Us Presidential Race

[Chinahand]

I wonder if Palin might withdraw for personal reasons or the like before the election? She's a major liability to McCain. ... I'd like to think they are looking at jettisoning her (maybe a tragic accident with a pitbull). Is that just wishful thinking?

Is that true Skeddan - I don't think the McCain camp think she's a liability at all - they see as her being responsible for a major revival in McCain's fortunes. She's resonated and the Obama camp hasn't really known how to attack her.

 

I agree its a big question what will happen as people know more about her - but I don't think anything has yet come out to change McCain's mind.

 

Its interesting looking at the IOWA exchange vrs the tracking polls. Both show a bounce, but (maybe showing Skeddan is right) it looks short term - and in the IOWA exchange, which is thought to be more accurate, it wasn't a big enough bounce to put McCain ahead.

 

I think the election is still Obama's to loose, but it isn't a foregone conclusion. Though I think McCain time was gone 8 years ago - then he attacked the religious right and so lost the Primary to Bush - this time he's doing the opposite.

[Skeddan]

While she was relatively unknown and didn't say much not a problem. Recently she's started to speak out and show her calibre - notably since 11th Sept. The Uni of Iowa chart shows big dip at the very end (perhaps other reasons - if so how do you account for this?).

 

Don't think all Republicans and non-Obama voters (inc. hard core Clinton supporters) are redneck oiks. It's just a guess, but I reckon a fair chunk of McCain's supporters find it hard to consider endorsing someone like Palin, maybe as much as 15-20% of those who actually go out and vote - and very likely a fair few have switched - as seems to be indicated in poll tracking. I can't see it would be remotely possible to salvage Palin's image.

 

With polls showing near enough 40-60, this is already too big a gap to close if stay on this course. If Palin is the problem, then McCain camp may well be looking at some troubleshooting options.

 

So as not to alienate rednecks this probably wouldn't be done as ditching her. So the chances of her having some health or similar personal problem necessitating her withdrawl I reckon have gone up a bit. For a replacement running mate, McCain would do well to get someone who is financial / economic guru - given present fears that shows focus on economy and offers the 'hope' that everyone is most interested in. Maybe Palin will 'take it on herself' to stand down due to the financial crisis to make way for such a substitute? However it plays out, I reckon it's quite possible she might be out fairly shortly.

 

BTW - at a guess the 'bounce' wasn't pro-Palin, but may have been Clinton supporters swinging away from Obama - and this has 'corrected' itself as Palin has 'come out' and alienated these democrat dissidents and others.

[Foxtrotlima]

I wonder if Palin might withdraw for personal reasons or the like before the election? She's a major liability to McCain. Having chosen her perhaps establishes his credentials with redneck dumbass USA and even perhaps white female voters (supposedly attracting disillusioned Hilary Clinton supporters), but keeping her on board really undermines his credibility and brings his judgement into question. I'd like to think they are looking at jettisoning her (maybe a tragic accident with a pitbull). Is that just wishful thinking?

 

I think that her supposed ability to attract Hilary Clinton's supporters hasn't gone the way that was planned.

 

The Independent article on the National Organisation for Women

[Pat Ayres]

Why not take her grouse shooting?

[Amadeus]

Not the kind of party support you wish for:

 

Sen. Hagel doubts Palin's ready

 

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska on Wednesday became the nation's most prominent Republican officeholder to publicly question whether Sarah Palin has the experience to serve as president.

 

"She doesn't have any foreign policy credentials," Hagel said in an interview. "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."

 

Palin was elected governor of Alaska in 2006 and before that was the mayor of a small town.

 

Democrats have raised questions about Palin since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice presidential running mate. Most national Republican officeholders have rallied to Palin's candidacy.

 

Palin has cited the proximity of Alaska to Russia as evidence of her international experience.

 

Hagel scoffed at that notion.

 

"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia,'" he said. "That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."

[P.K.]

Unfortunately having no foreign credentials is hardly a bar to US office. So many of them can just about grasp what's going on down the road so it's hardly surprising that they would relate to Palin. I thought Dan Quayle (nice manx name - not the Dan part) summed it up so well on being questioned on a recent trip to Latin America he replied "the only regret I have was that I didn’t study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people." I originally thought it was a very shrewd move by George W to have him as V-P. After all, who is going to assassinate George W with J Danforth in the wings? Now I'm not so sure because it's starting to look like it's simply what you do.

 

So it's hardly insulting to the American people that Palin hasn't the faintest idea of what's going on outside of the US and probably cares even less. After all, it just makes her exactly like her electorate...

[Chinahand]

Think you mean George H. W.

[P.K.]

Think I care?

[Chinahand]

Sometimes satire really tells the truth.

 

It is my opinion that at this point in history, having an actual American win the U.S. presidency would be national suicide. Americans have become increasingly incompetent as leaders, extending to the apex of incompetence -- George W. Bush. While perhaps a Barack Obama or a John McCain presidency would give the appearance of improvement, in the end I'm afraid their innate Americanism might lead them to make foolish decisions.

 

Why do you think Americans have become such inept global leaders?

 

Americans are hamstrung by three factors. First is their inability to refer to the U.S. as anything

other than "The Greatest Country in the World." Second is their firm belief that diplomacy can only be conducted with cruise missiles and tanks. Third is their complete ignorance of world history.

 

You're kinda critical, for a natural-born American...

 

This is by no means a defamation. Americans have been innovative, generous, and helpful. The original Star Wars movies -- which brought joy to billions worldwide -- were made by Americans and starred Americans, with the exception of the guy who played C3PO and many key members of the evil Galactic Empire.

 

But politics is not film making. And Americans have increasingly proved inept at running their own country, which has led to a stagnating economy, horribly run wars on multiple fronts, a pro-torture mentality, a failing infrastructure, a dollar that's not even worth a dollar, oil prices that appear to be heading toward four figures rather than back to two, and an onslaught of Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell movies.

[Skeddan]

I take it that it's deliberate satire in overlooking the role Alec Guinness had, and not real life Americanism in blindly assuming with utter self-righteous conviction that everything good and important is American, and anything non-American is only fit for a trivial or evil role. It's just that it's sometimes hard to know. Like when Sarah Palin is acting out the American equivalent of Alan B'stard, only it's no joke.

[P.K.]

An "onslaught of Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell movies" makes for pretty grim viewing. Although strangely no mention of Michael Moore. As for Star Wars where did they get all those very British Sterling SMG's (stocks folded) they used?

 

You spend a couple of months in the USA and you quickly realise just how cut off from the rest of the world you become. Even with the great CNN, ABC, AOL media giants real news is sparse. So it's very hard to discover that trade deals always used to include the showing of US films. There you go.

[Foxtrotlima]

And just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder.....

 

The battle for Sarah Palin's soul

 

(Telegraph article)

[Skeddan]

Interesting to see that CNN, ABC etc. started giving coverage of Palin's whacky 'end of times' Christian Right beliefs - seems to be about the time of the drop in polls: Clicky

 

If anything Palin is the Christian Right's candidate.

 

The beliefs of some of these hard core 'Jesus Camp' Christian dominionists and reconstructionists are real weird and scary: 'end of times', Alaska as a refuge for the elect, coercive imposition of conservative Christian government and interpretation of biblical law, belief that demons/ Satan has possession of places in the world. Add speaking in tongues, prophecy and being 'moved by God', attacking Iran or pressing the nuke trigger is a matter of feeling inspired in prayer that it is carrying out God's purpose.

 

I hate to say it, but I think my suggestion that Palin might stand down is just wishful thinking. Given the power of Christian Right, especially in Republican Party, it rather looks like McCain's campaign has been pretty much hijacked by them. (Or if you like McCain had to obtain their backing and support to get Republican endorsement, and this was price to pay). I think that losing the election is less important to them than pushing a Christian Right candidate with Christian Right agenda to the forefront. Palin for 2012. McCain ain't running the show (see his U turn on stem cell). It looks like a wag the dog.

 

I was struck by Foxtrotlima's comments on experience of Christian right education - while not exactly brainwashed, an awful lot of people in the hugely expanded Bible belt US of A are in the grip of Christian Right thinking. That belt now runs from Texas to Alaska, Tennessee to Oregon. The 'theocons' are now extremely powerful and a political force in their own right. I think the real nature of the US Presidential race is starting to become clearer.

 

If anything, what will show the power of the Christian Right most of all will be Sarah Palin not standing down. I still entertain a perhaps vain hope that this might happen.

[Amadeus]

Wups...

 

Democrat rep's son suspected of Sarah Palin hack

 

The 20-year-old son of a democratic state representative has apparently claimed responsibility for breaking into US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account.

[Skeddan]

Wups...

 

Democrat rep's son suspected of Sarah Palin hack

 

The 20-year-old son of a democratic state representative has apparently claimed responsibility for breaking into US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account.

More info in Wired: Clicky

 

wonder if they will now try and make the parent responsible for the behaviour of their child and use this as a reflection on political fitness? Wups...