During the last 24 hours I have been asked no less than a couple dozen times what I think of John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin to be on the Republican ticket with him. I have no great insights into the selection (so you might want to stop reading now), but I share here four or five quick observations.
1. She has solid conservative credentials. Everyone from James Dobson to Sean Hannity is thrilled with the selection. There is probably no other single individual who could have more effectively unified the Republican base around John McCain.
2. The Hillary supporters who became disaffected with Barack Obama when he dissed her with his VP selection are a diverse group of folk. Many of them were closer to the center than they were to the left. John McCain will not get all 18 million of them, but the number of those who were previously supporting Hillary who end up voting for McCain will grow significantly as a result of McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin.
3. If you had a multi-million dollar company, would you rather entrust it to the leadership of someone who had previously ran businessess effectively, or into the hands of someone who teaches Business 101 at a college. The teacher is probably well informed, but he does not necessarily have “real” experience running the organization. Whereas the proven business executive has experience working with real people, making real decisions, and living with the real consequences. Most Americans should understand that State Governors are tested by the real world every day, while Senators have been sitting in their chambers talking with other Senators. Palin is the “real” thing.
4. It won’t hurt that she is attractive and articulate.
I think it was an excellent choice. In 2012 when Mike Huckabee is the Republican nominee for President, I hope he follows McCain’s lead and selects her to again to be the Vice-Presidential running mate.
