Let's face it, anyone McCain picked would scare most of us

[Onlooker]

If he chose Romney, Pawlenty, Lieberman, I am certain that many, many people would be worried.

Palin has some strengths:
- She'll appeal to the young evangelicals who Obama was going after
- She'll appeal to the disaffected Clinton supporters

But, that's pretty much it.
- She won't be truly appealing to conservative and independent men who have a subtle bias against women.
- She won't be appealing to those who are concerned about McCain's age and stability her youth and inexperience.
- Those who are genuinely concerned about Obama's youth and experience certainly won't like her.
- Those who are frustrated by the Republican party's lack of ethics will be turned off by the fairly well covered hiring/firing scandal involving her ex brother in law.
- Romney and Pawlenty supporters are surely pissed off at this choice.

The Obama campaign has to be really smart about this, but in many ways they are probably pleased it's someone like her.

My guess is the Obama campaign will largely ignore her and focus on the issues. She'll be insignificant and lose the debate against Biden.

[butterfly77]

1. Oh no. not I..

[Murdock]

2. Nope..

Palin scares me. Lieberman would have left his evangelical flank open, Romney would have as well. Palin also effectively neuters Biden as an attack dog. Attack Palin and he'll come off as a gruff bully. Also she re-establishes McCain as the "Original Maverick".

This went from a realatively easy win to a dogfight.

[Robyn66]

3. Nothing to be scared about

I wasn't afraid of anyone McCain was going to pick. Now, this will energize the party and depress the Rethuglicans. I bet Bob Barr's numbers just went up!

[NanceGreggs]

4. Sorry for saying so, but ...

:rofl:

[grantcart]

8. what she said

[Murdock]

11. Laugh..

Laugh all you want, but this was a very good choice for the Republicans.

[NanceGreggs]

13. According to who?

:rofl:

[kwolf68]

5. NEVER IN 1 million years

Did pro choice Joe Leiberman EVER stand a chance of this.

McCain was ALWAYS going to get a very radical right wing Conservative. This is also why Mittens was out. Pawlenty was pro life, but he is very moderate on the environment, and dare I say Liberal at times.

NO CHANCE.

I felt he'd get Huckabee, but even if he didn't get Mike Huckabee, I knew he'd get a righty. It's absurd that we were lead to believe Joementum or Pawlenty had a chance at this. They were names floated to the media...get the righties depressed and then spring a 11th hour hoooo yaaaa for the most fringe of our nation.

[Doremus]

6. Scared? Not me. We have THE. BEST. SLATE. EVER.

Nobody, but nobody, on the right comes close.

End of story.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. How would she appeal to "disaffected Clinton supporters"

when every stance she holds is at odds with Clinton's positions?

Those few "supporters" who said they'd vote for McCain if Hillary didn't get on the ticket were never going to vote for Obama anyway - she adds nothing to that. Not a single person who was going to vote Obama is going to suddenly switch to McCain because of Palin.

At best, she'll pull in some wavering fundies who are uncomfortable with McCain. That's it.

[Onlooker]

9. If they are angry at Obama ...

... for not choosing a woman (specifically Hillary), what better way to get back at him then voting for the ticket that has a woman on it?

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. Were they supporting Hillary or a vagina?

That is a bullshit proposition.

The PUMAs were NEVER Clinton supporters - they are republican disruptors who would have voted for McCain no matter who was on our ticket. Any REAL Clinton supporter supports her policies or ideas - NONE of which Palin believes in.

It's all Operation Chaos bullshit, and it means absolutely nothing.

[apnu]

12. I disagree on the strengths.

Evangelicals, yes. Her pro-life creds speak for themselves. Obama can still lure the middle of the road ones and the left leaning ones. But then, that section was going to be thin to get anyway.

Disaffected Clinton supporters? No way, she's an insult to everything Hillary stood for.