Doesn't really sound like these folks need to be bailed out, does it?

Posted at October 2, 2008 8:04 PM in response to RNC Brought In Whopping $66 Million In September

There are many dangers for McCain in this, that he seems not to have reflected on (and he doesn't seem to be the reflective sort). The dangers are subtle.

One is that conservatives are notoriously daddy-state oriented. They fear the insecurities of this world, and seek reassurance in hierarchies of authority. The most fundamental of those authority hierarchies is gender. When conservatives look at John McCain, they see that reassuring authority because of all the masculine associations he brings up, as well as simply because of his appearance - grizzled, old, growly. What do they see when they look at Sarah Palin?

Another danger is that McCain dumped his disfigured first wife for a young, beautiful 'trophy wife'. Cindy McCain, now in her mid-fifties, no longer radiates that younger trophy-wife aura so openly. But Sarah Palin, 44, former Miss Alaska runner-up, does. She looks like a 'trophy running-mate' and will serve to remind people of McCain's preferences in choosing the women with whom he surrounds himself. That may particularly be the case with mature women, who may see in her the woman they worry about their husbands flirting with at the office. She may, in other words, raise deep insecurities for segments of the older female electorate to whom he seeks to appeal.

Closely related to that 'trophy running-mate' issue, and as many others have noticed, Sarah Palin raises the issue of McCain's age and health. If they win the election, she'll be one burst blood vessel away from being the Leader of the Free World. We must realize the importance of gut-level reactions here. Does she LOOK like the Leader of the Free World? It'll be the look of reassuring authority, or gravitas, that a chunk of the electorate will be after, seeking reassurance in the face of their anxieties. It's the look of authority on which Rove/McCain was attacking Obama, more than lack of experience. Among female politicians present and past, Hillary has gravitas, Margaret Thatcher had it; Golda Meir had it; Indira Gandhi had it. Does Sarah Palin have it?

McCain evidently knew little about her, and made this decision on his own, on his gut, without huddling with Rove's acolyte, Steve Schmidt. It shows.

Posted at August 30, 2008 8:52 AM in response to "A Babe on the Ticket"

Yeah, taking down our 527 groups was suicidally high-minded of Obama. You'd think the Kerry campaign had taught us that when you take the high road, you wind up going off a cliff.

Posted at August 26, 2008 11:12 AM in response to Another Swift-Boating Ad To Slime Obama In Key Swing States

Another reason Biden works is that Biden is very familiar to the DC media Villagers, and he's very quotable. They'll listen to him when he says something about McCain, and they'll broadcast it. We WANT an attack dog VP who has the willing ear of the Villagers.

Posted at August 23, 2008 12:03 PM in response to Why Biden Works

Hillary Clinton is John McCain's running mate, and the Tabloid Media are his BBQ buddies. How else did we expect this thing to turn out?

Posted at April 17, 2008 12:26 PM in response to ABC: All Bad for Citizens