The LA Times this morning is describing a vetting process for Sarah Palin that should raise serious questions about John McCain's ability to uncover the facts about anything. This story is not about Sarah Palin's suitability to hold the vice presidency - it's about John McCain's unwillingness to do his due diligence. In other words - it's about 8 more years of the same stubborn unwillingness to confront hard truths.
And the story goes there, immediately:
The way McCain weighed and discarded vice presidential prospects over that time has come under scrutiny as the choice of Palin turns politically perilous. The question is whether McCain carefully vetted his selection and, if he did not, what that says about the judgment and decision-making the presumed Republican nominee would bring to the White House.
Exactly.
For one, the camp didn't speak to people on the ground. You know, the type of people who might actually know what they're talking about.
"I would definitely have talked to people in the [Republican] party," said [Lyda Green, president of the Republican-run Alaska State Senate], a onetime ally of Palin whose relationship soured when she became governor. "I would have gone to the business community...major political folks around the state. I've not heard of anybody who's been talked to or interviewed or questioned."
How could the Republican leader of the State Senate not have talked to anyone involved in the vetting process? How could none of her contacts have been in touch with the party?
Probably because it was, despite what the McCain camp is saying, a hasty decision:
A Republican strategist with close ties to the McCain camp, however, said Palin was a last-minute choice after McCain had given up on his preferred pick, Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, who addressed the convention Tuesday night. "He did so with such speed that they weren't able to do the full vet," said the GOP source, who did not want to be identified discussing the campaign's internal machinations.
Regardless of the truth, the headlines are not kind to John McCain this morning. Take the Chicago Tribune: McCain judgment called into question.
People are (finally) starting to ask about John McCain's readiness to lead and ability to make critical decisions. So, John, mad about the reaction to your pick? Well, take this to heart: it's not about her. It's about you.
Crossposted at Strategy 08
Update Thanks to MoDem for pointing out the Kansas City Star has a similar take this morning:
Asked this week if he was satisfied with the background checks on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s campaign manager replied: "I’m not gonna get into that."
Unfortunately, American voters do not have the luxury of shrugging off the question. It has become increasingly clear that McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, failed to perform due diligence on the political rookie he says is prepared to assume the vice presidency.