Palin pick exposes poor leadership, poor judgement, poor decision

[radfringe]

McCain was the presumptive nominee at least since March, giving him 5 months to vet, consider and decide on a VP. Choosing a VP is perhaps the most important decision a presidential candidate must make during a campaign.

Usually presidential candidates chose a vice-presidential running mate because a) the person is clearly qualified to be president, b) they work well together, and c) he/she can help win the
election.

With the announcement of Palin this past Friday it was pretty obvious that politics was the only consideration. Palin would help lure in the evangelicals and perhaps bring in a few clinton supporters. The timing of the Palin decision also knocked Obama's formal nomination off the front page and most likely cut into the post-convention bounce. This in itself says it was POLITICS FIRST, not Country First and raises the red flag that mccain will do anything to win. That he put politics first also indicates he is following in bush-cheney footsteps. Do we really want another 4 years of someone directing policy solely based on political considerations?

If in 3 short days, ordinary people, armed only with google as a tool can dig up this much dirt - what does it say about mccain's leadership, judgement and decision making skills?

How a person leads a campaign is indicative on how they will run their office if elected. As previously mentioned - McCain had at least 5 months to search and vet a running mate. What was he doing during this time? We learned yesterday that his "vetting" crew didn't show up in Alaska until the day before the announcement. Talk about last minute scrambling.

We have many serious problems here at home and abroad. Would McCain wait until the last minute to decide on a direction and then base the decision on what would be politcally expedient at that moment? Where's the foresight? The ability to see beyond a photo op?

Whether it's vetting a VP or anyone else to be appointed to office - this involves not only finding out if the person is qualified, but also finding out what may be hiding in their closets. With chosing Palin, it's pitifully obvious McCain did neither. What is also obvious is there was no planning on how to handle the skeletons emerging from her closet. They are making it up as they go along, much in the same manner as the bush-cheney administration does when they are caught in a corner.

Yes, palin has more than a few skeletons in her closet and more than a few weak points - but the larger issue is now one of Leadership, Judgement and Decision Making.

McCain is well on his way to being the Worst Presidential Candidate Ever.

[saltpoint]

1. In the film version, someone from inside the McCain team

is actively sabotaging his campaign.

And doing an excellent job.

[radfringe]

2. lol... yeah candidate mccain is sabotaging senator mccain's campaign...n/t

[saltpoint]

3. LOL!

[crim son]

4. I admit: though McCain is clearly a befuddled old man, I expected

a smarter move. Who's advising the man, because the sentiments and motivations displayed by his campaign are starting to look like a cartoon of a stereotype.

[Ghost Dog]

16. Who's advising him? A bunch of far-out fundamentalists, apparently.

Palin Was Vetted…

… not by McCain or his campaign managers but by the shadowy Dominionist, anti-Constitution cabal known as the Council for National Policy.

- http://www.apj.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1686&Itemid=2

[crim son]

17. Well now, that's an interesting link.

A hypocritical, corrupt liar = Repub VP pick. (nods sagely) Makes good sense to me.

[Philosoraptor]

5. As pres., he'd pick an entire cabinet of unqualified cronies & jerks

[radfringe]

7. yep...more of the same...

[Philosoraptor]

6. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Philosoraptor]

8. ,,,,,,,,,

[Philosoraptor]

9. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[yellerpup]

10. Yes, this reminds me of Condi Rice's excuse re: 9/11

"We could not have possibly known..." Yes, they could have if they'd read the memos. McCain's team didn't bother to vet the VP choices; that's the fact and it's out. What a desultory convention they are having in St. Paul! McCain is on his way to becoming Bush III. Another dumb American joke on the world stage. :dem:

[tblue37]

11. In reference to this point,

"We learned yesterday that his "vetting" crew didn't show up in Alaska until the day before the announcement," one of his aides actually admitted that they didn't want to vet her too openly because that would lessen the impact of the surprise announcement.

In other words, consideration of PR impact was the overriding, in fact the only, factor, even to the point of their not vetting her at all. Stealing a short-term advantage in the news cycle was all that mattered to them.

[radfringe]

12. conflicting reports regarding when "team vet" arrived in alaska

anyone have anything definative on when "team vet" arrived and how many vetters?

have heard 6 vetters arrived last thursday, 8 vetters dispatched on Saturday or Sunday, this morning NPR reported 12 vetters arrived in Alaska yesterday...

either the news stations have it wrong or mccain doesn't know how many vetters he has or where they are...

[tblue37]

13. I suspect that McCain doesn't know how many fingers he has--or where HE is--half the time. n/t

[radfringe]

14. :)

people at work are walking around saying "what was he thinking?" "is this how he's going to operate if he's elected?" "if this is a sample of what we can expect then we are screwed"

[Mz Pip]

15. For every fundy who is cheering

and rally behind this pick there is another American whi is independent or moderate who is realizing that this is just bullshit.

McCain may have gained the base of his party but he lost far more in the middle.