothers? I guess we could do a poll and ask mothers how many of them would board a plane in labor during a high risk pregnancy.

Her private life is part of the story. It always will be for candidates. Who your minister is, where you went to school, and how you are perceived as raising your family.

It is true that people let politicians who have been divorced multiple times can successfully run on a 'family values' ticket. This is something new.

[Clodfobble]

I absolutely agree that people's private lives, in general, affect their viability for public office. What I take issue with is your assertion of what this will mean, not for you as a voter, but for other people as voters. This "scandal" is not a scandal to social conservatives, but social liberals wish it were, because they think they see a perverse justice being served.

[Radar]

Her whole career has been spent talking about unrealistic things like abstinence. She's a holy roller trying to shove her Christian morality down everyone else's throats through legislation, and now it turns out, like most zealots, she's got her own problems to worry about.

Matthew 7: 1-5

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by Radar

Her whole career has been spent talking about unrealistic things like abstinence.

True, abstinence is just about as unrealistic as say getting even a tenth of the country to believe your views on taxes, national defense, or... really just about any damn thing you've hung your flag on. Completely unrealistic. But here's the thing, I don't consider you a nutjob because I disagree with you. Why is it that she must be a nutjob if she disagrees with you?

[Radar]

Originally Posted by lookout123

True, abstinence is just about as unrealistic as say getting even a tenth of the country to believe your views on taxes, national defense, or... really just about any damn thing you've hung your flag on. Completely unrealistic. But here's the thing, I don't consider you a nutjob because I disagree with you. Why is it that she must be a nutjob if she disagrees with you?

The truth doesn't change based on the number of people who believe in it. I contend that anyone who thinks evolution is false and creationism is true is mentally deficient. It's not a matter of disagreement, it's a matter of having the ability to discern science from fairy tales.

The majority of the world believed the world was flat. The majority of the United States believe income taxes are legal. The majority of America is stupid enough to think the federal government has powers other than those enumerated in the Constitution. They are all equally correct in their beliefs.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

What I take issue with is your assertion of what this will mean, not for you as a voter, but for other people as voters.

Why not? Should I limit speculation to liberal moderate males of my age. How about if I only speculate about the voting patterns of men born on my exact birth date?

I believe that anyone can be a political pundit and speculate about the voting habits and opinions of any group they want. Otherwise, we'd need an army of correspondents on Fox and MSNBC to represent every possible voting block in the country. And try to find an Albanian-American neocon pre-op transexual when news breaks on a Friday night in the Balkans.

I believe that independents will be rolling their eyes when she answers the 'abstinence only education' question in the debates. Hard core social conservatives may stay with her, but she will probably lose the more pragmatic ones.

[ZenGum]

Brilliant ... provided it doesn't cost him the election.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Brilliant ... provided it doesn't cost him the election.

Don't worry this won't cost him the election. The fact that he's less popular than Obama and not as good a candidate will cost him the election. The pick of this corrupt woman will just make him lose by a larger margin.