Palin made a fool out of McCain

He had to placate the far right of his party. She and the husband had been parading all around at the previous Republican Convention. And the husband was part of the Alaska Independence Party, which amounts to a racial supremacist and neo-confederate group.

Some insightful commentators here compared Sarah Palin to the anti-gay crusader and Florida Orange Juice Girl Anita Bryant.

I'm no fan of John McCain, but yes he really did shoot himself in the foot with Sarah Palin.

SJG

You know that Mitt Romney's father had been Governor of Michigan, besides having been Chairman of American Motors. He is still today respected as a moderate and responsible Republican.

But then in the early 60's Mitt's mother ran for the US Senate. It was then that Mitt learned how vicious the Republican Party's Right can be.

So when Mitt went on to run for President, he was saying all these absurd things, like saying that if a Democrat would be elected that that would mean that we would again be attacked by terrorists.

So now when Mitt has come out speaking against Trump, he really sounded good. I agreed with every word he said. But it actually sounded like was speaking against himself in his last campaign.

SJG

Michigan had a moderate Republican governor named William Milliken who followed politics into his nineties. He was interviewed several years ago about the vicious partisanship of American politics. I guy like him, a young version, couldn't run anymore. I can never remember if it was this bad.

That was eight years ago! Get over it!

Barry Goldwater was once the party nominee, and even then seen as a Right Wing extremist. But in the decades since their party activists wanted to remove his name from a building and completely dissociate themselves from him for not being far enough to the right on the abortion issue.

This is why McCain needed to have himself a Sarah Palin.

SJG

Gam says get over it. Lol.

No offense - but I think McCain made a fool of himself - since he didn't vet Palin properly. She was a nut - and if he just sat with her and asked her possibly 5-10 questions - the crazy side would have come out.

On the positive side - it's definitely prolonged Tina Fey's career.

:) I like Tina Fey.

Actually McCain met with Palin and campaign people to express their frustration with her a few weeks before the voting. And then just a few days before voting, Cindy McCain was venting to the media about Palin, further ruining their chances. Cindy just couldn't go down without first pinning it on Palin.

McCain, remember he even wanted Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. He was then an independent, after losing the Democratic primary because he was too hawkish.

The Republican bosses though said, "This guy is too liberal". So they needed Palin.

The McCain's own about 7 houses. They offered one for the use of Palin and her husband, and this is when they first met and talked.

And remember that all Palin had been was Mayor of a town of less than 5k people. Then when Senator Ted Stevens went down in a horrible corruption scandal, most of the Alaska Republicans were implicated, so Palin ended up as Governor.

But it was that first news interview when the news woman ( can't remember her name ) asked Palin, "So do you just get more and more adorable?"

From then on the rest followed, treating her like a female Dan Quayle.

I was married back then. Sex life destroyed. But we always had fun making popcorn to watch the political unfoldings Palin made for great entertainment! :) :) :)

SJG

Wasn't Gammy the one that was too scared to go back to a strip club because he was afraid of a stripper? Pussy.

Remember Spiro Agnew?

http://www.litkicks.com/sites/default/fi…

When Dan Quayle was selected I reminded my wife of Agnew. And then remember that, "Senator, your no Jack Kennedy" comment. People said that after that, "all that was left was two shoes".

And then when George W. Bush was running, I feel that he did come across as another Dan Quayle. And that was a constant theme throughout the campaign.

So Sarah Palin had lots of predecessors.

:)

SJG

I don't know how they could have vetted Palin and remained comfortable with her. A simple question about Russia opened up her box of crazy - so their questions must have stopped after asking her - "How was your flight?"

Katie Couric and Sarah Palin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKakxNRx…

Tina Fey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ1jr1M…

SJG

My personal opinion was that McCain made a fool out of himself, I originally liked him and was considering voting for him but once I saw that idiot Palin, I thought to myself this man (McCain) is no patriot just another self serving scheming politician and at that point I lost all respect for him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Pali…

It was one of the Katie Couric interviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMhQBlAs…

SJG

It's off topic - a little - but Lisa Ann was excellent in Who's Nailin Pailin - she seemed more lucid with her moans (than the real Pailin) and those giant bouncing titties would have made for great running mates -

Lisa Ann is my favorite pornstar.

Well this is topical.

There was a good book written about this. Palin was a hail mary. McCain was losing pretty bad, and the hope was she could sway moderate women who liked Hillary.

They hoped she was trainable on foreign policy, but apparently had no interest in doing her homework.

Here's the answer to your question.

So McCain was running against Hillary and Obama. Nobody was taking Obama seriously and everyone figured Hillary was going to be the Dem nominee. So, someone in McCain's camp thought "hey let's get a woman as a VP, that way we can get the female vote over Hillary, and she's pretty and smart, kinda a wholesome image." Instead of playing along, she opened her mouth too much, but it didn't really matter anyway.

I've always like McCain because he seemed a very decent guy. However when he chose Palin he lost his chances because she was an insane bigot. The GOP wanted more women and thought she would do it. However her policies are very anti woman. If they wanted women they should have gotten a moderate like Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins (both from Maine)or Connie Morella from Maryland (not sure if she is still in politics).

Sorry, shailynn, but your explanation of Palin's selection is ahistorical. By the time McCain chose her as his running mate, Obama had already clinched the Democratic nomination. Palin was never intended to be the anti-Hillary. She was a "Hail Mary" attempt by the McCain campaign that didn't work out -- but *no* running mate would have saved his campaign as the economy was collapsing in fall of 2008.

SJG's political commentary bears little resemblance to reality. Here's the latest example, in reference to Todd Palin: "And the husband was part of the Alaska Independence Party, which amounts to a racial supremacist and neo-confederate group." This is ludicrous and inflammatory, unless you think that support for secession is "racial supremacist" or "neo-confederate".

Here is the first paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the Alaskan Independence Party:

"The Alaskan Independence Party (AIP) is a political party in the U.S. state of Alaska that advocates an in-state referendum which includes the option of Alaska becoming an independent country. The party also advocates positions similar to those of the Constitution Party, Republican Party and Libertarian Party, supporting gun rights, privatization, home schooling, and limited government."

The AIP can be classified as Right-libertarian, with a political philosophy similar to that of Ron Paul or (in his better moments) Rand Paul. *Nothing* about the AIP is "racial supremacist" or "neo-confederate"!

When McCain discovered that the American people were so stupid that they'd vote for a guy like obama, who to this day failed as a community organizer (the factory never reopened), as a law review editor (only one in history to never write an article to be published); as a professor (zero publications in 7 years), state senator (zero legislation passed), as a United States Senator (zero publications passed), he panicked and chose a woman, never assuming that the hate filled progressives would attack her for being a successful governor because she wasn't a progressive stooge. We now get the worst human being on earth as a candidate running against a guy who if his tax plans passed, would cost me another $38,000 a year to the enemy government in washington and the democrats wonder why I would ever even consider them. As I approach 60 and watch this one fine land ruined by catering to the fringe losers on earth, I simply don't care about the future of America. By the way when you fucking retards on the left throw out the slurs that pass for beliefs about racism, misogyny, sexism, homophobia lmao, it just makes me laugh. Don't care what all y'all think, since its obvious you don't. I hate Donald Trump, but can think of no better way to say FUCK YOU liberals than when he becomes President.

^^Testify!

Oh man.

When Hillary wins in November will some of you promise to move to... I dunno... some far right eastern European country?

What in the world is a "far right eastern European country"? In Venn diagram terms, the intersection of "far right countries" and "European countries" is the empty set.

By the way, it's always leftists who threaten to leave the country if a conservative is elected President (e.g. Alec Baldwin when W ran for re-election) -- but they never actually leave! Now Miley Cyrus has allegedly threatened to leave the U.S. if Trump (who's NOT a conservative!) is elected. That almost makes me want to vote for Trump . . . almost.

Assuming that Hillary and the Donald win their respective parties' nominations, as now appears likely, it is far from obvious that she will defeat him. I'm not making any predictions in this utterly unpredictable political year, but for you leftwing Trump-haters, isn't it at least conceivable that he could beat Hillary? Though I loathe Donald Trump and do NOT want him to be the Republican nominee, it would bring me some pleasure to see a Trump victory wipe the triumphalist smirk off of Hillary supporters' faces.

For the record:
(1) I am a right-libertarian
(2) Trump is neither rightwing nor libertarian
Therefore
(3) I can't vote for Trump

The reason Obama was elected is because people were tired of the usual politicians and let's face it George W "i was a C student" was an embarrassment. While I don't like many of the things Obama does (or for that matter the Democrats), Bush would make me cringe. I couldn't believe people voted for a complete moron because he was likable. Then comes Obama who is just as bad in a different way. I'm not a liberal but I don't like Palin for many reasons, including the fact she doesn't appear to be too bright. See, I hate stupid people and I expect those in power to have high IQ's. The problem is too many don't. And actually Trump is the worst person imaginable because he says some horrific things about people, including other Republicans. The reason Trump is winning the primaries is because he is appealing to the uneducated and the racists. He has no experience, he's ruined many companies, he doesn't even reveal his plans for the economy. I mean when KKK members are showing up at his rallies that tells me all I need to know. Not that this matters, I've never liked him.He's a crook who has used his money (which he inherited)to abuse power and get his way. Just look at what he has attempted to do with eminent domain. I'd consider voting for other Republican candidates but never Trump because he would make Bush and Obama look like fantastic presidents. Hillary Clinton might too but she does have more political power than Trump who has none.

Reports of W's dumbness are greatly exaggerated . . . as are reports of Obama's brilliance. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that W's IQ is higher than Gore's or Kerry's.

For the record:
(1) I voted for Bush in 2000
(2) I did NOT vote for Bush in 2004 -- his abysmal presidency drove me to cast my first vote for a third party, the Libertarians

I agree with skibum that Obama was almost completely lacking in accomplishments when he was first elected President. An unsuccessful community organizer, an adjunct faculty gig as a "professor of constitutional law" (don't you have to know the Constitution to teach it?), and no legislation as either an Illinois or a U.S. Senator. Oh, but he did write two autobiographies by the time he was 40 and give a speech at the 2004 Democratic convention, so there's that.

Bush did make comments about being a C student and he said a lot of moronic things so I am inclined to believe he was dumb. Maybe Obama is dumb too and got into school due to affirmative action but I believe he got good grades. A C average is not something to brag about. Okay Obama didn't have much political experience, but then why would people want to vote for someone with NO political experience? That makes no sense "I don't like Obama because he had little political experience so I'll vote for someone with NO experience". Does that sound like an intelligent person? not to me. Also makes them a hypocrite. Makes me wonder if they are racist too because Trump is appealing to that segment.

Excuse me libs, but has Obama not released his college grades or papers? Sounds pretty fishy Not very transparent is he?

"gotten a moderate like Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins (both from Maine)or Connie Morella from Maryland (not sure if she is still in politics)."

Sounds nice, but they had to placate the Republican Right, their party would not be able to win much of anything without this, and they already had it in for John McCain. Remember that in the primary of the previous election cycle they had machines with the recorded voice of the Reverent Pat Robertson calling every registered Republican, only days before the voting, and saying that John McCain, "is an enemy of God".

SJG

JamesSD wrote, "Palin was a hail mary. McCain was losing pretty bad, and the hope was she could sway moderate women who liked Hillary. "

I have not read anything like this. Remember that McCain announced Palin at the convention. Hard to say that he was already loosing at that point. But he did have to get the Republic vote out. So I am skeptical of what sort of a book you must have read. I see it the otherway, he picked Palin to get his party behind him, before anyone could really say he was winning or loosing.

MrDeuce wrote, "... unless you think that support for secession is "racial supremacist" or "neo-confederate"."

Well yes I do think that. It might not always have to be that way, but in fact it is usually that way, as it is with the Alaska independence party. First of all understand that their secessionist sentiments are bullshit. The last thing they would ever want to do is to succeed. It is just an idea they put out to draw supporters, supporters in opposing the Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment.

And both Ron Paul and Rand Paul should also be considered as neo-Confederates.

And there are definitely right wing movements in Eastern European Countries and Russia. As far as there being actual Right Eastern European Countries, the Baltic States, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia would easily qualify for that, as probably would some others.

In many of these places there were groups which cooperated with Hitler's SS in rounding up and exterminating Jews.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_Cros…

Actually Richard M. Nixon had arranged to bring many such war criminals into the United States, when Nixon was Eisenhower's VP. It was to, "offset the Jewish vote" in some of our big cities. Much of this surfaced in 1988 when George H. W. Bush was running and some of these people were still serving in the Republican Ethnic Outreach organization.

SJG

"Excuse me libs, but has Obama not released his college grades or papers? Sounds pretty fishy Not very transparent is he?". I'm not a liberal, just someone who despises morons. That people would equate intelligence to how they swing politically proves my point that many of those endorsing Trump are racist and uneducated. I don't know or care if Obama released his transcripts but he never made jokes about being an average student. Bush did and he never mentions he got into college due to being rich and that his family attended these schools. (affirmative action for white men). Personally I wish all candidates released their college transcripts so I could vote on that. I figure, if I have to submit my college and grad school transcripts even today for jobs they should as well.

^^^You didn't address why Obama hides his college records. You bring up Bush. That's what libs do.

I don't know why Obama hides his college records. That doesn't make me a liberal but someone who doesn't care. I wouldn't care about Bush either except he kept talking about being a C student. That's how I know Bush was a moron because C grades aren't to brag about.

You're absolutely right. That must be the reason Obama hides his grades

Does he hide his grades? Let me guess, it's with his birth certificate. Yes, I'd like to see his grades but once again when did he brag about being stupid?

BO went to Columbia undergrad and Harvard Law School. He was the president of the law review. You don't need to see grades. He probably pulled 175+ on his LSAT. He isn't dumb. He's very bright. The problem is arrogance. Confidence becomes arrogance when other people disagree with you. And plenty of people disagree with Obama.

Now why did they pick Palin. She was an idiot from the get go.