Paul Begalia is correct: McCain's age and health now become central issue in campaign

[book_worm]

Palin a first-term governor of a state with more reindeer than people, will have to put on a few pounds just to be a lightweight. Her personal story is impressive: former fisherman, mother of five. But that hardly qualifies her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

For a man who is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer to have chosen someone so completely unqualified to become president is shockingly irresponsible. Suddenly, McCain's age and health become central issues in the campaign, as does his judgment.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/begala.palin/index.html

That's right! Obama is no longer the issue. It's McCain's fitness.

[aquart]

1. FOUR bouts of cancer? What kind?

[GoesTo11]

3. Skin.

[roguevalley]

9. my guess is that he has melanoma at stage one or two perhaps.

[aquart]

18. Please, my 86 year old neighbor gets that all the time.

Walking around with a bandage on her lip right now.

[realisticphish]

19. and it nearly killed one of my friends

who was 18 at the time

[D23MIURG23]

17. Melanoma.

The most aggressive and dangerous skin cancer.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/113705

[bkkyosemite]

2. This says it so well

New here for posting and posted a couple of posts about Palin's experience BUT this says it all. Thanks for posting this.

[ccharles000]

13. welcome to DU.

[bigwillq]

21. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[madmax]

4. 'Country First'

How can McNutter claim 'Country First' in view of this:

"For a man who is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer to have chosen someone so completely unqualified to become president is shockingly irresponsible. Suddenly, McCain's age and health become central issues in the campaign, as does his judgment."

These are dangerous times and McGramps has one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. To pick someone SO COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED is either selfish, arrogant, stupid or all three.

[smoogatz]

11. Irony is lost on wingnuts.

But it does offer up a juicy line of attack, now doesn't it? Country first, except when it comes to picking a potential VP--then it's politics all the way!

[Ashy Larry]

5. Don't forget his temperment.

If there is a crisis, there is a good chance that McCain would loose his shit and crack up under the pressure. If he has to go cry in the corner for a while, Sarah would have to take over, and would have no idea what to do.

This selection is confirmation that McCain only cares about political theater and will not put his country first.

[madmax]

8. I don't think it's theater

he's after he's been salivating to become President for 8 years and he's going to try to get it anyway he can. Screw the country.

[radfringe]

6. makes it even more important to ask - what does palin bring to the ticket, the country?

mccain has 20-something years in the senate, and his POW experience

he's perceived as being strong on military and security

by his own admission, he knows next to nothing about the economy, his "energy" plan is a joke and the rest of his policy positions is nothing more than more of the same.

seems to me that the selection of a VP is an important decision, and not one to take lightly. A VP at one time might have been no more than an "understudy" position, with duties limited to casting a tie-breaker vote in the Senate and attending state funerals in other countries. However the world has changed greatly, and slowly the VP position is more than just an understudy position, a VP is more of a partnership with the president. A team in which each person adds their strengths and abilities towards a common goal for the good of the country, for the good of all of us.

so what does Palin offer to the country? does she bring an understanding and abilities relevant to the economy? to foreign relations? to solving our energy issues? to addressing healthcare? education? environment? senior concerns?

from what I can see the only thing Palin brings to the ticket is a pair of ovaries. this says to me she was picked because she has ovaries and it's purely a choice driven by political considerations (much like the entire bush administration is driven by politics) and/or everyone else turned it down

what do you think?

[Chovexani]

7. THIS is what we need to be talking about.

Not the sexist shit people have been spewing all day.

Well, this and the fact that she's currently under investigation.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

10. He'll probably pick Harriet Miers as A.G.

Obama chose Biden and knocked it out of the park. McCain picked Palin and doesn't even hit the ball (can he even find his own way to the plate?). I'm convinced the Repugs want to lose this election so they can spend the next four years blaming the Dems for every debacle that * created. Hell, they've already tried to blame us for the high fuel prices!

[crickets]

12. Agreed. Begala articulated

the first thing that came to my mind when I heard Palin was McCain's choice. Yikes.

[boomerbust]

14. Its all about ANWR

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[femrap]

15. That'll scare all of the white angry males

who voted for Reagan....no way is a white chick gonna be prez. Maybe this will out after all.

[K8-EEE]

16. YEP!!!

Unless we want Ms. Gidget as Commander in Chief....her resume is a laugh.

[gi4obama]

20. "more reindeer than people"

hahahaha LOL

:headbang:

[ChristopherL]

22. Not really

I do not see this happening.