Palin WILL be on the ticket, she will be a SMASH hit Wed. night, and the election will be VERY close

[kid a]

Thats the way its gonna be.

The motivation and turnout of 18-25 yr-olds must be huge!
Gotta keep registering voters and convincing of neighbors to vote for Obama.

I'm worried sick about the next two months and the possibility of a McCain/Palin Whitehouse.

[AndyA]

1. That's the way it's going to be because that's the way the M$M has been told to

portray it.

No more, no less. It will be dispursed for consumption as a fact.

[saltpoint]

2. She'll have to have quite a speech to be a smash hit.

Even among a friendly group of GOP delegates.

The media's eyebrows are raised. McCain's judgment is in question.

And reportedly, the Bush faction isn't crazy about the Palin pick.

[depakid]

42. The bar has been set do low that if she doesn't break down and cry

it'll be deemed a success and the corporate media will apply the usual lauditory adjectives, without any critical analysis.

This is why the Obama campaign and its surrogates need to stay on the offensive and not backslide into June, July & most of August mode with a bunch of feel good appearances and rallies. Reporters WANT to go after Palin and McCain- editors are more cautious- and owners, we know what most of them want.

All the reporters need is the excuse and the cover.

Will the campaign provide it?

[saltpoint]

44. Good points, good question.

Palin's Inaugural Address in Alaska was one of the worst speeches I've ever heard by an adult.

It was more like a high school government speech. Way too flirtatious and not much substance.

You are spot-on with the media. There could be a bit more to Gov. Palin's political past that is yet to be uncovered. And this secessionist affiliation is pretty juicy. It's in the reporters' hands.

I think it's running 50-50 whether she even remains on the ticket.

[Cosmocat]

56. YEP, I am telling people this NOW ...

If she makes it past the next three days, the media WILL get behind her with the "well, the WHOLE party got behind Sarah Palin at the convention" and after the convention the whole country knows her, she is a middle american type person ... The usual drivel, and you are right, they ALREADY have set the terms of the VP debate that as long as she doesn't break down crying, she will be pronounced a winner AND if she does, they get to beat up on Biden for picking on her.

[seabeyond]

3. or not.... but nifty of you to be excited for them. n/t

[bunnies]

6. word. nt

[kid a]

15. well i certainly didn't expect anyone to sense excitement about that

its fucked up, but that is the way i see it.

Its what gets me down to the Obama office as a precinct captain.
Its what motivates me to donate to Obama through DU.

So, fuck off seabeyond. you don't know me from squat.

[trueblue2007]

23. HUH????

You sounded kinda excited about her candidacy!

[Cha]

24. We have to act as if it's a close race every

single day..we can't let down for a second.

[Ichingcarpenter]

16. Word n/t

[Spiffarino]

46. Don't misread the OP

He's only making the same point as Joe Trippi and other election insiders that the Palin pick could bite progressives in the ass.

We have to remain on guard.

[seabeyond]

4. or not.... but nifty of you to be excited for them. n/t

[oviedodem]

5. She was pushed back to Thursday.

[SoCalDem]

13. I think she will give an impassioned speech

proclaim her admiration for McBlunder...thank them for the honor, but in the end she will decline and instead, put forth another name...

she'll probably weep a little and say that upon further reflection, GOD had spoken to her heart and told her that her children need her more..

there will be tears and a standing ovation, and she'll still be their darling..and when McBlunder loses, she'll be asked again in 2012.

[d_b]

7. she's a total train wreck

people will tune in out of morbid curiosity.

[tomp]

8. dare she debate biden? nt

[BeyondGeography]

9. The MSM will do their best

I'll be watching baseball.

[earthside]

10. Don't be Over-confident ... But don't PANIC.

The Palin selection and the hurricane convention are unmitigated disasters for McCain.

Chill.

[maseman]

11. I agree we need to treat this as a BONUS

But we need to fight just as hard or even HARDER then we were for Obama/Biden on issues.

We still have record deficits/debt today, we still have record foreclosures on homes, we still have job losses, outsourcing of jobs, lower wages, etc.

Let's focus on winning.

[mindfulNJ]

12. Yup...

McCain/Palin have the rural, red state, pregnant teen vote in the bag...be worried folks!:eyes:

[Butch350]

67. The pregnant teen vote????

Republicans and Catholics are not as Pro-life as you may think. However it's time to lay off Palin
and continue to show how McCain is a bad decision maker and wrong on the war - if that is accomplished
the Palin thing will take care of itself!~

[nickn777]

14. Agree completely.....

and she may even cry for the cameras, and scream, "Leave my family alone!!"

This will garner a sizeable backlash sympathy vote. Count on it.

This is exactly why this story needs to be dropped. We can win this election on the issues, we don't NEED this type of crap.

[Franks Wild Years]

18. That would provide a great subtle talking point for Obama

Look, his family have been raked through the bump and accused of being terrorists and secret American haters.

A VP pick bursting into tears would only make her look like even more of a looney tunes choice, even less likely to steer the country through tough times.

[liberal1973]

65. I disagree

I think that some people will fall for the tears.

[apnu]

19. Don't forget, they're going to bill her as "America's Mom" That will bring out tons of saps too.

They will say anything, do anything to win. No lie is too big, no theft too grand for these corrupt pigs.

[nickn777]

22. Right.....the she's "just like you and me" crap

[apnu]

27. Crap it is, but they'll try to sell it anyway.

What else is new for the GOP? They've been shoveling crap my whole life.

:shrug:

[Oak2004]

64. Well she is, assuming you and I advocate the dissolution of the United States

and use the full force of the government to go after ex- relatives and anyone who stands in our way, and lie to the American people about how much our hand has been in the national kitty, and we have close ties to senators facing felony charges.

:sarcasm:

[FVZA_Colonel]

48. And we'll need to respond that "America doesn't need a mom, America needs a leader."

[apnu]

63. Right on. (nt)

[Yavin4]

30. If She Bursts Into Tears on National TV, She's Finished

You cannot cry. Putin won't care if you cry.

[lapislzi]

34. Not a chance.

Say what you like; this woman is tough. As a candidate, she is a joke, but you will never see her cry on TV. She does not strike me as that type of woman; certainly not the way she's being portrayed. She shoots things and appears not to have an ounce of compassion for her fellow human beings.

[Erin Elizabeth]

50. Before I saw that US Weekly cover, I might have agreed.

However, that cover? Is incredibly damaging.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

17. Will the MSM allow any of the negative stories about her to come out?

So far, all I've seen on cable are references to the pregnancy story by news hosts without any elaboration as to the details. And it's usually with the accompaniment of a Republishit spokesperson who says what a great thing it is for the daughter to have kept her baby. There's an occasional reference to troopergate without any explanation whatsoever. That's about it. I tuned in to Nightline last night on ABC, thinking that the AIP story might be discussed, since it made the front page of ABC's website yesterday. Nada.

[Crankie Avalon]

20. She'd have to deliver the Checkers speech of the 21st Century...

...she doesn't seem to have anything near Nixon's talents (even if she does have the inclination to use public power to pursue her private vendettas), but you're right: Obama and everyone for him needs to keep campaigning harder than ever, no matter how good things look now.

[Fire_brand]

21. *updates database of concerns*

[nsd]

25. I don't know if that's the way it's going to be, but that's the way we should approach this.

Let's not get complacent. Things are looking good for us at the moment, but two months is a long time. We can't run out the clock yet. We need to play like we're behind.

[Occam Bandage]

26. ...

[thewiseguy]

28. WTF? Even Carl Rove could not come up with that BS you just said.

[Median Democrat]

29. True, Expect MSM To Swoon!

[lurky]

31. Her expectations have now been set so low...

that if she can simply speak in complete sentences it will be spun as a victory and a vindication. Just watch.

And anyone who questioned her is a big, nasty, pointy-headed, elitist liberal.

[everything-bolt-up]

32. I agree!

They are coaching her on a speech as we speak!! She will make it seem as if she is the REAL LIFE reformer and mother to boot! The conservatives will be besides theselves thinking they have someone who can "speak". Teh MSM will relish the story possibilities and they will say what a great speech she gave and blah blah. Which is why we need to stay on point and on message.

I notice the repukes stay on message about hammering home their talking points! We wander.....

We need to stick to the points - she is anti-american and pro-alaskan, she is a liar, she is not a reformer, she shoudl ot have put her daughter through that, she has no foreign policy experience etc etc.

Do not allow them to change the narrative!

[yourguide]

33. The media have someone new to vet

someone new to put under the microscope.

dont expect after the current flood of information that they are going to just embrace her with open arms.

[cali]

35. wrong. it's immaterial if she's a hit at the convention. that's a given. duh.

sorry to disappoint yet another hand wringer, but this kind of negative relevation after relevation is very bad news- for the repukes. but hey don't let me get in the way of your whining.

[LaPera]

36. Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct....

This election will be close, close enough for the republicans to steal, (they OWN the electronic voting machines, which 90% of Americans vote on)...so just as 2004 in the swing state of Ohio every exit poll showed Kerry won, every national poll showed Kerry percentages exceeded the margin of error, and Kerry was ahead all night until early in the morning when Bush pulled ahead against impossible odds to take Ohio which gave him the presidency again.....an election clearly stolen (190,000 votes not even counted and sitting in the Ohio republican Sec. of States office)....The excuse that was used by the republicans and their media for such an improbable turnaround in Ohio was that a wave of voters must have decided to vote for Bush at the very last moment when walking into the voting booth because of Bush's "war on terrorism". And the media went right along with it. (That still doesn't explain the always accurate exit polling that clearly showed Kerry won).


Now you can expect the same thing this November (2008) in swing & battleground states that the republicans have targeted - month's and even years ago...and the use of Palin is a perfect smokescreen for the republicans...when all polls (including the NEVER wrong exit polls) will show Obama winning...and then early in the morning when McCain pulls out unlikely wins in critical swing states...the republicans and the media will say, (paraphrasing some thoughts here) "Well it seems that a lot of angry Hillary supporters (and PUMA voters) decided to vote for McCain and his choice of selecting a woman at the last moment...So it turned out favorably for our next president John McCain" . And the media won't raise an eyebrow to another obvious stolen election by Rove/republicans/Electronic voting machines...The media again will go right along with it.

Dems are just so certain Obama will be president...Same with Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004...they won, just like Obama will win...Most Dems do not believe it will be stolen again...Why not? The republicans have done it before, (with no repercussions) and have only gotten better at it with time!

Expect it to be stolen, again...nothing stopping the slimy, filthy, lying, greedy, hateful republican fascist from stealing it, again!

[Spiffarino]

37. McSame could nominate Jeffrey Dahmer's corpse

It would still be close. The network "news" programs will do everything they can to keep it that way up to Election Day.

Photo-finishes drive ratings so they won't let either candidate win going away. If McSame gets a 10-point lead, they'll run stories all week that make him look awful until it's close again.

This is why media reform and Net Neutrality are paramount. It's the only way we can prevent the cynical manipulation of information American citizens must have to remain free.

Ignorance = Slavery

[glitch]

38. Problem with creating your own reality is you have to get reality to agree. nt

[YOY]

39. Put down the bong and back away slowly...

They're starting to implode...nothing can stop it save a major gaffe by Obama.

[book_worm]

40. There are lots of ? about Palin and she needs to begin answering them, McCain too.

[4_Legs_Good]

41. You are absolutely right that this is what we need to prepare for

I think Palin is a complete train wreck, but we should be prepared for an enthusiastic reception, and continue to work hard to defeat these bozos.

Well said, and way to keep us on our toes.

David

[AlinPA]

43. The media will set it up just as you say (the air game). We have to win it on the ground. nt

Sorry about the war/football metaphors.

[stanwyck]

45. You're right on only one count

We need to keep registering people and keep up the enthusiasm.
My take is that Palin is a disaster who might not survive the week.
This is only Day 4 and she's wounding McCain.
Her story is one that will just keep going. The teenagers will provide weeks of headlines - this is reality TV that the masses can understand. Forget the deficit and universal health care. Let's put a mike in front of the BabyDaddy. Plus, there's the whole wedding looming. Or not.
Video and audio is finding sunlight.
Palin is the gift which keeps on giving.

[SmokingJacket]

47. I guess that's why the polling numbers for Obama are so good.

:eyes:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

49. yeah!

[grantcart]

51. not even close - the serious conservatives are already bailing

A prominent Republican writer says it's legit to bring up McCain's age -- and makes the interesting argument that the choice of Sarah Palin as Veep candidate should make us put McCain's age front and center as an issue.

Check out this absolutely brutal piece on Palin by former Bush speechwriter and American Enterprise Institute resident fellow David Frum that was posted on AEI's site today:

Ms. Palin's experience in government makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues.
All this would matter less, but for this fact: The day that John McCain announced his selection of Sarah Palin was his birthday. His 72nd birthday. Seventy-two is not as old as it used to be, but Mr. McCain had a bout with melanoma seven years ago, and his experience in prison camp has uncertain implications for his future health.

If anything were to happen to a President McCain, the destiny of the free world would be placed in the hands of a woman who until recently was a small-town mayor.


Obviously, the fact that a prominent conservative writer is giving voice to this argument should make it a bit tougher for Republicans to yell about the "age card" when Dems point out that the choice of Palin puts McCain's age on the table.

[THUNDER HANDS]

52. no she won't...she sounds like Starscream from the Transformers

that voice is irritating beyond belief.

[zulchzulu]

53. Meanwhile about 15 grenades of scandals on Failin' Palin are about to kabooom...

I'd love her to be the nominee and she will NOT be a "hit" to 80% of those watching...

[Erin Elizabeth]

54. First, people would have to be watching.

From what I can tell, people are far more interested in watching the news about the hurricanes.

Secondly, she's been moved back to Thursday evening. The football season starts Thursday. That's big competition.

Third, you're assuming the speech she's writing RIGHT NOW is going to be amazing. That's not very likely. I'm being completely sincere, I'd be shocked if she wrote and delivered a good speech. It doesn't seem to be one of her strongest points.

And then even if she DID give a great speech, who's watching? A tiny minority of Americans, who are political junkies anyway. Everyone just figures they can see clips later online if they hear stuff about it after the fact (really good or really bad).

I do agree we don't need to take anything for granted and KEEP WORKING. But Palin is a train wreck, even my republican friends are either laughing or shaking their heads over this.

[samuraiguppy]

59. they have her

competing against football---tee hee hee hee

EVERYONE watched the Obama speech--NO ONE will care about her speech

[truebrit71]

55. Um...HIGHLY doubtful on all three counts...

She is a fundy nutjob that wants to outlaw abortion, kill animals, drill our way out of the energy crisis and let the polar bears die...

We must not get complacent in the meantime though...nad we MUST redouble our efforts as there is no reason to believe they won't try and steal their third straight election...

[ieoeja]

57. A gun-toting, frontier woman of virtue.

From that middle American perspective (the people who RE-elected GW)....

- She supports the 2nd Amendment.

- She is staunchly in favor of state and local gov't even to the tune of treating her constituents who believe in secession with respect.

- She is being investigated, but by the same party hacks that she fought against her whole political career.

- She is the mother of five.

- She raised a daughter who, when getting an unwanted pregnancy, chose to do the right thing, marry the husband and keep the child.


My fellow DUers ... she is the PERFECT American female politician. Middle America is going to worship at this woman's feet.

Sure, I laughed when I first heard about the preggers thing. But once I had time to think about it, I recognized the difference it makes her being a Repuke. Were she a Democrat the airwaves would be full of trailer trash jokes. But our making those jokes will only strengthen the "elitist" meme pushed against us. So instead of "trailer trash" she will be upheld as the epitome of American womanhood: a gun-toting, frontier woman of virtue.

I am usually quite optimistic about things that so many DUers see as a negative. But this time I am just the opposite. This Ratpukian clusterfuck probably wasn't planned, but by now they are praying for us to make a molehill out of it so they can dump a mountain of "elitist" on our heads.

[JuniperLea]

58. What flavor was that Kool Aid anyway?

That's what the alphabet news is serving up... I don't swallow much of anything they try to give me.

[FatDave]

60. You may be right on the first count.

I doubt the 2nd two very much.

But you're absolutely right about not resting on our laurels. Keep working like we're down 10 points. Our win must be massive.

[Az_lefty]

61. her shrill voice will have people muting the sound all across the country

[demo dutch]

62. Yeah but it will be the Indies & mods who will decide this election, I can't see

how they'll board the McCain/Palin train, it was always about experience and judgement and now McCain can't claim either

[Pale Blue Dot]

66. Yeah, I'm quaking in my boots.

:rofl:

[Fly by night]

68. Hey, don't bogart that joint. I want some of what you're smoking!

Really good ganja makes some people paranoid and delusional; others laid back and appreciative of their good fortune. I'm the latter -- but before you start seeing scary things (like a close race), you might want to just pass it over.

Seriously, we still need to work like we're 20 points behind. But just to let you know, we're not. And the "unknown wackness from Wasilla" should get some credit for that. I have not spoken with a single Rethugligan friend here in Tennessee who supports her or who can explain why she's on the ticket.

[dailykoff]

69. Yes. Expect the worst, but hope for the best.

Barring any game changers, Ghoul and Gidget are on the Alan Keyes express, but these guys are good at game changers.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

70. bookmarked

:*

[Jim Lane]

71. A lesson from history that supports the OP

In 1980 I was very happy when the Republicans nominated Reagan. I thought Ford would've been a much tougher opponent. But Reagan? A has-been actor from the far-right wing of his party? Ha! We'll clobber him. No one could take that guy seriously as a President.

Just as no one could take Palin seriously as a Vice President.

No one on DU, anyway, but let's not get caught up in our own echo chamber. Remember, we are the reality-based community. The reality is that Palin is what McCain wanted -- a game-changer. Instead of going down to a routine defeat with Romney or the like, he shook it up. His choice comes with great advantages as well as disadvantages.