"The reaction to Palin among Republicans is very complicated."

[ProSense]

An Unconventional Convention

The feeling at this convention is quite different from that of any other Republican convention I have been to over the past 20 years.

Most obviously, the fact that tonight’s main event was canceled gave what is usually an exciting day of anticipation a peculiar lack of focus. At political conventions, people are accustomed to being late to events that might conflict with each other; they are not used to waiting around to see what happens. (I assume some of this feeling will dissipate when normal order is restored.)

Then there is the impact of the choice of Sarah Palin for the vice presidential nominee and today’s news about Palin's 17-year-old daughter’s pregnancy. That is not the sort of story one expects to cover at a political convention.

The reaction to Palin among Republicans is very complicated.

Social and religious conservatives are ecstatic. At a University of Minnesota event that I moderated today, conservative writer Ross Douthat made the interesting point that Republicans are more accustomed to seeing their most important female politicians hold pro-choice positions on abortion and that it’s unusual to see a strongly pro-life female politician rise to the top. John McCain has definitely helped himself with the religious and social conservatives, as Mike Gerson noted in an earlier post. Nonetheless, I find it odd that at this late date, McCain still thinks he needs to concentrate on exciting them and is not thinking more about middle-of-the-road swing voters.

There are also doubters. To paraphrase former Bush White House speechwriter David Frum: If someone walked into a casino, put all his money on black and black came up, you would consider that person wise; you would not think the decision to risk everything on black was wise. Many Republicans are uncertain about whether the choice of Palin will prove wise a week from now, and the story about her daughter’s pregnancy has made people wonder what might be discovered next.

A third camp consists of Republicans who are trying very hard to sound pro-Palin, but I sense that their hearts aren't always in it (though maybe that’s as much about me as about them). They make arguments for how she will appeal to working-class voters, particularly women, and how her background and personality will appeal in swing states of the West (this was noted by former Oklahoma congressman Mickey Edwards).

more

On edit: McCain screwed up.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. And thank goodness he did...

I'm hoping this whole Palin crazyness will play right into our hands.

[chill_wind]

2. Translation: GOP meltdown. McCain has screwed himself and THEM. K & R.