(crossposted from gerrycanavan.blogspot.com)
I had to stay up all night to get the clip from the MSNBC replay, but here's Joe Lieberman melting down on MSNBC after being asked by Andrea Mitchell if Sarah Palin was qualified to be president. Even he can't say she is, so instead he says we should just "assume nothing bad will happen."
Andrea Mitchell: Do you feel Sarah Palin is qualified to be commander-in-chief if God forbid, something should happen to John McCain?
Joe Lieberman: Well...you know...let’s assume the best (chuckles uncomfortably). John’s in great shape, he’s gonna be the president and let’s assume that nothing bad will happen...why should we? But if it does...yes, she’ll be ready.
Lieberman acts as if "let's assume the best ... let's assume that nothing bad will happen" is a remotely reasonable thing to say about a vice-presidential pick. Even putting aside McCain's age and health, the entire reason for vice presidents is the fact that bad things can and do happen. The fact that he feels he must frame his answer in this way indicates how uneasy even stalwart McCain supporters are about the idea of Palin actually taking office as president. The rest of us know after eight years of Bush that hope is not a plan.
A vice presidential pick is deadly serious, and John McCain failed the test. He's not fit for the office.