I don't usually discuss politics on this site (even though I did give a shout-out to Bill Clinton in an earlier post this week), but since it's the weekend and most of my readers are on holiday anyway, I'm going to lift my self-imposed embargo to share my thoughts on Governor Sarah Palin.
In short, I feel that by selecting Palin as his running mate, John McCain will be the 44th President of the United States.
Palin was a brilliant choice for the Republican ticket. She is pro-life, opposes same-sex marriages, and is a member of the NRA. She is a mother of five and a former beauty queen.
But most importantly, she is a she.
We'll come back to that point in a minute.
The downside to the McCain-Palin ticket is Palin's inexperience. She's been Governor of Alaska for almost twenty-one months. Prior to that, Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Because of Palin's inexperience, the Republicans will not be able to attack Barack Obama for his own inexperience in international affairs, which has been a major talking point in the past.
There are people who claim that Palin is only on the ticket to woo the disillusioned Hillary Clinton backers. Really? While I'm sure there were a few people that voted for Clinton in the primaries on the sole basis that she is a woman (just as there are those that voted for or against Obama because he is black), those numbers can't be that great. Other than their sex, there aren't many similarities between Clinton and Palin. I just can't see Clinton backers jumping party lines and pushing the McCain-Palin button in November. I do, however, believe more Independent females will vote for the McCain-Palin ticket than would have voted for a McCain-SomeDude ticket.
But where Palin's inclusion on the ticket will really come into play is with her fellow Republicans. I believe that some Republicans have problems with McCain and while they would never vote against him, they were planning on staying home in November out of disgust. Palin gives a new face to the Republican Party. A younger, prettier face. A female face. I think she will reinvigorate the Republican Party and will make the people who were planning on staying home in November make that trip to the voting booth.
I know we still have another month and a lot can happen between now and then, but between the Independent voters and a greater turnout in Republican voters, on January 20, 2009, McCain will be at the United States Capitol with his hand on the Bible.
I just hope I'm wrong.
Song of the day: New Song by Howard Jones
Checkmate
