Do NOT MisUnderestimate this

[lame54]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/13016.html
As much of a joke McCain's VP pick may seem - It could end up working

...“I woke up and my e-mail was just going crazy,” said Charmaine Yoest, head of the legislative arm of Americans United for Life and a former top official in Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign. “And then when it was announced — it was like you couldn’t breathe.”

The media elite — as well as elite members of the GOP consulting community — have all but mocked Palin as a former small-town mayor with zero Washington experience. But that view of her totally misses the cultural resonance she carries to crucial Republican power centers and could not be more at odds with the jubilation felt among true believers that one of their own is on the ticket.

Palin, say conservative activists, has instantly changed how they feel about McCain’s campaign and spurred them to go to work for the Republican ticket.

First, though, they’re expressing their newfound fondness for McCain with their checkbooks. Since tapping Palin, the campaign has raised nearly $7 million online, according to McCain aides...

[stillcool]

1. We have to wait until..

'we the people' finish vetting her.

[Clear Blue Sky]

2. Of course. This was a pick to shore up his base.

Nothing to do with leadership, experience, heartbeat-away-from-presidency, etc.

She is solidly right wing and McCain needed that support to be competitive. Dobson is on board, whereas he wasn't before, as just one example.

[Lex]

4. At this point, he should be reaching for the middle, not shoring up his base.

Things might not be as good as the media tries to show, in McCain's campaign.

[tibbiit]

3. I have said this from the beginning

im from ak, (wasilla) dont underestimate her, she is very appealing to many people.
I would never vote for her, hate repugs, bush and now especially mcinsane and I dont even hate her.
Im afraid this wins it for mccain, we saw it happen against tony knowles.
tib

[elocs]

9. "Im afraid this wins it for mccain..."

Now I expect that when Obama wins you will immediately come here to post about how you were wrong. Right?

Aside from that I did check out the AK forum here and had to go back a long ways to find anything about Palin and in the thread of 5 posts nobody disliked her.

[tibbiit]

10. Bite me

Ive been here since 2001.
I send money and work for Obama to be elected, since last year.
Im telling you to beware of Palin, she is appealing to many people. I am scared she will tip it if she can hold on.
That is all Im saying.
tib

[elocs]

14. Well, we certainly need more Democrats on here predicting Obama will lose.

What a great way to generate enthusiasm. I won't bit you, but I will ignore you.

[tibbiit]

15. I guess you have no reading comphrension?

From real experience with Palin I said BEWARE.
I also said I was scared.
I didnt predict Obama would lose I said I was scared he COULD because of Sarah's weird unexplainable appeal... which came from REAL experience watching her rise.
So learn to comprehend while you ignore.
tib

[sharesunited]

21. I hear you. Palin's wholesome good looks and organically grown political career have wide appeal.

It is up to Joe Biden to make her look like a simpleton.

I want questions about the age of the Earth and the origin of life, asked every which stealthy they can be asked to reveal a science hater.

The vast wilderness of Alaska has given Palin a skewed view of the environment. Genesis has given her a dominionist attitude toward nature.

[EV_Ares]

5. Well, as the old saying goes; you should never, never underestimate your opponent. Regardless of

how weak, inept or no experience, you should always treat your opponent as if they were the opposite, as strong, knowledgeable, and has as much experience as you, in other words your equal. That is the safest way to win the battle.

There could be a lot of pitfalls with going up against Palin just because of the way the media plays the game. We all know she should be treated as any candidate, male or female but already the media and republicans are setting the stage about being careful not to beat up on her, etc.

Its a bunch of bs, but reality. However, Biden knows how to campaign, debate and he is a gentleman and I think will have no problem with her.

[doc03]

12. I know Biden knows how to campaign, debate and

is a gentleman. That being said the MSM is going to interpret any disagreement with her as being sexist or condescending to her. Even if somehow he manages to get through the debate without being accused of that they will trot out a body language expert or something to discredit him. In addition to that if she just shows up and doesn't make any big gaffs to them she will be the winner. The spin she held he own up against Joe Biden. I think she is about the best choice he could have made.

[EV_Ares]

17. Well, those things you mention are probably true but you do what you have to do and

I think polls are showing enough that the American people will see through a lot of those things. The important thing is for him not to treat her with disdain or she is not his equal but debate her on the facts and you can't ask any more of him than that and the corporate media is going to do what they do. You need to focus and only worry about those things you can control and forget about those things outside your circle and beyond your control.

However, there are so many things coming out about her and what people back in Alaska are saying so I think it is going to come back to McCain and bite him on this since she was never vetted properly.

We just have to wait and see.

[quiet.american]

6. That's why Dem GOTV efforts are so important. We simply must outnumber the loonies.

The number of sane, decent people in this country must turn out like a tsunami and completely overwhelm the "religious" loonies that are the Republican base.

[doc03]

7. From what I have seen I am inclined to

agree. Last week when McCain and Palin visited near me in Washington,PA the news people asked people that attended and the first words that came from every one of them is (she is pro-life). She has energized the far right fundamentalists like you wouldn't believe. To those people it doesn't matter if she is qualified or not, they truly believe God will tell her what to do.

[glitch]

16. "they truly believe God will tell her what to do" now that's terrifying.

I am sure you are correct. I do think fundie numbers are over-estimated, on purpose to provide cover for theft. But she is so atrocious I think she'll energize our base too, which will now include independents and moderate republicans. So this move may not even be a wash for them.

I think this is a sop to the fundies and to sucker some donations from them, but she'll end up saying (tearfully, for sympathy) that national politics is too hard on her family and bow out before the election.

Who they then bring in as the ringer will tell us whether they intend to steal it again or skip country.

edit to add: both McCain and Palin really highlight how the republicans only need figureheads, disposable and interchangeable, their real decision making is done elsewhere by people no one elected.

[Cush]

8. the media elite have been mocking her? on what planet?

[TankLV]

20. Actually, surprisingly, THEY ARE!!!

If you even try to watch - ugh - FUX - they interject REALITY everytime one of the talking heads trys to talk about her "experience" and "proximity to Russia" and "opposition to the bridge to nowhere", etc, etc, etc.

I was probably as surprised as anyone...

[MadHound]

11. Yes, this was a pick to shore up the RW fundie vote for McCain

A vote that he needed to get out, and who, up to the Palin pick, wasn't enthused about McCain at all. Yes, this pick will get them out and voting in high numbers.

However this vote has also turned off a lot of moderate 'Pugs and independents. Her hard right positions are not only alienating many in these two sectors, but her lack of experience is really making many question the wisdom of this Veep choice. These people realize that McCain could very well die in office, and we would be left with this hard right, inexperienced, underqualified Veep as our president, and that scares the shit out of these people.

Sure, she's energized the base, but the number of people who will vote for Obama out of disgust for this pick greatly outnumbers the votes that McCain gets with this pick. It is going to be a net loss for him. Furthermore, we can expect more people to flee the McCain ticket as more and more is known about Palin.

Frankly, though McCain might get an initial boost from this selection, in the long run I think that the Palin choice will hurt him badly in the election. No, don't underestimate this pick, but also, don't overestimate this pick either. It is a weak pick for Veep, and we should go after it as such. Hammer her on her lack of not just foreign policy experience, but her lack of national experience, and frankly any experience at all(I'm sorry, but being the governor of AK isn't nearly the same as being the governor of a larger state, or even the mayor of a large city). Hammer this home and watch her crumble. Furthermore, there are plenty of skeletons in her closet that need to be dragged out into the open, which will swing even more voters Obama's way. Don't panic and allow this woman off easy.

The McCain ticket is only as strong as we allow it to be.

[Faygo Kid]

13. Yep. It guarantees he will get 30 percent of the vote.

Wait till America gets a load of how extremist and uninformed she is.

[Auggie]

18. I posted this concern last Friday. Do not underestimate the stupidity

of the American electorate. Palins selection could have been made with the aim of winning one or two key states.

[librechik]

19. The Fundie base can celebrate--as long as it's only a token nomination

I bet they're secretly preparing their souls for the Final Days, though, just in case the VPILF happens to be the AC.

I don't even know how those people can think logically--they hate women, and yet this one might be their hope for the longed-for Hippie Genocide they've been preparing themselves for. The cognitive dissonance must be stupefying.