Since this is a "Texas" board, I was curious what some of the natives would have thought about Kay Bailey instead of Palin. She was rumoured to be a dark-horse up until the announcement. I don't know much about Kay Bailey but I would assume that she shares a lot of the same views as Palin - and the "experience factor" would be negated. Palin is a lot better looking though.
i couldn't figure this out either. the only thing i can come up with is age. mccain needed someone young.
As a president? I dont like KBH but from what I have seen she's much smarter and more accomplished than Palin, and I don't believe she's a social issues wingnut wacko either.
Absolutely not. KBH does not have a husband Todd who was snow machine racing champion. KBH did not say thanks but no thanks to the bridge to nowhere. KBH can not see Russia from her home. Palin is qualified!
Picking KBH would have sealed McCain's defeat. Politically Palin was a much better choice because they can say they are not part of the Republican political elite, and if they can't persuade enough Independents of this they were going to lose anyway. If McCain stuck to a Washington pick, someone with an Indy streak like Collins, Snow, or Lieberman could have given him a chance. Picking outside of Washington...Palin, Romney, Huckabee, probably some others, at least gives him a chance.
Pikcing Palin sure made the far right base happy, but how about moderates and independents? Are they happy with such an extreme VP selection? Guess we will find out.
KBH is VASTLY superior to Palin. BA University of Texas at Austin in 1962 J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967. Legal and political correspondent for KPRC-TV in Houston. Texas House of Representatives from a district in Houston. 1972 - 1976. Vice-chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board 1976 - 1978. US Senate, Texas (R) 1993 - Present Do I agree with her politics? No and she probably should have been in jail for using state funds in 1993. Nonetheless, based on qualifications, she is head and shoulders above Mrs Hockeymom Alaska. edit: Maybe she will run against Bill White for Texas Governor (and LOSE).
Wouldn't the Democrat "talking heads" have pointed out her age, her Washington ties, her Texas (i.e. George Bush's old state) ties and other reasons why she should not have been chosen? In essence "same old, same old"?
For governance, she'd be better. For winning the election, she'd be worse. I was impressed with how well the Palin-bounce worked. She really got people excited (and polarized), which was a stark contrast to Obama's pick -- which is probably good for governance but very boring in an election.
Isn't KBH pro-choice? I thought that was the one thing that all of the other potential female Republican running mates except for Palin had in common. That they were all pro choice.
KBH would probably not bring the wackos out to vote nor would she juice midwestern battleground states. But she would make a better President or VP than Palin by about a few billion lightyears.
Why would he need someone young? If anything, that was the biggest drawback to the Palin pick - that her youth and inexperience negated his best attack on Obama. The Palin pick was political brilliance and achieved its objective of firing up the rural Right. You don't achieve that same effect with the notably more moderate KBH. He may still not win, but you could make the argument that any other VP choice would have effectively euthanized his campaign. You need to energize the right to win this election and any classic pick wouldn't have accomplished that. I would be interested in seeing some updated polling figures on McCain voters who made their decision (or atleast reaffirmed it, I can't see any of those people voting for Obama to begin with) on the strength of the Palin pick. I think it would be very telling.
Worked enough for Bush, as hard as it is for me to stomach it, I can understand the strategy. Unfortunately for McCain the economy keeps getting in the way of his ambitions--but one cannot deny the Palin pick got things interesting.
