This diary aims to sum up everything we've learned about Sarah Palin, presumptive Republican VP candidate, just within the first 24 hours of her announcement.
Who is Sarah Palin?
If there's anyone in this presidential race who's a 'celebrity', its definitely her (unless you count Paris Hilton!), having posed on the cover of the fashion magazine Vogue
She's young (3 years younger than Obama!) and inexperienced (the mayor of a town of 8,000 until two years ago). That effectively neutralizes the $10-20 million that McCain has spent attacking Obama on said subjects. She also supported Romney in the primary, and praised Obama's energy plan.
Like many Republicans, she's been embroiled in a scandal that has diminished her previously sky-high reputation (in Alaska, her popularity went from around +90 to +60, which most politicians would still die for)... but nationally, she's so unknown that most people probably don't know how to pronounce her name (its PALE-IN, or PAY-LIN, according to various online sources), and I don't think that the average American would be comfortable with her one heartbeat away from the presidency.
But all of this we already knew yesterday. So what new things have we learned about her since then?
- Palin didn't even want the job. In fact, she didn't even know what it was about, and insinuated that accepting it wouldn't let her be 'very productive and working real hard.' She also wanted to abuse her power to favor Alaska, a remark that would probably take it off the list of swing states but hurt McCain in the other 49 (you would think that if he wanted to pander to a state, it would be one that had more people in it...) I don't think that will exactly endear her to the average American.
- Palin has criticized Senator Clinton, describing her as 'whining.' Ironically, said comments came at a Newsweek "Women and Leadership" event. I think even those most critical of Clinton would still see her as one of the greatest female leaders in the world. Palin at least owes her VP nomination to Senator Clinton; one of the main reasons she was chosen was to appeal to the disaffected female Clinton supporter vote - although that remark would probably destroy most of McCain's crossover support from them.
So not one, but TWO gaffes, just in the first 24 hours. Was Palin even vetted at all? Why was she even chosen in the first place?
Well, for that, I've dredged up a quote from 1988 that seems to sum up John McCain's perspective on VP nominations:
I can't believe a guy that handsome wouldn't have some impact.
- John McCain, on the nomination of Dan Quayle for VP
If Sarah Palin were not an attractive female, would she even be under consideration for the vice presidential post - being unexperienced and undistinguished other than the scandal she's embroiled in?
We need only look at conservative reactions to this pick to judge its results: Both Romney and Pawlenty are upset about how McCain has treated them, and although many conservative bloggers are gushing over her like teenagers with crushes, a sizeable amount of them aren't happy with her selection.
In comparison, I present you a few comments over the selection of Biden for VP:
"I congratulate Senator Barack Obama on his selection of my friend, Senator Joe Biden, to be his vice-presidential running mate. I have enjoyed for many years the opportunity to work with Joe Biden to bring strong bipartisan support to United States foreign policy.
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Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
No one on the Democratic side knows more about foreign policy than Sen. Biden. He's been an articulate spokesman on the subject. He also knows about domestic policy. He's been a leader on crime control.
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Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Well, I think we've just won the VP section of this campaign.