MyDD :: A Parlour Trick [UPDATE]

A Parlour Trick [UPDATE]

by Hollede, Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 03:48:52 PM EST

I was rather astonished this morning by McCain's VP pick. I actually thought that he might pick a woman and Christine Todd Whitman or Condeleezza Rice seemed obvious choices. I suppose Palin is a better match with McCain. Whitman is probably a bit too liberal and I would have loved seeing the ads with Rice saying "bin Ladin determined to attack in America" over and over and over.

I am astonished, because I have not been right about much lately. I thought Clinton would win, and then knew that she would be tapped for VP. I am not very good at sports metaphors, but I think that is batting 0. I am usually much better at predicting politics. We live in surprising times.

After hearing about the pick, I had a strange thought. If McCain wins, there is a decent chance that the next Presidential election could have two female nominees. Off into la la land here, but if McCain were unable to complete his term or decided to only serve one term, Palin would likely face Clinton in 2012. I am not even thinking about 2016, because the chance of McCain serving two terms is inconceivable to me. And I say la la land, because I actually think Obama will win in November. But remember, I haven't very good at this prediction thing lately.

I will give McCain some credit. He really pulled the media off the Democrats today. Today should have been all about Obama, his speech, the amazing convention, and the Democratic Pary. MCain did the one thing that would suck all of the oxygen out of the political sphere. I think it is a just a parlour trick, but as far as they go, this is a very good one.

It's just that this election has changed everything. I can now see a race between to African Americans or two women or any combination of a non white male at the top of the Presidential ticket. In the long run, I am glad that McCain picked a woman, just as I will be glad if they were to choose Rice or any other republican African American, man or woman, as their candidate in 2012 to run against President Obama. We do live in very surprising and awesome times. On to changing everything.

Update [2008-8-29 17:25:49 by Hollede]: Pat Buchanin loves Palin. Remember Pat?

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Tags: McCain, Palin, Obama, Clinton (all tags)

Permalink :: 14 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

Hollede,

This is going to prove to be a disastrous pick by McCain, in my humble opinion.

She kills so many of the memes that McCain was using, or planning to use.

Personally, I think that this is a Dan Quayle level disaster...and it will become clear in the next 5 - 7 days.

"Can We Build It? Yes We Can!" - Bob the Builder

by Stipes on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 03:56:58 PM EST

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

Oh I totally agree. She is a total lightweight. There are other far better female repug choices. I am not unhappy with his choice on so many levels, it won't beat us, but it does set the stage for the future where non white male Americans are seen as completely viable choices for POTUS.

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:04:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

That's true.

"Can We Build It? Yes We Can!" - Bob the Builder

by Stipes on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:10:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You do realize (2.00 / 1)

That Dan Quayle actually become VP of the United States.

I scares the shiite out of me when we under estimate our opponents.

Bush 43 was the dumbest SOB to ever run for President. We called him dumb over and over and over again. He still won twice. It isn't enough to be right. You have to actually go out there and win the votes.

by RichardFlatts on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:10:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You do realize (2.00 / 1)

Oh yeah, don't I know it. Democrats always have to be twice as goods as repugs. Thank goodness we always are. However, I do think, that McCain won the day and pulled the only rabbit out of his hat that could just save his convention. We shall see.

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:34:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (none / 0)

but a game changer. Just not in the way McCain is hoping. I will thank him for bringing the repugs into the 21 century, even if it is a stunt.

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:01:26 PM EST

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

Well, I question that premise. Gerry Ferraro did not do much for women's progress in politics. It took another 24 years for a woman to make another seious run at it.

Now, some could make the argument that the 1984 campaign was a disaster, and that helped kill the momentum from that pick.

I think that the question we have to ask ourselves: Will Palin make more of an impact/splash than Ferraro did? Maybe, because she's a Repube, and they needed to be dragged from the Stone Age into the 21st century.

But she is also fertile ground for mocking, at many levels. She has some inoculation due to the birth of her child with Downs Syndrome. That may cause some pause in folks contemplating an attack.
But still, this pick does not appeal to moderate independent women, unless they are voting for her, solely as a woman.

My 2 cents.

Cheers!

"Can We Build It? Yes We Can!" - Bob the Builder

by Stipes on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:09:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 1)

Maybe I didn't explain this very well. I think that Ferraro did a lot for women's progress. It happened, she wasa the VP nominee in 1984. But that was only half the equation. I think that Ferraro paved the way for Hillary, just as Shirley Chisolm, Pat Schroeder, and Barbara Jordon paved the way. The road to the top of the hill is filled with failures and there are some who call Clinton a failure. I would not. I would not call any of these women a failure any more than I would call Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, or Colin Powell a failure.

Now the repugs will nominate a woman VP. It could have just as easily been Rice or Powell.

What I am saying I guess is that success rarely comes in a straight line, but because of all of the people I mention above, I believe that issues of race and gender will be now different for our Presidential nominees. Maybe next time it will not matter if in 2012, President Obama's repug opponent is Condaleezza Rice or some other republican African American. Or Clinton vs a republican woman in 2016. That will be the day that I will be the proudest to be an American I have ever been in my life.

Of course I anticipate this fall where I will be the proudest I have ever been of America by electing Barack Obama as POTUS

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:30:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

Actually, I'm a huge fan of Pat Schroeder, since I grew up in Colorado. I sort of get what you mean.

The thing that surprises me is that there are so many more qualified women in the GOP, than this pick. It's a straight pander, but if he was going to pick an unknown, why not go really out of the box?

"Can We Build It? Yes We Can!" - Bob the Builder

by Stipes on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:38:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

Again we are in agreement. I am a bit frightened ;~} Yeah there are quite a few others who would have looked less Quayle like. I do think he was smart to pick a gov but he just threw the whole experience thing out the window.

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:49:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 2)

tanks Johnny

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:50:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Parlour Trick (2.00 / 3)

I believe the two women you mention are both pro-choice. At the very least Condi is silent on the issue. McCain clearly wanted no part of that 3rd rail of GOP politics.

Pawlenty would have been the safe pick I think.

by RichardFlatts on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:06:46 PM EST

Re: A Parlour Trick (none / 0)

Agreed.

The Moose is on the loose. "And I scream at the top of my lungs, what's going on?"

by Hollede on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:32:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I welcome the GOP to 1984 (2.00 / 2)

Somehow that date seems significant for more than one reason.

The pebbles have voted and the avalanche has begun.

President-Elect "That One"

by Dracomicron on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 04:23:48 PM EST

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