The Hail Mary Pass That Missed
My sister is a small-l libertarian who has voted for President Bush and President Clinton in the past (and she voted for Libertarian Harry Browne in between). She is now a registered undecided voter, one I’ve been trying to convert to the Democrats all year.
She’s seen most of the major speeches, and is convinced that Barack Obama is a good man, a good speaker, and could easily be elected President. But she doesn’t like his views on economics. She’s watched John McCain all year, can’t stand the way he’s handling his campaign, and believes he is only marginally better on policy than Obama. And Bob Barr is a former right-wing Republican, so she’s not inclined to vote for him except maybe as a protest. Or she might not vote at all.
Those were her 4 options. She was hoping that McCain would use his VP selection to pick someone like Mitt Romney or any one else experienced enough to give her a reassurance about the campaign, by picking someone who might take charge should the 72-year-old McCain die in office. In her view, McCain threw it all away on a christianist beauty queen with next to no experience.
McCain hasn’t lost her vote – yet. But he’s come a lot closer than just about anytime since Obama’s inspirational speech in Iowa in January.
If my sister is any indication, McCain has done a lot of harm to himself with this Hail Mary pass. But we’ll see. My sister has been oscillating between her 4 choices all year and I don’t expect that to change any time soon.
“In her view, McCain threw it all away on a christianist beauty queen with next to no experience.”
That quote really sums it up. McCain took a gamble on a running mate with limited meaningful political experience, and in doing so, he effectively negated his own argument that Obama’s too inexperienced to be President. After all, in choosing a running mate a candidate should ideally be choosing someone who’d be ready to step in and lead as President if the need arose.
I agree that McCain took a gamble, but let’s look at my sister for example.
Ex-Republican, fell in love with the Party b/c of Clinton and was hawkish in her support of Hillary. After the questionable defection of the super delegates and her classy adherence to the Howard Dean deadline, Hillary endorses Obama.
Everyone (namely Hillary’s feminist support base) expects Obama to select Rodham-Clinton as his running-mate. Hillary continues to campaign behind Obama, even as most major pundits say she’s out of the Veep Process. Obama selects Biden.
People like my sister are spited and talking about voting for McCain. But it’s not just spite. Obama/Biden are liberals, great for me, but anathema to the DLC Democrats of the Clinton era – the conservative base of the Democratic Party. The same base that cringes at talk of universal health care — greedy SOB’s for sure, but big votes as well (not to mention hefty fundraising dollars)
The Veep selection is not going to make or break your vote. It just is not that big of deal. Who voted for Bush Sr. b/c of Quayle? Who voted for Clinton b/c of Gore? (Gore lost his own state in his 2000 presidential run). Who voted for Carter b/c of Mondale? Who voted for “W” b/c of Cheney?
No, I have to disagree. Yes, McCain could have selected Romney or Huckabee, or maybe my secret pick (his buddy Fred Thompson), but instead…he picks a woman, a YOUNG WOMAN, YOUNGER THAN OBAMA, and with even LESS EXPERIENCE THAN THE DEM FRONT RUNNER.
People talk about how Obama represents the youth. Well think about tired, old, arguably bureaucratic Joe Biden debating young, “inexperienced,” W-O-M-A-N Sarah Palin.
I don’t know guys…between the angry feminist vote, the age card, and even the “inexperience” (that to some will only mean she’s got the cleanest hands on stage), I think McCain’s pick will be worth its weight in gold.