...but they are certainly influenced by the quality of judgment displayed by the presidential nominee when making his or her vice presidential pick.
As a DK lurker by trade, I don't often post comments, and I certainly don't write diaries (save for a few pathetic attempts back in 2004). The gist of this particular diary was initially written as a comment in a diary that scrolled off the list in short order several days ago. After Palin's 'performance' last night and the subsequent burbling cesspool of near-universal praise from the Holy Pundit Maggotry this morning, I thought it might be good to get this out there as a diary for further discussion. If I've violated some sort of comment/diary regurgitation rule, I apologize profusely. After four years of reading this site daily, I'm still new at this diary thing.
...more over the fold.
Over the past week, I've seen diary after diary about Palin scroll down the right hand side of my DK screen, but most have been about Palin herself (or her daughter or husband) rather than about the extraordinary cynicism and poor judgment shown in McCain's choice of a political neophyte from Alaska that he's only met once and never fully vetted to be the future Vice President of the United States. I'd like to see all of us take more time to frame McCain's pick and Obama's pick with regard to the maturity and judgment shown by each man in making that first, most important decision.
I believe that Obama chose Biden because he knows that, in the end, no one votes for the vice president. Obama choosing someone solely to help him 'win' the election goes completely against type. He's confident he can win the hearts and minds of the American voter on message alone.
He didn't pick his VP to shore up perceived weaknesses on national security.
He didn't pick his VP to 'speak to the blue collar worker.'
He didn't pick his VP in an effort to lay to rest fears of his own perceived inexperience by having a veteran politician with foreign policy experience on the ticket.
he didn't pick his VP in an attempt to reconcile with distraught Clinton voters and shore up the democratic base.
Biden may very well help in some of those areas mentioned above, but I'm thoroughly convinced Obama chose Biden because he knows that in order to get anything done as president, he needs a vice president that knows the ropes and is respected by a good number of the people already IN Washington.
Obama picked Biden because he's thinking about what is likely to happen AFTER November 4, not before.
I wasn't expecting Biden, myself, but the more I think about it, the more astounded I am about the quality of Obama's political courage and vision in this cynical world that penalizes most politicians for having either of those characteristics. Choosing Biden was the grown up thing for Obama to do. It made me respect him as a candidate even more than I already did. Obama, in spite of having an ego up to the task of even imagining a run for President of the United States (let alone succeeding in that quest), is still humble enough to understand that he'll need a lot of help to turn the tide in Washington once elected, and Biden can provide exactly the kind of help he needs. It turns out that Obama actually cares about what happens to this country.
McCain, on the other hand, went for the cynical choice in Palin and tried to pick someone who he thought would help him WIN. He's thinking only up to November 4, and not a day beyond. That frightens the crap out of me. For McCain, it's clearly about getting power--not what you do with it once you've got it. He has proven himself unqualified for and undeserving of the office of the presidency by virtue of this decision and the complete lack of respect for the American people and our standing in the world that this decision betrays. I don't understand why that's so difficult a concept to grasp for people of any political persuasion.
Had Obama chosen Kaine or Warner, I would have been exceedingly disappointed—-even the choice of Clark, who I'd been hoping for, would have inevitably fizzled for me. Any of those choices would have been a calculated decision based on energizing the idea that we need to 'throw the bastards out' and replace with the latest, greatest, hippest agents of change. Once he won, however, how would he get anything done? Biden's presence on the ticket proves once and for all that Obama is serious about GOVERNING after winning. What a refreshing take on things from a politician! Who knew?
So here's the short version...
Obama: After months of serious background checks and discussions, I'm picking an experienced, respected, moderate, veteran politician (who also happens to be my friend) that can help me move this country forward and work towards healing political, economic, intellectual and social divisions once I'm elected president.
McCain: I'm selling out my principals and picking someone I don't even know at the last minute because she might be able to shake things up and help me win, even though I know she won't be even the slightest help in governing the country should we actually make it that far. Who needs vetting?? Oh... and you American people sure better be as ignorant and gullible and I think you are. Go Diamondbacks!! POW!
And an even shorter version...
As demonstrated by each candidate's first important decision as a potential president, Obama actually gives a shit about the future of America whereas McCain just took a dump in our laps and ran away laughing.
That said, I still think we're all putting way too much stock in Palin's alleged ability to energize the republican base as the vice presidential nominee. She's a well-placed distraction from the real issues at play here. I'm hoping beyond hope that once the dust settles and people take a serious look at her qualifications AND start to view her woefully under-qualified "celebrity" persona side-by-side with McCain's proven unstable temperament, the end result could very well be a Democratic landslide of epic proportions. Sure--she'll fire up the base for a week or two, but she's alienating everyone else in the process. When it comes down to it, you just can't win a two-party election with 35% of the vote.
This election is about Obama's ability to overcome the traditional media's insistence on having a horse race where there is clearly no contest. This election is about Obama's ability to convince the electorate that CHANGE really is a good thing. This election is about Obama's ability to convince voters on both sides of the aisle that HOPE is not a four-letter word. This election is about Obama's ability to crack through the cynical veil of darkness and fear that the republican power-brokers have carefully constructed over this nation for the past thirty years.
This election is about US and Obama.
This election is about renewing the promise of America.
I, for one, think he can pull it off. I haven't been given any reason to doubt his judgment so far. Every time there's a crisis, every time we collectively wring our hands and cry "but Obama needs to do X or he's going to lose," he comes back and proves us all fools for worrying. The guy truly "gets it" more than any politician I've seen in my lifetime. I trust him.
What worries me at the moment are the American people. I truly hope that we can pull it off.... because Obama is right: it's not about him, it's about US. We just have to believe that we really do have the power to change things, no matter what the traditional media message machine tells us day in and day out.
Just remember:
Palin is an election ploy. Palin is irrelevant come November 5. Palin was picked merely for the short-term run in publicity she is currently generating. Palin is here to distract people from the REAL issues of the day. Palin was chosen at the last minute in a blatantly sexist attempt to woo Hillary voters, neutralize Joe Biden's attack dog persona and add more media-driven 'legitimacy' to the "McCain the Maverick" brand. McCain's choice of Palin is the embodiment of cynicism, fear-mongering and the seemingly limitless depths of pandering in 21st Century American politics. Her speech last night proved that beyond a doubt. We should certainly continue applying the pressure with regard to Palin's sketchy qualifications for VP, but I think our framing should be more about McCain's poor judgment and unstable temperament than about Palin's personal problems or out-of-the-mainstream social views.
The leadership of republican party is not interested in governing. They are only interested in POWER. And they will clearly do anything and everything to hold onto that power.
Fortunately for all of us, it's not going to work this time.
We just need to get off our butts and get out the vote for Obama.
He knows what he's doing. And he's surrounded himself with talented, smart people that know what they are doing, as well. He's going to win. WE are going to win.
Damn! Writing these things takes a loooooong time. I think I may have to go back to lurking in order to keep my day job. Time to post this thing and hope for the best.
Keep the Faith!
Obama/Biden 2008!