A lot has been said of Sarah Palin these last few days. We all know the bizarre questions surrounding her and the rationale behind her selection by McCain. We all know that she is a wholly terrible candidate for the office of Vice President. I'm not going to bother rehashing any of that. I think there is a more important issue at hand that, if wielded properly, can make this election much, much harder for John McCain to win.
The word is Judgement.
As we now know, McCain's team is vetting Palin as we speak.
Andrew Halcro (I), Palin's former opponent for AK Gov.
John McCain: Ready to Vet on Day 3
And now, today, this at The Page:
Peacock web’s Andrea Mitchell: "There are reports that there are Republican lawyers right now up in Alaska doing a deeper vet on Sarah Palin despite their claim that everything about her background was fully known."
Here's the video:
(Go here for MSNBC's longer video.)
People! This is a huge opportunity, and we should do everything we can to encourage more of the media to pick up this story! John McCain did close to NO research before choosing his Vice President! Think about it: a lack of planning like that, when making such a hugely critical decision for a campaign, is downright damning. What does it say about how he would make decisions as President? What does it say about his Judgement? Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican or other, regardless of ideology... I don't know about you, but I expect a President to make informed decisions after being educated of all pertinent facts.
EDIT: Let me just clarify why I think this is such a killer issue for McCain. I know he's done terrible things in the past that illustrate his lack of judgment. This instance, however, is uniquely demonstrable and easy to understand. Picking your VP is an absolutely crucial moment for the any Presidential campaign, and McCain may as well have just rolled some dice. He shouldn't be gambling with America's future.