Well, this election just got a little more interesting. The selection of Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running mate will certainly add a little spice to the presidential race. She was definitely seen as a dark horse candidate by most political observers. The press will be burning the midnight oil over the next few weeks digging up everything it can about her, good and bad. Overall, I think that she is a net positive for McCain. She has proven to be a capable and formidable executive and campaigner. She doesn’t shy away from issues and takes strong ethical stands and makes fiscally sound decisions. I think what I like about her most is how she comes across as a real and genuine person, not some politically calculating individual. She definitely doesn’t fit the profile of a typical female politician – mother of five, good looks, a basketball player, hunter, fisher, etc. A refreshing change, don’t you think?
She has two potential weak points. The current ethics investigation in Alaska may or may not be of any consequence. Her experience in foreign policy is another matter. As I’ve said in a previous posting, I’ll take character with intelligence over experience almost any day. There are enough advisors and policy experts out there to get someone up-to-speed. Plus, if lack of direct foreign policy experience is going to be a showstopper for the #2 position on the Republican ticket, what does that say for the same lack of experience for the Democrat’s #1 position? I thought it was pretty funny how the first statement out of the Democrat’s campaign was her lack of experience. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! When those words got thrown back at them, they suddenly realized their “Duh” moment and backed off.
Of course, some will say that this is strictly a political calculation on McCain’s part. He wants to appeal to women voters and some Hillary supporters disenfranchised with her exclusion from the Democrat’s ticket. I’m sure there’s a certain amount of truth to that. It does take some of the air out of the Democrat’s balloon. However, on balance, I think she makes the Republican ticket a better and stronger one.
And now for my prediction. Assuming that McCain can hold his own against Obama in his two debates, I predict that the Republicans will win the November election if Governor Palin does a fairly good job in her debate against Senator Biden. Let the games begin!
