When do you think the political point of no return is for Palin to stay or go?

[RiverStone]

For the moment anyway, my thinking is I hope Sarah Palin hangs in there on the rethug ticket. For all the many reasons articulated on DU already, she is far from VP material and obviously has lots of vetting to go. Palin = an even better slam dunk win for the Dems in November.

Yet, the depth of this McCain mistake seems so vast, it is hard to fathom Rove and co. were this flat-footed in their judgement. Many folks in here and out there, including a growing number of talking heads in the MSM, are saying Palin will ultimately be replaced. Part of a larger plot --- who knows?

If that is true, the longer she stays, the worse it will look for McBush. The more there will be to untangle.

What do you think the latest feasible point in the calender Palin could be replaced (or step down) and still have the rethug replacement be viable?

[marylanddem]

1. What a lovely mess!

No idea what constitutes a point of no return for such a dumbass as McCain, but watching this episode of Northern Exposure unfold is quite fun.

[julialnyc]

2. I don't know how he can rid of her at this point

His judgment would be called into severe question (along with his famous impulsive behavior). I bet he sticks this out and keeps her

[saltpoint]

3. Good points. I wonder if the selection is part of a larger plot

and yet the GOP is sustaining serious damage in the process. Rove is an evil monster and intelligent in a kind of Machiavellian, heartless way, but I don't think he's behind the Palin pick.

If McCain keeps Palin on the ticket, the GOP convention will have been one of the most spirit-crushing experiences possible for their party. Which is fine with me. But maybe not so fine for the county chairmen and chairwomen who have to go back to their home districts and rally the troops for a ticket that is increasingly risky and damaged.

If McCain dumps Palin, it is an immediate concession that his judgment is poor from the start. As others here have pointed out, this is a process that ought to have begun months and months ago. For it to end with the choice of Sarah Palin suggests that something went terribly wrong somewhere.

[zeemike]

4. They will get rid of her before the MSM picks up on the AIP

Then they can say that she was hounded because of the baby thing and the publicity of her daughters pregnancy
That way they will keep the fundies and Mc Same will be able to say he tried but those liberals were so mean...bla bla bla

[WeDidIt]

5. Obama stays above 50 in the polls tomorrow

She drops tomorrow night.

[vanderBeth]

10. On the night she's supposed to accept the nomination?

Ouch.
:rofl:

[WeDidIt]

17. She will "decline the nomination: for family reasons"

Everybody will ooooh and aaaaah and away she goes.

Otherwise, they've strung an albatross to the entire party's neck.

[Fearless]

6. Feasibly...

She could be replaced at any time. Will it work at all... I doubt it. If she is replaced by anyone it would further show McSame's weakness and even if they were to pick a popular Rethug replacement I think that the independent vote would have already been lost to him. The newest polls out show that Independents are voting in far greater numbers than ever before in 2008 for Obama. I suppose he could pick Joe LIEberman, but I don't think that would help either. It may attract more independent and (stupid) liberal voters but it will likely alienate their base completely and even with the addition of said centrist and left voters, the lack of representation in the polls by right wingers would cause them to lose the election anyways in my opinion.

So, in short: Sour grapes. He hasn't had a chance since the left has come out swinging. They are together and cohesive. The Rethugs are broken and unable to find a candidate that can both draw in the three branches of the right wing (especially including Evangelicals) and also appear to favor the center. Likewise as Obama moves this country further to the left, as he has done with numerous policy moves that have gone completely under the fundie radar (ie. same-sex rights, windfall profits tax, alternative energy, revitalizing elementary education... The list goes on) McCain and any VP candidate that caters to the rightest of the right will alienate him further from independent voters.

He can't win honestly. All of this is fodder for Obama to attack McSame's ability to lead, the point he claims to be strongest in. He's made horrible decisions and has dug his own grave.

RIP.
John Sydney McCain
c.445BCE(?)-2008

NTF

[vinylsolution]

7. The Repugs are....

... now drowning in their own sh!t.

Why not replace Sarah Palin with Harriet Miers?!

[faithfulcitizen]

8. honestly, nov 3rd. nothing would surprise me anymore.

[Fearless]

12. I don't think they can... I believe that there are deadlines to be met

I don't remember though... Little help...

[Epiphany4z]

9. If they find the AIP

is true and can hold up proof she is gone. Other than that I think they will ride out the storm.

[grantcart]

11. The deal is for everyone over 50 taking her off the ticket means only

one thing - Eagleton = landslide loss.


For that reason no matter what they find on her there will be someone that says just keep her on.


Its more of a question if she gets totally humiliated will she quit?

[saltpoint]

Agree. Very shortly we may find out if Palin is more of a parent

or a politician.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. McCain will state that he was in prison camp when Eagleton wasn't vetted properly, in 1972..

McCain will state that he was in prison camp when Eagleton wasn't vetted properly, in 1972. McCain was released in 1973.

Eagleton was announced by George McGovern as his running mate July 14, 1972, but it was soon found that "Between 1960 and 1966, Eagleton checked himself into the hospital three times for physical and nervous exhaustion, receiving electric shock treatments twice." Eagleton withdrew August 1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Eagleton

[DB1]

13. She's not going anywhere, until Nov 4, then its north to Alaska.

[Symarip]

14. Who knows?!

What a strange line Mc-Ain't has to walk.

One one side, you have the fundies who hate him but are willing to vote for him because he picked a GW with a vagina.

On the other side, she has more baggage than Samsonite and the indies and moderates are going to be turned off by her perceived crackpot image.

Either way, he's fucked because you have to have both sides in order to compete. Either choice is a losing ticket. Picking Palin really exposed how badly the Republicans are fractured as a party.

[demo dutch]

15. The RW would start a riot if Palin was kicked of the ticket! She's here to stay!

unless it will be another Harriet Miers moment and Palin resigns

[tpi10d]

16. polling, how AIP plays out in msm,

Any other new blockbuster stories. Its basically damned if you do, damned if you don't at this point. But some combination of critical mass could sink Palin (and likely McCain).

[jenmito]

19. Intrade (on if she'll be off the ticket by the election): Last Price: 14.9

http://www.intrade.com/

[Booster]

20. As soon as this statement made by her hits the airwaves:

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending (U.S. soldiers) out on a task that is from God," she exhorted the congregants. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

Religion, however, was not strictly a thread in Palin's foreign policy. It was part of her energy proposals as well. Just prior to discussing Iraq, Alaska's governor asked the audience to pray for another matter -- a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.

[RiverStone]

21. Then can we assume when McBush/Palin get their political tails...

...kicked this November, that it will be due to some form of divine intervention? :)

[Booster]

23. Oh, I think so. If you're a true believer you have to think God is

pissed at the Republicans. Weather was beautiful in Denver and then God sent Gustav and Hannah for the Repug convention. Just sayin' if you truly believe, then this should be an omen.

[seabeyond]

22. you know , i think hte guys might be happy her on the ticket. woouldnt be bad having a 100lb weight

tied around mccains neck. but i thhink she will be leaving soon