Geez (4.00 / 1)

It's almost like she's a celebrity or something...

John McCain John McCain John McCain

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by: kbuck @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 15:57:47 PM CDT

Per the Simpsons (4.00 / 2)

I think you mean "The ironing is delicious."

John McCain is afraid of Canada!

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by: adamterando @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 15:58:52 PM CDT

Albatross (4.00 / 2)

Tying the Palin albatross around McCain's neck was obviously difficult while Palin was popular.  Now that people realize she isn't qualified to be president it is time to swing back to McCain.

What is(are) the best line(S) of attack?

1) Clearly, Palin was a political choice, not one based on what is best for America.

2) McCain is old, Palin could easily become president in the next few years.

2a) "McCain, release your medical records!"

3) "If you think McCain selected Palin for reasons other than politics, I've got a bridge in Alaska to sell you."

??  What else  ??  What's best  ??

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by: Mark Matson @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:02:22 PM CDT

Careful... (0.00 / 0)

As I just posted, people apparently think she's more qualified, or at least more vote-worthy, than Joe Biden as president.

I know, unbelievably ridiculous... People are stupid, but we already knew that.

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:04:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Palin beats Biden... (0.00 / 0)

Maybe this is a stupid thing to match up anyway, since they're not the candidates and obviously everything were different if we were pitting Biden directly against Palin... but seriously???  People would rather have President Palin than President Biden?

Or is there some sort of weird thing going on where they're not really thinking of a President Palin... just voting for her.  Either way, I'm glad that Obama beats Palin... but it's just disturbing to me that more people in this country would rather see a President Palin than a President Obama.

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:03:05 PM CDT

err.. President Biden... (0.00 / 0)

Last sentence "President Obama" = "President Biden"

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:04:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

That's only because (4.00 / 3)

she's a woman and it would be unique. I think most people want to see a President Woman than a President Biden.

I know I do, but not THAT woman. No way.  

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by: dfr1417 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:13:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sure... (0.00 / 0)

This is probably more to do with familiarity than anything else... People still have no idea who Biden is... his VP announcement was pretty quickly overshadowed by Palin's.

It's actually sort of likely that people will probably not really know who Biden is that well before the election.  That's normally fine, as people are voting top of the ticket.  The intense interest in Palin has generated a heap of material on her, and while her favorabilities are dwindling, at least people know who she is.

That's my guess for this tripe anyway...

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:40:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Give it another couple days (4.00 / 1)

At this rate, it won't be long before Biden is ahead.  

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

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by: Chris Bowers @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:53:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hope you're right... (0.00 / 0)

I want to see her numbers get so bad again that we see the markets giving 7 or 8-1 odds again that she'll be dumped from the ticket... I have no idea how that'd work now that she's been nominated, but who knows...

As a side matter, what exactly are the rules if a candidate dies before the election?  I know this happened in MO when Mel Carnahan died, and he was still on the ballot... would the VP be the default candidate?  Would the P still be on the ballot, and then if they won, the VP would take over per the constitution?  Or is there some way to replace the ticket?  I was just curious about this, as I was talking to someone else about "What if McCain died before the election?"  Would they just have to run with Palin? Yikes (for them)...

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 17:07:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Palin - wrong time - no message exists (0.00 / 0)

A tightly scripted and disciplined Palin, absent scandal, in a different economic time would be a very good candidate.  That communications talent level is something pundits reacted to right away.

But there's no good messaging to give her now.  Even without her scandal, the culture war alone won't cut in this year of distress.

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by: Crab Nebula @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:05:47 PM CDT

Perhaps reminiscent of a certain governor from Texas in 2000? (0.00 / 0)

John McCain is afraid of Canada!

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by: adamterando @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:13:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Outperforming in approval, though (4.00 / 1)

Is Palin still drawing larger crowds at her rallies than McCain is though?

Remember the principle that the whole George W. Bush thing was based on: It doesn't matter how many people like you, what matters is how much that the 50% that do like you like you.

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by: mcc @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:12:34 PM CDT

Palin is a distraction - focus on McCain (4.00 / 1)

Remember -  Nixon's VP pick, Agnew was much worse than Ed Muskie.   Papa Bush's VP pick, Quayle, was much worse than LLoyd Bentsen.   Having a bad VP pick did not stop Nixon or Papa Bush.  

Ignore Palin and campaign directly against Grandpa.    

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by: richgreer @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 16:46:23 PM CDT

I'm just not so sure any more... (4.00 / 4)

This should be a dual-pronged attack.  I think the more Palin fails, the more McCain does.  After all, he picked her.  If she actually starts polling net-negative, that will start to seriously start dragging McCain down.

She is McCain's creation... If she implodes, so does McCain.

And I'm just not sure we can compare Bentsen and Quayle... they may have been bad picks, but they were not media stars when they were picked.  They didn't overshadow the top of the ticket, and they certainly didn't draw bigger crowds than the top of the ticket (to my knowledge, again).  This is a key distinction... Palin is the reason why the right is excited right now... the buzz around her has been somewhat infectious much in the same way that Obama's was... except in her case, the more people see of her, the less they like her (which has been sort of opposite of what's happened to Obama, save for Wright).  Certainly, McCain wants to win so he can be president, but to the religious and neo-con right, the entire purpose of his candidacy is to install Palin as President.

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by: leshrac55 @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 17:02:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Though that may be true... (0.00 / 0)

By this point, I'm very doubtful that this election has any relevant precedents.  Think about it.  We could very well end up electing a man who was for most of the race a barely viable laughingstock, all because of the person he picked as his running mate: a female unheard-of who conservatives were ejaculating over within hours of her narrative hitting the public.  It's more like the Twilight Zone than historical American politics.

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by: whathaveyou @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 18:04:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

article (0.00 / 0)

I have been kind of curious watching the t.v. coverage why Todd Palin always seems to be right there next to Sarah- shaking hands or next to the podium when she speaks. I've begun to think of him as some sort of wannabe politician but of course, Sarah goes out there and and does the speaking because she "can talk purty ya know". Having a good marriage is great but you want someone who can think and act independently- man or woman. Anyway, read the article from Salon, I'm not the only one who's curious
http://www.salon.com/news/feat...

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by: miesque @ Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 20:23:33 PM CDT

Too true .... (0.00 / 0)

".... Palin raised her expectations so high after the convention, that it is virtually impossible for her to ever meet them now."

I think this is the key. Republicans thought they had thrown a tiger into the ring. Turns out, the tiger is one-trick pony. Inevitably, there is disappointment and a drop in morale.

Compare with Biden - he was able to launch some weighty attacks on McCain on the economy. Palin does not (yet) have that "gravitas" to make any sort of a policy attack on Obama. Even on energy policy, where McCain touted her credentials, she has been silent.

Wrapping her in a cotton box was a bad move by the Republicans. It has brought a distance from the public that is denting her halo. If it was a risk bringing her on the ticket, they should have gone for broke and let her take press conferences from day one. Hedging their bets has p**sed off the media, and alienated the public.

The GOP will have to give her specific policy areas to talk about, even if she does it badly ... at the moment she comes across as just eye candy adding novelty to an aging and out-of-touch candidate.

Irony of ironies, would McCain be farther ahead if he picked Pawlenty and continued the "Not ready to lead" attacks on Obama?

The effect you are seeing is visible across a number of polls - Research 2000 & Diageo/ Hotline for example.

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by: tobyj @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 03:49:35 AM CDT

Better get more lipstick (0.00 / 0)

The Barracuda is starting to look like a Paper Pit Bull.


McCain Has a Republican Healthcare Plan for the 21st Century

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by: SpitBall @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 08:17:15 AM CDT