The 2008 US Election thread

[Aghdavoyle]

Palin confirmed. interesting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7588435.stm

[Yes I Would]

She would def have to keep the glasses on!

[J70]

She may be cute, but the environmental/conservation movement do not like her...

From Defenders of Wildlife...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2008

Shocking Choice by John McCain

WASHINGTON-- Senator John McCain just announced his choice for running mate:  Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.  To follow is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

"Senator McCain's choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.

"Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska's coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.

"This is Senator McCain's first significant choice in building his executive team and it's a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain's commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil."

[Denn Forever]

But she ticks all the boxes for steriotypical republican voters.

5 children, against abortion, one of the kids in Iraq, member of the NRA, husband works in the oil fields of Allaska.  It has really taken away from Obama's thunder.

You have heard the soundbites where female Dem voters say they might vote for McCain now that Hilary is out.  Now they have someone they can vote for!!!!

[J70]

It does remove the inexperience issue from the table though.

Leaving aside environmental issues, I do like the fact that she has stood up to corruption and I couldn't care less about her NRA membership, but I get very uncomfortable when I see the likes of James Dobson and Ralph Reed celebrating a VP pick like they are today. I could probably live with a McCain victory, but I don't think I could ever find common cause with the religious right in terms of voting. Its Obama for me now!

[Boynegael]

Fair play to the Republicans....they are doing their very best to put a good face on this....whatever you can say about them, they are very good at showing a united front...but I have no doubt whatsoever that there are many high ranking and grass roots Republicans who would just love to kill John McCain right now...

He really has been very effective in the past few weeks of casting doubts about Obama's experience....He has just negated all those gains....A very minimal number of disgruntled Hillary voters will vote for Palin....she is the polar opposite of Hillary

I never thought this was McCains election to throw away....it was always going to be close....But I believe he lost it today...As recently as July Palin said to a CNBC analyst "What exactly does the Vice President do every day"!!!!!!!!!!!  I don't think she'll have to worry about learning...
I wonder what was in Romney and Pawlenty's closets that made him pass over them....Barack Obama will be the next President....Whoever was going to shovel Stew's driveway better head to Home Depot...

[J70]

The right-wingers on Fox News are almost literally having a w**k live on air talking about Palin!

It is rather amusing now though that the inexperience issue doesn't matter one bit any more! She probably has a better chance than most of ascending to the presidency given McCain's age and previous health issues.

[Boynegael]

Apologies to DrinkingHarp....I misread your statement about shovelling Stew's driveway... I'd be very surprised if you have to make that trip...

[DrinkingHarp]

Apologies to DrinkingHarp....I misread your statement about shovelling Stew's driveway... I'd be very surprised if you have to make that trip...

It's only a 5 hour drive, maybe 6 in the snow, but I have a nice big shovel set aside which hopefully won't have to touch the cheeseheads drive.

[magickingdom]

picking a woman was the ace in mccains pack but only time will tell if he picked the right one. the object of the excerise should have been to connect with hillarys voters but its hard to see how palins going to do that. my money is on obama now for what its worth...

[saffron]

Yeah totally agree this is his big shot at getting the Hillary vote - surprising but will either be a master stroke or a disaster. I see she is under investigation in Alaska about the firing of her brother in law.

I think alot of women might see this as patronising as its clear what hes attempting to do and she isnt anywhere near the politician that Hillary is - alot depends on her performance. Any Hillary supporters that vote for McCain cant be Democrats in the first place so not sure how many she can win over.

Hard to pick a winner here - the swing voters in the States seem to be a shrinking demographic, the country is evenly split.

[Tyrones own]

The right-wingers on Fox News are almost literally having a w**k live on air talking about Palin! Cheesy

Did you not happen to catch Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw tugging on each other over the Messiah's speech On
Thurs evening J? Lets keep a little perspective here, are they any less cringeworthy than left-wingers at MSNBC

[J70]

The right-wingers on Fox News are almost literally having a w**k live on air talking about Palin! Cheesy

Did you not happen to catch Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw tugging on each other over the Messiah's speech On
Thurs evening J? Lets keep a little perspective here, are they any less cringeworthy than left-wingers at MSNBC

They're all the same, which is why it is essential that you do not get your news from any one source. I guarantee you that Williams and Brokaw will be gushing over McCain and Palin's speeches too, unless they completely screw them up. Olberman will not be gushing though!

[stew]

Yeah totally agree this is his big shot at getting the Hillary vote - surprising but will either be a master stroke or a disaster. I see she is under investigation in Alaska about the firing of her brother in law.

I think alot of women might see this as patronising as its clear what hes attempting to do and she isnt anywhere near the politician that Hillary is - alot depends on her performance. Any Hillary supporters that vote for McCain cant be Democrats in the first place so not sure how many she can win over.

Hard to pick a winner here - the swing voters in the States seem to be a shrinking demographic, the country is evenly split.

That is a non starter apparently, McCain is too wily a campaigner to take a candidate that could damage his candidacy due to ethical concerns.

A strange choice I think, I see where McCain is going with his VP pick but it is one hell of a gamble.

Obama is a wonderful orator, but there is no way in hell he could do half of what he says he will do, economically it is just not feasable. McCain will also do the same thing, the difference is however that Obama is running on a platform of change, away from the tired old Washington ways, his speach confirms that he is just like the rest of them, he over promises and will under deliver.

I have a long, wide driveway, I have a nice comfortable tractor that removes snow in 20 minutes, that said when McCain wins I think I would like to see that man do the job manually, it would only take about three hours and that would be suitable penance for doubting the Republicians.  

[FL/MAYO]

I cant see to many of Hilary's supporters voting for Palin, she is to far to the right for  any female Democrat to support Palin. The big issue for most female Hillary supporters would be the pro choice issue, so voting with the McCain/Palin ticket just because Palin is on the ticket would not be in their best interests at all.