McCain's bad decision with Palin

When John McCain announced today he picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential running mate, you could almost hear a collective shout across the country.

What?!? Who?

That's right, folks. McCain picked Alaska's governor, a woman, to be his running mate. McCain chose the governor of Alaska to be one breath away from the presidency. He chose a woman who was mayor of a town in Alaska that had no more than 6,000 residents. He picked a woman whose state, population wise, is one of the smallest in the entire country.

And yet, most of today, I've been left to wonder: Where on earth is the outrage over this?

At the very least, James Danforth Quayle, vice president under Bush 41, had experience in the United States Senate. Palin, meanwhile, has about as much experience in politics as you or I do. And yet, God forbid, if McCain is elected, and if he's unable to serve out his term for whatever reason, Palin becomes the President of the United States of America.

Which leads me to wonder: Is ice fishing now a prerequisite for the vice presidency? Is having a license to carry a gun for hunting a prerequisite for the vice presidency? Is having experience governing fewer than 1 million people a prerequisite for the vice presidency?

Apparently, ask McCain and the answer is yes. And yet, though he wants the American people to believe Palin is an experienced, worldly politician who would, as he said, do well as the president, McCain completely forgot something today when he made this announcement.

The American people — the smart ones, at least — will see right through this national disgrace.

Lately, McCain has found time to call out Barack Obama over his experience. Because he's done this, Palin is now fair game on the same topic.

I don't care if you're a Republican or Democrat, you have to admit side by side, Palin's experience pales in comparison to Obama's. Yes, Obama has served just three-plus years in the Senate. But can you believe this? Are we supposed to believe Palin's selection was anything BUT a ploy to try to get women who would have voted for Hillary Clinton to vote for him? Could it be any clearer McCain's choice of Palin can be directly attributed to the diversity that has made this election season the most intriguing of a generation?

My goodness — the people of America should be outraged by all of this.

Yet conservative pundits say Palin is a good choice because she's pro-life.

Last time I checked, so was Mitt Romney —  and so was Mike Huckabee. So why Palin for any other reason than to win over disgruntled Hillary voters?

"She's exactly who this country needs to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second," McCain said. "She's got the grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today."

Does she really? How does McCain know this? Last time I checked, McCain hadn't even been to Alaska to campaign. And Palin—now that's not all too common a name on TV news. Palin?

McCain can spin this however he'd like. But the bottom line remains that McCain clearly picked her for all the wrong reasons.

Now in all seriousness, I ask ... especially to supporters of McCain ... can McCain honestly, now, run a single TV ad critical of Obama's experience?

All he has to do is look around him now when he and Palin hit the campaign tour — and Minnesota next week for the Republican National Convention.

What he'll see is a miscalculated choice for his vice president. And he'll see someone whose credibility and experience can be ripped to shreds — even by Obama.

If that's not reason enough not to vote for John McCain, I don't know what is.

The following video is of McCain and Palin's rally today in Ohio.



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