As John McCain watched Hillary Clinton and her husband deliver the most rousing endorsement of her erstwhile rival for the Democratic Party presidential ticket, thus effectively extinguishing any chance of the much-touted implosion, he must have been more convinced of his intention to choose Joe Lieberman as his running mate. What better way to crush the Democrats than put the fox in their pens? But just as he was putting finishing touches to his idea (after he’d listened to Barack Obama deliver one of the finest speeches by any presidential candidate from the floor of a party convention), his aides and Republican Party bigwigs came down hard on his intended choice. No matter the merit of Honest Joe, they told him, he is essentially a Democrat and therefore a no-no. The grumpy old man fumed and glared, pranced and yelled, but he was politely told it just won’t work.

But John Sidney McCain III is well known for brooking no challenge. No one questions his judgment without consequences. So, by the next morning, he’d come up with a plan - to kill two birds with one stone. He was going to deliver his vengeance against his party establishment for depriving him of his choice of Lieberman and he was going to impersonate Hillary. Yes, the women who supported her historic campaign must be hoodwinked and he too, after Obama’s genuine romance with history, must cynically grasp at its coattails. So, he flew in Sarah Palin, who at 44 is younger than Obama and two of McCain’s children and who deferentially calls Cindy McCain “Mrs McCain”. By the time of her choice, she’d only briefly met Mr McCain once and that was last February. Mrs Palin’s résumé says she’s been a sports broadcaster, a beauty contestant and the mayor of a small town (a position she clinched with 617 votes). For the past one and half years, she has been governor of Alaska, a state of just over 600,000 people. Yet, only a couple of months ago, she, like McCain, was disparaging the position of the vice president, confessing that she has no idea what the occupant of the office does daily. But McCain said at her unveiling, to rapturous applause from the gathered faithful, that she’s exactly what he needs.

Okay, I know this is the silly season when the brain takes a lot of pummelling from the pulpits of political punditry, yet such pathetic paternalism and shameless patronization of American women in the name of giving them a voice take the popcorn. Indeed, such pandering and tokenism smack of dangerous desperation. From the first statement that came out of the mouth of Mrs Palin after being selected, it is obvious that McCain and those who’re advising him think most reasonable women go out to exercise their voting rights with their biggest consideration being the fact that they are women or because a woman candidate is on the ballot. To them, the disgruntled women who supported Hillary think nothing of the economic, health, social and foreign policy issues that are also on the ballot. All they want is to vote for a ticket with a fellow woman and Sarah Palin will do. Well, the down-to-earth truth is that women vote on the issues just like men. So, Sarah Palin or not, that is how it will be in November. All those who are celebrating the choice of Palin, because she torpedoed Obama from the front pages at the time of her choice must know there are still two long months to the election. And two months is enough time to strip Mrs Palin to the bare bones.

Of course, the whys and wherefores of McCain’s choice for running mate are still being debated, but, as already suggested, the answer lies in McCain’s temperament. Why did he, at this critical juncture of American and world history, choose someone with zero experience in national and international politics and whose experience of any type of politics is in the backwaters of America? Why would an old man whose odds at completing his first term are extremely short (due to his age and battles with cancer) choose a wide-eyed greenhorn to be one heartbeat from the position of Commander-in Chief? The answer lies in the streak of megalomania in McCain, a trait that has been increasingly laundered over the years as maverick. John McCain, who has always been at war with his party and its establishment, is having his revenge and has in a pique gone for Palin ahead of such big names as Tom Ridge, Rudy Giuliani, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Senator Kay Hutchinson. Indeed, it is a measure of the kind of surprise the choice is that the latter declared at the announcement of Palin’s choice that she doesn’t know much about her. For McCain, if the Republican Party isn’t going to allow him choose his friend and brain-box, Joe Lieberman, they will have to do with a presidential tea lady.

Obviously, McCain is smart enough to know that when most people make their choice in presidential elections, they are not likely to make it on the choice of running mates, but on who is most prepared at the top of the ticket. Yet, in an ironic twist, McCain himself has made that reasoning obsolete by his choice of Mrs Palin. The choice has dramatically highlighted the questions of leadership and judgment as they relate to that particular decision. The question now is between him and Obama, who has made the better judgment? Who has showed real leadership in the choice of a running mate? If McCain weren’t an old frail man, no one would have bothered. But he is, and, whether people want to admit it publicly or not, one of the greatest worries for voters is whether if elected, McCain would be completing his term. No matter the question anyone raises about Obama’s experience or his readiness to be Commander-in-Chief, one thing is clear, Americans have elected presidents whose experience levels and age were questioned before they took over, but who went on to be great presidents. John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton immediately come to mind. But they have never had an inexperienced vice president take over from a president who couldn’t complete his term.

No doubt, there is a huge difference between a supposedly inexperienced person running for president and an inexperienced person taking over as president from the vice presidency. The fact that the former stands up to declare his/her intention, organises and leads people nationally pursuant to that objective, competes in party primaries against other competitors, wins the nomination of the party and headlines a national campaign to win the presidential election would be seen by most as true test of leadership. But it’s quite different for someone who is just invited to join a ticket. Thus, when Americans take a hard look at the tickets, the question most people will be asking and which they are already asking is this: In case of a national emergency which necessitates a change at the very top, who are we likely to trust? Who has made the better decision as per succession if need be within the term? Who between Obama and McCain has thought more about the country, rather than themselves in their choice of a vice presidential candidate? Who between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin is ready to be Commander-in-Chief from day one? The answer is obvious. McCain pandered irresponsibly to his ego and Obama wisely chose a safe pair of experienced hands. With McCain’s age and health such huge but unspoken factors, their consideration will be decisive in the secrecy of the polling booth. Not a few will rightly conclude that it is McCain’s choice that is “dangerously inexperienced”.

Frankly, I believe McCain has just made his job of winning in November a little harder with this decision. It is obvious that Obama is rallying more of the Democratic base better than McCain is doing with the Republican base. This is not only because of the failed eight years of Republican presidency, but also because McCain isn’t exactly a party darling and no matter the initial enthusiasm any party faithful feels for the choice of Palin, she just does not have the history or stature to galvanize them as much as is required. The key is to appeal to real independents, not some mythical Hillary’s 18 million. However, not very many true swing voters will be jumping in excitement at seeing Palin’s name on the ticket, not least because of her seemingly strong ideological base. McCain’s only hope of winning is via the Bradley effect, yet even those who feel strongly about Obama’s race would think twice now about voting for McCain, especially if they consider America’s future post-McCain a bigger consideration. At this rate, choosing Britney Spears or Paris Hilton would have been a better stunt. The story of November is already written and it is clearly this: unlike McCain, America has grown up.

Robot  # 1 | 31.08.2008 20:15

As John McCain watched Hillary Clinton and her husband deliver the most rousing endorsement of ...Read the full article.

DaBishop  # 2 | 31.08.2008 20:58

Kenn: Ma friend, You were doing well until you brought in celebritney and celeparis into it...Question is why was I not surprised, because that Palin woman sef, e be like say e fine gan...:idea: Who say na only hollywood get pretty ideas :cool: Could McCain the old fox be playing sexist games?:lol: trying to use her appeal to gloss over his dour looks? Is pretty Cindy not enough?:p Da Bishop.

Ebe  # 3 | 31.08.2008 21:22

Palin is/will become a liability. Elections in America are decided by independents. Palin is a right-wing extremist who will put off many independents. Yes, there might be a few former Hillary female supporters and a few female independents who are "identity" voters and who may thus simply vote for the ticket because a woman is on it. But the number of such people is very small, especially among Hillary's former female supporters, most of whom would dread Palin's right-wing extremism. At any rate, I think that whatever support Palin attracts to the ticket from these two groups would be more than offset by the number of independents and former Hillary supporters who would be repulsed by her right-wing fanaticism, paper-thin resume, and the on-going investigation of her ethical misconduct in Alaska.

Kenn  # 4 | 31.08.2008 21:25

:wink: Ula-Lisa, =ula-lisa;4295091345>Kenn: Ma friend, You were doing well until you brought in celebritney and celeparis into it...Question is why was I not surprised, because that Palin woman sef, e be like say e fine gan...:idea: Who say na only hollywood get pretty ideas :cool: I take it that you’re complimenting my recommendation of any of Celebritney or Celeparis as his running mate, considering that by choosing an 80s beauty queen (or is it assistant queen:wink:), he’s betrayed his love of celebrities, which makes you wonder why he was attacking Obama in the first place. =ula-lisa;4295091345>Could McCain the old fox be playing sexist games?:lol: trying to use her appeal to gloss over his dour looks? Is pretty Cindy not enough?:p Hmmm, I see that you aren’t conversant with the philandering reputation of the Old Fox. Now, Cindy isn’t a bad babe, but it seems she’s also a foot-mat of sorts – the longsuffering wife type, just like his first wife, Carol. In 1992, it was reported that Cindy playfully teased him about his age and his thinning hair, but that earned her a staccato of expletives including, “trollop” and “cunt”, from her beloved husband, Mr McCain. Yeah, that is the new champion of women in America....:lol:

Kenn  # 5 | 01.09.2008 05:40

At a level, this is also about trust, because this is the same McCain that said in April that the person he was going to choose as running mate would be one “most prepared to take over”. He said experience will be the “key criteria”. Of course, he’s trying now to put a spin on things as he talks up Palin, but she is far from what he promised. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html

omoba  # 6 | 01.09.2008 08:49

You can criticize Mccain for all you care, one thing is certain, the republican base is much more excited about the choice of Mrs Palin than the democrat base was about Mr Biden. After Obama announced his running mate, he lost a couple of points in the polls and the number of Hillary supporters that said they would vote for Mccain increased from about 17% to 27%. On the contrary, Mccain raised over $7million dollars in 24hrs following the announcement of his running mate. And here is what i dont get. All i hear is Palin's inexperience. She has as many years of experience in elected office as Obama. She is the only one on the ticket on either side with executive experience and currently she is the most popular governor in the US, with an approval rating of over 80% (talk about relevant work experience). You can talk all you want about the size of her state or the city where she was mayor. Obama has never ran anything in his lifetime and he is on record the least experienced person to be nominated by a major political party in 100 years of american history. One thing is certain in this election, no matter who wins, history will be made. The question will now be which history is more compelling; An inexperienced african american President or an equally inexperienced white female vice president. That to me is the game changer Mccain introduced with the choice of Mrs Palin.

M. Akosa  # 7 | 01.09.2008 08:52

Abeg, make una go sidon jare!!! Hillary fake or no fake, this one na woman! No be una de hala say Oga McCain, make him bring woman come put for political campaign. He bring woman come now. No be so? After all this one get fine face, nice hips, even sef she prove well well say she be woman, as she gree born plenty pikin sef. Make una take am so, which one be una head ache again???

allaccess  # 8 | 01.09.2008 09:32

yeeeee, okpari o!! If you people are not scared already for Obama, I am. Initially this looked like bad judgment on the part of old wrinkled McCain but the more I look at it the clearer it all gets. that old ******* has OB over a barrel with that move. Alaska is the first line of defense of the US missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the US from Russia based ballistic missile attacks. It's on PERMANENT ACTIVE DUTY, unlike other Guard units. As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter-terrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even the presidents, NO JOKE! She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force, ASDF, an organisation incorporated into Homeland Security's counter-terrorism unit. The woman is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the US defense. Given Alaska's closeness to Russia, she may have security clearances as good enough as Bush's. This is a woman used to keeping secrets; American' will want to see if she can be entrusted with national security, she already is? If that has not killed many pointers for OB like, age, minority, national security, and economy then I DON'T KNOW!!! All I know is I am scared for OBama.

Kenn  # 9 | 01.09.2008 10:53

Omoba, =omoba;4295091534>You can criticize Mccain for all you care, one thing is certain, the republican base is much more excited about the choice of Mrs Palin than the democrat base was about Mr Biden. Both are coming from different depths. The general expectation was that the Democratic Party was going to go up in flames if Hillary was not chosen. So, considering the then prevailing situation within the party, no one expected every section of the party to celebrate Biden’s choice. But surprisingly, he’s being overwhelmingly received favourably, even by Hillary and most of her supporters. Thus, Obama was always walking a tight rope and juggling so many delicate demands. The fact that the Democratic Party Convention went that well and the Clintons talked glowingly about Biden and Obama must tell you something about Obama’s quality as a leader. The Republicans didn’t have the challenge he had. They did not have a bitter or divided primary. Every big beast was on board with McCain and even before the choice was made, Giuliani and Romney were sent out by McCain to Denver raising suspicion that one of them would clinch it. The irony is that while the Democrats are healing their wounds and finally showing the necessary united front (which the McCain pick of Palin will help inadvertently in no small way, because she isn’t Hillary), the Republican Party needs to be watched closely for dissension. I personally cannot see how any of those supposedly well-qualified persons passed over for Palin will bring themselves to work all out for a McCain victory, having been given a taste of his ‘treachery’ – forget all they say for the camera. And, you need to know that there have been stories about Republican governors not supporting McCain (even Palin didn’t support him the primaries); so, this whole jive of most of them keeping away from the St Paul convention in order to concentrate on their state and all that is simply convenient. Watch this space, I say. =omoba;4295091534>After Obama announced his running mate, he lost a couple of points in the polls and the number of Hillary supporters that said they would vote for Mccain increased from about 17% to 27%. On the contrary, Mccain raised over $7million dollars in 24hrs following the announcement of his running mate. Do you need a little bit of history? You think Obama is looking at the polls and panicking? Let me recommend a well-known Republican writer’s opinion of what’s really going on: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/andrew_sullivan/article4639741.ece =omoba;4295091534>And here is what i dont get. All i hear is Palin's inexperience. She has as many years of experience in elected office as Obama. She is the only one on the ticket on either side with executive experience and currently she is the most popular governor in the US, with an approval rating of over 80% (talk about relevant work experience). Yeah, it’s good to hear you confirm that she has more “executive experience” than McCain who keeps harping on about his experience. Maybe she should head the Republican ticket then, or what do you think? Listen, all that story about 80% rating is a distortion. It has actually been shown to be in the sixties region. But really that is not the point. The point is how many people does 80% translate to in real terms? Did you hear the mess she made of her job as Mayor of Wasilla? Why wouldn’t her approval ratings be high when she runs an economy dependent on oil at a time of high oil prices? Does she have the challenge other American governors or even almost two dozen mayors with larger and much more diverse economies than Alaska? Why is it so difficult to put things in context? Of course, I need to point out that I have nothing against Mrs Palin; it is the judgment of McCain in choosing her at this critical juncture of American and world history that I question, especially considering his own age and the very possibility that if he wins, he may not even complete his first term. This was not what he promised when he talked about his choice of running mate in April. This has desperation written all over it. =omoba;4295091534>You can talk all you want about the size of her state or the city where she was mayor. Obama has never ran anything in his lifetime and he is on record the least experienced person to be nominated by a major political party in 100 years of american history. I don’t have to talk about the size of her city or state to know that when you talk about ‘running’ things, it is always a subject criterion. What did John Kennedy run before he became one of the greatest presidents of America? What has John McCain run to want to be president now? Americans have elected people without experience of ‘running things’ to the presidency from the very beginning of the foundation of the nation and some of them have been hugely successful leaders. The point is whoever can run a campaign, raise money, keep people’s confidence, inspire them and win the campaign has passed the greatest test of leadership. If they are as idealistic as Obama, then success is guaranteed, because he has further showed that he can bring the best people together to achieve the right result. That’s leadership. McCain, of course, is a master at alienating people and pretending to be holier than thou. =omoba;4295091534>One thing is certain in this election, no matter who wins, history will be made. The question will now be which history is more compelling; An inexperienced african american President or an equally inexperienced white female vice president. That to me is the game changer Mccain introduced with the choice of Mrs Palin. A game changer can be good or bad. We are yet to see the result in Palin’s case for obvious reasons. But let me tell you this – for me, it is not about one African American or one White woman. It is about who has the better vision about what direction to take America, considering her power and influence in our world today. Obama has told us where he’s going and McCain has done the same. So, forget Palin, McCain’s message and vision is plain scary and that’s the bottom line. NB: An older American friend called me today and we got into a discussion of politics. Here is what he said (he’s 83): “When I look at Obama and Biden, I have confidence in the future, not only my own future, even if I’lm likely to keel over soon, but in the future of my children and grandchildren. But when I look at McCain and Palin, I have panic attacks”. And this is a fellow who voted George Bush in the last two elections. Allaccess, =allaccess;4295091547>yeeeee, okpari o!! If you people are not scared already for Obama, I am. Initially this looked like bad judgment on the part of old wrinkled McCain but the more I look at it the clearer it all gets. that old ******* has OB over a barrel with that move. Alaska is the first line of defense of the US missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the US from Russia based ballistic missile attacks. It's on PERMANENT ACTIVE DUTY, unlike other Guard units. As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter-terrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even the presidents, NO JOKE! She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force, ASDF, an organisation incorporated into Homeland Security's counter-terrorism unit. The woman is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the US defense. Given Alaska's closeness to Russia, she may have security clearances as good enough as Bush's. This is a woman used to keeping secrets; American' will want to see if she can be entrusted with national security, she already is? If that has not killed many pointers for OB like, age, minority, national security, and economy then I DON'T KNOW!!! All I know is I am scared for OBama. Yeah, we’ve heard it all before from Fox News. The gun-totting beauty of a governor, commander of Alaskan National Guard is overflowing with foreign policy knowledge because she governs a state next to Russia and Canada! Didn’t Bush say the same thing about being Governor of Texas near Mexico? Okay, she qualifies - she qualifies to go hunt down Putin and avert the nuclear Armageddon or even ‘win’ it, right? This is the type of negative politics of fear that the Republicans sell Americans daily. This is the kind of politics that is today sapping America of all vigour. This is why all McCain thinks of is war, war, war! Yeah, Americans should elect the martial couple to continue, or should I say, improve on Bush’s warring legacy! And by the way, do you know how many American mayors keep more sensitive national security secrets than Mrs Palin? Does that make them all qualify to be vice president? Please....

allaccess  # 10 | 01.09.2008 11:24

Kenn1, She doesn't represent change…more like the solid hold the extreme right-wing still has on the Republican Party This can only please Social conservatives; as she is really one of (if not the only) bright shining new stars in the Republican movement. For me if this is it for them then their future isn't looking very bright. I am just worried for OB and the gullible Yankee voting public. And oh…I also saw that she has been the governor of that small state (with more reindeer than people) for only two years and before that was mayor of a town with only 9,000 people. She clearly isn't qualified to serve as the president of the US in the event something were to happen to McCain, which may very well do!!! like may happen to sickly UMYA And one little detail OB can latch onto; she is an avid supporter of Buchanan, the racist and anti-Semitic character who became the hero of the extreme right wing in America during his presidential campaigns. I am not liking her as I read more, her character stinks and needs to be exposed by OB to all American very very quickly before they start voting!

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