March 11, 2012

Chris Wallace asks John McCain about "Game Change."

On Fox News Sunday today:
WALLACE: What one of the things it says is that for all of your talk about putting country first, that your decision to pick Sarah Palin was pure politics. And here is a clip from the show.

WOODY HARRELSON (as Steve Schmidt): We desperately need a game changing pick. None much these middle aged white guys are game changers.

ED HARRIS (as John McCain): So find me a woman.

WALLACE: "So find me a woman." Simple question, Senator, did that ever happen?

MCCAIN: Of course not.... I thought that she was best qualified person. I thought she had the ability to excite our party and the kind of person that I wanted to see succeed in the political arena. She is very effective and successful governor of a state....
I get the feeling that neither the movie nor John McCain was perfectly accurate.

104 comments:

Hagar said...

and you are so right!

Andy said...

There are a lot of Americans still turned off of the Republican party when they saw how little interest and seriousness McCain and the Republican party put in picking a VP who was actually qualified to be President.

If they would gamble on the country's future for the chance to win an election, clearly they care more about their own party than this country.

That the Republican party continues to pretend to treat Palin seriously only compounds this problem.

FloridaSteve said...

Sure because why take the word of the person who was actually there making the decision when there are enormously biased writers and producers to lean on. Pulease...

1775OGG said...

Ok, that's your question! Mine would be to ask why McCain picked Gov. Palin yet his staff did much to denigate her and to not allow her to shine, rather they, the campaign staff, acted to prevent her from being shown as a credible candidate for VP? McCain's waffling lost him the election, that along with his stupid break to head back to DC where he appeared to be a lump in the road, one easily tamped down.

Mark O said...

If it's accuracy you're after then the correct phrasing is neither the movie nor John McCain [was] perfectly accurate. "

What special powers of divination do you wield out there in Wisconsin to know better?

Tim said...

“There are a lot of Americans still turned off of the Democratic party when they saw how little interest and seriousness its voters and the Democratic party put in picking a nominee who was actually qualified to be President.

If they would gamble on the country's future for the chance to win an election, clearly they care more about their own party than this country.

That the Democratic party continues to pretend to treat Obama seriously only compounds this problem.”


Fixed.

mishu said...

There are a lot of Americans still turned off of the Republican party when they saw how little interest and seriousness McCain and the Republican party put in picking a VP who was actually qualified to be President.

There are a lot of Americans still turned off of the Democrat party when they saw how little interest and seriousness Democrat party put in picking a candidate who was actually qualified to be President.

Likewise I'm sure.

rcocean said...

McCain actually wanted Libermann as his VP was intent on forcing this Democrat VP (he was Gore's running mate) on the GOP.Goldberg and Kristol all ready to support the choice.

Its only when it became clear that several state delegates might walk out of the GOP convention if Lieberman was selected that McCain relented.

This unexpected opposition threw McCain and team into a panic which resulted in the hurried selection of Palin.

IRC, McCain wrapped up the nomination in March 2008. That Palin was a 'Hurried' choice in August 2008 shows what a dunderhead he wa.

Tim said...

"I get the feeling that neither the movie nor John McCain were perfectly accurate."

That's insightful.

rcocean said...

Good to know the Sunday talk shows still have McCain on.

Nice to know I'm not missing anything.

Patrick said...

Thanks for taking care of the fix, Tim. Saved me from having to do it.

rcocean said...

Its been 4 years since Palin was nominated and they're still hating and attacking her.

Anyhoo, its good we're going to nominate Santorum or Romney, 'cause the Liberal MSM really respects them and won't attack them and destroy their reputation - like Palin.

We dodged that bullet.

Ann Althouse said...

"were" should be "was." Corrected (before seeing the comment suggesting a correction).

As for why I "get the feeling"... because neither the lines in the movie nor McCain's words seem like the way real people think and act.

Yeah, McCain was there. That doesn't mean he's telling the 100% truth.

"I thought that she was best qualified person." No way that's true!

Unless you ask a question like "Best qualified for what?"

Andy said...

Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search.

Don't embarrass yourself by comparing the two.

Andy said...

"I thought that she was best qualified person." No way that's true!

He has to lie because the real explanation is too embarrassing. You would think a politician would be better at lying, i.e. coming up with a lie that was remotely credible.

rcocean said...

Since the VP does nothing, he/she only has to meet that job requirement.

Andy said...

Since the VP does nothing, he/she only has to meet that job requirement.

Yes, we understand that Republicans thought this was the standard by which Palin was qualified.

The rest of America realized that sometimes the VP has to take over and assume the position of President.

Darury said...

Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search.

You got that reversed. And you really think Joe "Big F'n Deal" Biden is qualified to be president?

SteveR said...

Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search.

Don't embarrass yourself by comparing the two.


Well that's just stupid

Tim said...

"Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search."

The only people who vetted Obama are those who voted against him.

His vacuous record as an affirmative action admit, community organizer, affirmative action law-firm hire, law-school instructor, backbencher in the Illinois State Senate, immediate candidate for president once elected to the US Senate is only confirmed by a complete absence of transcripts, any effectively organized community, legal cases, legal scholarship, Illinois legislation or US legislation of note.

Don't embarrass yourself by pretending Obama was nearly half as qualified for the presidency than even the silky pony, John Edwards.

Jason said...

Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search.

Nah, Palin wasnt vetted at all during the 2008 campaign.

Apparently you were too busy bowing at the altar and pillars of Obama than paying attention to any of the media coverage during the summer of 2008.

Andy said...

Nah, Palin wasnt vetted at all during the 2008 campaign.

I'm talking about before she was chosen as VP.

I am comparing the process that chose Obama as the Democratic Presidential candidate (a heavily contested primary) and the process that chose Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate (a google search).

Is that clear?

Jason said...

I get the feeling that neither the movie nor John McCain was perfectly accurate.

While Im sure McCain wasnt perfectly accurate, this movie was made by a network that has a socialist hosting a political talk show every week. I didnt see a minute of it, nor needed to to know how Palin and McCain were portrayed.

chickelit said...

The only people with lingering PDS are bigoted gays, bigoted feminists, and Cedarford.

Jason said...

I am comparing the process that chose Obama as the Democratic Presidential candidate (a heavily contested primary) and the process that chose Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate (a google search).

Is that clear?


So being a governor doesnt qualify you for VP of the United States?

Alrighty then.

madAsHell said...

You can't doubt them...They are advancing the agenda.

At the risk of being redundant, Andy with the hat is an idiot.

Andy said...

So being a governor doesnt qualify you for VP of the United States?

Ask Rick Perry.

greenlantern said...

The lesson of the 2008 general election is to vet your campaign staff. They took a candidate with an 80%+ approval rating, a solid track record as a competent executive, who was run through the ringer of an incompetent, slimy backstabbing campaign and all for the biggest FAIL in the history of politics. Their final revenge is Game Change where only Nicole Wallace and Steve Schmidt, inexplicably(!) ended up being the only ones who came off looking good.

Chef Mojo said...

Is that clear?

No, Andy. It is most certainly not clear, especially since it's a bald face lie on your part. We still know next to nothing about Obama's background. He had far fewer executive qualifications than Palin. His academic records are sealed, unprecedented in modern presidential history. He is a smooth talking cypher. It is not clear at all what his qualitative background is.

Seriously man; enlighten us as to Obama's qualifications versus Palin's. Show us just how qualified your coke snorting god is to hold the office he continually disgraces.

Vetted, my ass. The Democrat Party was so busy raping, er, vetting Hillary that by the time it was all over they were left with a stuttering fool who couldn't speak a complete sentence without a teleprompter running around all 57 states patronizing the population with empty platitudes. The Party was so thrilled to have a semi-articulate black man, that they didn't bother to vet him. Based solely on his giving a single speech at a previous convention, they handed the nomination to Obama on a silver platter because he managed not to stick his foot in his mouth and his dick where he shouldn't.

Barack Obama was vetted? Like hell he was.

Andy said...

Barack Obama was vetted? Like hell he was.

Fox News and the McCain campaign had plenty of time to do whatever vetting they thought was necessary.

And then Obama won the election.

It seems that the Republicans are planning to make this campaign about Obama's mysterious secretive high school transcripts and the recently unearthed video that shows Obama hugging a black man(!).

We'll see how that works out for the Republicans.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

I have to give Palin credit for the outstanding economic speech she gave last summer (I think it was in Iowa). She perfectly analyzed the economic problems in this country. Based on that speech, I probably would have supported her for President.

Chef Mojo said...

Ask Rick Perry.

Big difference between qualifications and winning votes. Of course Perry is qualified, as was Palin.

And Palin got just as many votes as McCain did. Damn near half the country thought she was qualified, Andy. In fact, so many people thought she was qualified that McCain jumped over Obama in polling after he chose her.

But you keep fucking that chicken, boy.

rcocean said...

"The rest of America realized that sometimes the VP has to take over and assume the position of President."

Yeah, thank God for Joe Biden.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Andy, why do you support Obama? He hates the gays.

JohnBoy said...

Good example of double standards: John Edwards was considered qualified but Palin wasn't.

rcocean said...

I'll never forget how Joe Biden destroyed that ignorant slut in the 2008 VP debate.

Oh, wait...

a psychiatrist who learned from veterans said...

@ rcocean

I don't know how Kristol and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern got to be everyman's messengers for McCain but apparently they did. Kristol has apparently some pluses and minuses in his views of American politics. He loves Americans as an exotic species. He found Palin to be quintessentially American and charming, and I suppose he passed that along to McCain.

rcocean said...

I think we'd all agree that all conservative candidates should give long interviews with CBS - with CBS having full power to edit them anyway they want.

After all, CBS is the Republican's friend. Even Dan Rather knew that. And McCain's campaign staff.

Chef Mojo said...

John Edwards was considered qualified but Palin wasn't.

Great point. How about it, Andy? Was Edwards more qualified than Palin?

Edwards came within one state of being VP, and would would be running for president this year if he had. A scum sucking son of a bitch like Edwards, fucking the strange while his sainted wife is dying.

Do you think Edwards was vetted? It took the National Enquirer going against the full might of the MSM to get the vetting done that should have been done during the campaign, but wasn't because the oh-so-principled members of the media decided to sit on what they knew.

rcocean said...

Bill Kristol is friendly guy. As long as you share his foreign policy positions and like Bill Kristol.

Andy said...

Sarah Palin was an idiot who knew nothing about the world outside of the United States and almost nothing about the country outside of Alaska.

Apparently it is possible to win a gubernatorial race in Alaska with these qualities. That does not mean she is qualified to be President.

Chef Mojo said...

Simply put, the "qualification" non-issue is the fig leaf used by Democrats to justify the horrid, shameful and unprecedented hatefest they unleashed on Palin.

It was, and is a myth ginned up to keep a qualified woman out of the White House who wasn't a Democrat.

Chef Mojo said...

Sarah Palin was an idiot who knew nothing about the world outside of the United States and almost nothing about the country outside of Alaska.

Bullshit, Andy. That's a lie and you know it. You have no evidence of that beyond selectively edited video and Democrat talking points.

Idiots don't become governors of ANY state, regardless of party. And Alaska is not an insignificant state. Well, to you it is, I sure, Andy. What with all those snowbillies up there, right?

You do buy into that myth, too, right?

Chef Mojo said...

Andy, I bet you even buy into the "I can see Russia from my house" myth, too.

Chef Mojo said...

Here, Andy. Read up on why you're the idiot and not Palin. And, no; ignorance is not an excuse on your part. 

Funny what happens when chunks of interview are left on the cutting room floor by feckless "journalists."

Darrell said...

Or you see what really happened here.

Steve Koch said...

Why would anybody spend money on this movie? It sounds so boring. This snoozer will be a loser at the box office. "Nailin' Palin" is much better (I'm told).

The only reason to make it was that maybe the lefties thought Palin would be the 2012 GOP prez nominee. Strange. Andy Rooney would have been good as McCain (especially before Andy died).

The point of the Obama nomination is that he was the mystery candidate who was not vetted and had little record to attack (and the lefty media did their absolute best to keep it that way). Has there ever been a less serious, worse prepared prez than Obama? He was a nice looking, smooth talking affirmative action candidate with zero credibility as a potential prez. Obama is/was Chauncey Gardiner. That was enough for the Althouse's of the USA.

Chef Mojo said...

But, let's leave aside Andy's ignorance for a moment. He's young, and the young tend to be idiotic about things they don't understand, and to be swayed by their insular, little cultures and cliques.

What's your excuse, Althouse?

"I thought that she was best qualified person." No way that's true!

Unless you ask a question like "Best qualified for what?"


I assume for Vice President. McCain's answer makes perfect sense. He chose who he felt was best qualified to be his political running mate; someone who could light a fire under his candidacy and rally conservatives to him. If he chose her simply because she's a hottie and he looked good beside her, then that's reason enough

There hasn't been a single modern vice presidential selection by either party that hasn't been purely strategic and calculated, usually to nail down a needed state or to shore up a perceived weakness in the presidential candidate. Presidential candidates are notorious for not giving a rat's ass about the actual qualifications of their running mates; only how they can use them to their advantage politically.

Palin worked wonders for McCain's campaign. That cannot be denied. It was an astute choice.

So, was Palin qualified to be VP? That answer is brutally simple. The only qualifications are those required by the Constitution. Palin met those qualifications. Nowhere in the Constitution does it require that a presidential or vice presidential candidate hold advanced degrees in law or foreign policy or a college degree at all. It doesn't require that you know who the Second Minister of Cultural Affairs of Senegal is. You and Andy don't get to dictate who is or isn't qualified beyond expressing it through your vote, because the Constitution does that job, very elegantly and to the point.

rcocean said...

LBJ and Bush I were two of the most "qualified" VPs ever, ever. And look how that worked out.

Teddy Roosevelt had 2 years experience as NY Governor. Truman was thought as a corrupt hick from Missouri. Coolidge had a couple years as Massachusetts Governor.

If McCain wanted experience he should have chosen Bob Dole, now there's a qualified VP!

Alex said...

Tell me why Dan Quayle was more qualified to be VP then Sarah Palin.

bagoh20 said...

Except for the qualified part - which apparently is irrelevant now - the rest of what he said seems accurate.

She was an effective and successful governor. She did excite the party, and I believe that, like many of us, McCain did want to see people like her succeed in politics.

She was better qualified than Obama, but his VP was so bad they never compared her to Biden.

In fact, the combined qualifications of the Dem ticket were that at least one of them was "clean and articulate". Perfect for the job of maître d'.

Alex said...

What are we really talking about here? Is it because Al Gore set such a stunning standard for VP or something?

Chef Mojo said...

Truman was thought as a corrupt hick from Missouri.

Truman was a corrupt hick from Missouri, but that's beside the point. Being a corrupt machine politician was the real point. The nominating process was very different in 1944. Truman rose through the Kansas City boss system, and was a consummate politician. He was nominated through the boss system as well. History has judged Truman rather well.

Alex said...

I guess the point is that in the modern era the VP is expected to be a foreign policy expert. That's why Dan Quayle was a joke in 1988 and almost sunk Bush Sr. That's why Dubya chose Cheney, rock solid all around. Best VP since Bush Sr.

bagoh20 said...

I know the conventional memory is that Palin came out of nowhere, which she did compared to a bunch ancient white haired dudes known for doing very little with a lot, but I distinctly remember her being kind of The News concerning women in politics at the time, especially when you're talking conservative women, who the press ignores unless they are denigrating.

I considered her in the top five possible choices before McCain chose her, and I thought she WAS a Game Changer, which she was. But of course the first half-Black President was game changer too, so it kind of was the best McCain could do in that category.

I don't think anyone could have changed the election of Obama in 2008. It was irresistible to a nation obsessed with race and appearances. We're beyond that now, right?

rcocean said...

"I guess the point is that in the modern era the VP is expected to be a foreign policy expert."

Yeah, I guess that's why Agnew, Mondale, Rockefeller, Gore, and Biden were chosen. Foreign experts all.

Gary Rosen said...

"Tell me why Dan Quayle was more qualified to be VP then Sarah Palin."

Quayle hell, how about Geraldine Ferraro? Of course she was picked to run for VP *only* because she was obviously the most qualified candidate, the fact she was a woman had nothing to do with it bwahahahahaha. The Dems had an excuse though, they knew they were going to get slaughtered by Reagan so why not do a little shameless pandering?

In any case I'm shocked, shocked to hear that someone might have taken politics into consideration when pikcing their running mate.

Andy said...

So, was Palin qualified to be VP? That answer is brutally simple. The only qualifications are those required by the Constitution. Palin met those qualifications. Nowhere in the Constitution does it require that a presidential or vice presidential candidate hold advanced degrees in law or foreign policy or a college degree at all.

The Republican party under Sarah Palin reaches it's absurd but logical conclusion.

Or the commenter is too dumb to understand the difference between eligible and qualified.

Gary Rosen said...

Chef Mojo, that is a terrific series of posts on this subject and the general subject of VP selection. You know your history and your politics.

Palladian said...

One shouldn't call other people dumb when one can't correctly choose between a contraction and a possessive pronoun.

Gary Rosen said...

"the process that chose Obama as the Democratic Presidential candidate (a heavily contested primary)"

Hillary outpolled BO in those primaries (there were actually more than one, believe it or not). That must be why they are called "Democrats" bwahahaha.

Bruce Hayden said...

I think that the big problem with what Andy is saying is that instead of vetting Obama, the MSM did just the opposite - they suppressed what they knew about him. Just this last week, we finally saw the video of Obama hugging and singing praises of Derek Bell, who was as odious as Rev. Wright. And, apparently, the Breitbart people have more to show us.Every time one of these odious people from Obama's past would surface, the MSM, Journalist, et al., would very quickly change the subject.

Every time the subject of Palin's qualifications comes up, we ask, what exactly were Obama's, besides that he was a clean black? Because, of course, as we find out, he had none, whatsoever. At least Palin had some executive experience AND was only running for VP. Obama had no relevant experience, whatsoever, and was running for President.

So, then we have Andy, et al., very quickly try to change the subject from Obama's abject lack of experience to be anything more than a city alderman or dog catcher, to the silly assertion that he was vetted. Vetted? How could they vet him, if they had wanted to, which the MSM decidedly did not want to?

Keep in mind though that this was all intentional. Obama voted "present" on the rare occasions when he managed to make it to the Senate to vote, on the express orders of his handlers. They were explicitly and intentionally grooming a cypher to run for President. One of those handlers was apparently Tom Daschle, after losing his Senate reelection bid, who would have been Obama's HHS Secretary, if he had only paid his taxes.

Andy said...

Every time one of these odious people from Obama's past would surface, the MSM, Journalist, et al., would very quickly change the subject.

Why do you think that Fox News didn't report on the scandalous (!) video showing Obama hugging a black man?

Bruce Hayden said...

I guess the point is that in the modern era the VP is expected to be a foreign policy expert. That's why Dan Quayle was a joke in 1988 and almost sunk Bush Sr. That's why Dubya chose Cheney, rock solid all around. Best VP since Bush Sr.

Don't remember the backstory behind Dan Quayle, but Cheney was definitely brought in for his foreign relations experience, as well as his experience with the military and in Washington. While GWB was reasonably comfortable with the executive side of the job, he realized that we was weak in these other areas. Cheney was in charge of vetting VP candidates, and finally, at one point, GWB realized that Cheney had the qualifications that he was using to filter for a VP, and asked him, why not? And, yes, it was a great pick, turning out even better than expected when we were attacked on 9/11.

The worry at the time though was that though Cheney would be a great VP, if Bush were elected, Cheney wouldn't bring in any electoral votes, whatsoever. So, the risk that Bush took there was in trading off the superior VP against the chance of losing the election because he didn't pick someone who could bring in a swing state or two. And, we all know how that turned out, with the election ultimately going up to the Supreme Court.

Still don't know why Obama picked Biden though. Like Cheney, he wasn't going to bring in any swing states. And, he was a known flake and faker, with an extremely tenuous grasp on reality, making up facts as he went along.

And, maybe the reason was that, like with Bush and Cheney, Obama would be safe from assassination or removal because his replacement would be so horrific for the other side.

But, of course, Biden's continual fabrications, misstatements, etc. were covered up by the MSM that was supposed to be vetting him, just as they were doing for Obama.

Penny said...

Didn't watch Fox News Sunday.

Never have watched the fox on a Sunday. ;)

Had my eyes on that Greek dinosaur, Stephalopagus.

George Will wasn't there, but he did have Mary Magdaline and Jack tap tap tap - Edgar Alan Poe - Tapper, plus that guy who used to be important in NY until he "tapped it"? Forgot his name?

No matter.

But no WILL?

Chef Mojo said...

I do believe that if quoted Lenin to Andy R., he would start mumbling, "I am the Walrus..."

Andy, eligibility is qualification. As your betters have pointed out here, Palin's political qualities have not differed from the norm historically for either party, and in many cases have exceeded the norm.

Here, go look up these guys, and compare them to Palin: Sparkman (1952), Kefauver (1956), Miller (1964), Agnew & Muskie (1968), Eagleton (1972), Ferraro (1984).

And pay particular attention to Ferraro. You might learn something. I doubt it, but you might.

Yes, I'm condescending to you, Andy. You've earned it.

Revenant said...

That's why Dan Quayle was a joke in 1988 and almost sunk Bush Sr.

Um... Bush won 53.4 to 45.7.

No Presidential candidate since -- not Clinton, not Bush Jr, not Obama -- has gotten that big a share of the popular vote, although Obama came close.

Which just goes to show that VP picks don't matter all that much. People vote for the Presidential candidate.

Bruce Hayden said...

Why do you think that Fox News didn't report on the scandalous (!) video showing Obama hugging a black man?

Because it was being actively suppressed and hidden, as admitted by at least one of those doing so this last week.

And Bell wasn't just any black man. He was one of the leading lights and originators of black liberation theory. And, the guy who got fired from Harvard, which was not an easy thing for a tenured black professor to do. The hug itself wouldn't have been too bad, but if the MSM had been doing their job, it would have been combined with Bell going off on evil whitey. Combined with Rev. Wright's sermons, Bell's speaches could have been a scathing and chilling indictment of Obama's political philosophy and background. But, of course, Obama got away with claiming he never listened to Wright's sermons in the 20 years he attended the church, and Bell didn't even make anyone's radar, so well was his connection to Obama hidden.

bgates said...

Bell wasn't just any black man

To Andy, they all look alike.

Alex said...

Andy - I'm so touched by your concern for the Republican party.

Gary Rosen said...

"Bell wasn't just any black man

To Andy, they all look alike."

Zing!

Gary Rosen said...

"Um... Bush won 53.4 to 45.7"

Rev, you gotta stop letting these "facts" step all over the narrative. Haven't you heard about post-modern journalism?

Andy said...

Andy - I'm so touched by your concern for the Republican party.

To be honest, it's self interest. I'm concerned about how bad it will be for the country when one party's primary electoral strategy is race-baiting.

Palladian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...

To be honest, it's self interest. I'm concerned about how bad it will be for the country when one party's primary electoral strategy is race-baiting.

We've all been concerned about this... What else does the Democrat party have going for them, though, aside from fomenting racial division?

Penny said...

Is this when I'm supposed to notice the Democrat's gender sensitivity, and the Republican's astonishment at being played like a horny old man?

Penny said...

Cause if it is? I need my money up front.

Who the hell'd believe this crap script?

edutcher said...

Someone tell Hatman that any serious question about GodZero's past, abilities, or intentions once elected were shelved by the media too busy cheerleading Hopenchange.

As for Junior, at one point after the campaign, he joined in the dissing of Mrs Palin.

Fine thing for an Annapolis man.

Andy R. said...

Sarah Palin was an idiot who knew nothing about the world outside of the United States and almost nothing about the country outside of Alaska.

The same and worse can be said of Zero and Chicago.

Chip Ahoy said...

Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search

Somebody actually said that?

* checks *

Oh. Ha ha ha ha ha.

machine said...

How is it then that with every interview Palin's numbers went south?

And please don't blame the "media"...

Mitt is just like her too...every time he speaks, he is less well liked.

Tank said...

Andy is concerned about the Dem's using race baiting?

LOL.

That's all he ever does.

He's the number one anti Catholic anti white men commenter in the Althouse universe.

Matt Sablan said...

"Obama went through a lengthy primary and vetting process. Palin got a cursory google search."

Wrong; Palin was on several people's lists as a potential person because she was a successful governor of Alaska who fought corruption in her own party.

Rusty said...

Penny said...


Who the hell'd believe this crap script?




Apparently the proggs think it's a documentary.
Therefore everything in it MUST be the truth.
Michael Moore said so.

Lauderdale Vet said...

To be honest, I thought McCain chose Palin because she fit his Maverick meme. I thought they were a good fit, in that regard. They inspired the same part of me that voted for Perot, back in the day and much to my chagrin. That part of me remains unsatisfied; the urge to "throw the bums out" and raze Washington at the voting both gets stronger with each passing day.

Matt Sablan said...

"Still don't know why Obama picked Biden though. Like Cheney, he wasn't going to bring in any swing states. And, he was a known flake and faker, with an extremely tenuous grasp on reality, making up facts as he went along."

It was Biden or Hillary Clinton, and Obama holds grudges.

Matt Sablan said...

I wonder, if Game Change had been about the parts with Hillary Clinton and Obama, if it would have gotten as much press.

I wonder who would get to play Harry Reid in his now famous quote about Obama's qualifications.

Hagar said...

Lest anyone misunderstands my first comment, I think Sarah Palin is a great deal more "qualified" to be president of these United States than John McCain.

But no one knew that at the time.

Brian Brown said...

Andy R. said...
So being a governor doesnt qualify you for VP of the United States?

Ask Rick Perry.


Huh? Who is saying Rick Perry is not qualified? Or is today just yet another day when you stupidly drool out words that you don't understand?

PS: Obama did not have any resume of executive experience in the private or public sector. He had completed only 1 term as a state senator and was still in his first term as an U.S. senator.

Which means he was not qualified according to your dipstick standard.

MadisonMan said...

Still don't know why Obama picked Biden though

You have to pick someone.

I maintain -- and always have, it was one of my first comments on Palin -- that McCain made a fatal error in picking for VP someone who would outshine him.

Do that, and the people that are loyal to you in the campaign will work to undermine your choice. I'm not certain that that's what actually happened, but it fits, perhaps, the narrative.

Triangle Man said...

"I thought that she was best qualified person." No way that's true!


No one is mentioning the internet buzz that surrounded Palin. I don't know who started it, but the nascent blogosphere brought her to my attention as an intriguing "anti-establishment" Republican.

Triangle Man said...

I maintain -- and always have, it was one of my first comments on Palin -- that McCain made a fatal error in picking for VP someone who would outshine him.

I don't think he anticipated that she would. McCain the Senator was much more impressive than McCain the candidate. Whatever political dynamic drove him to the strategy he eventually adopted took a lot of the shine off for me.

cubanbob said...

Andy R your level of stupidity isn't natural. Please tell us what brand of Atomic Bomb Grade Stupidity pills you take three times a day?

Obama bin Biden, now there is a team of uber-competence and brilliance! The problem for comedy writters, actors and stand up comedians is that even if they were inclined to do so it's impossible to mock them better than they mock themselves.

damikesc said...

How is it then that with every interview Palin's numbers went south?

And please don't blame the "media"...

Mitt is just like her too...every time he speaks, he is less well liked.


Ironically, Obama has had the identical problem for years now.

Lombardi Chick said...

Tell me why Dan Quayle was more qualified to be VP then Sarah Palin.

3/12/12 12:41 AM


Tell me why Joe "FDR Got On Television When The Stock Market Crashed" Biden was/is. He's not an idiot?

I really don't understand how a party that selected Joe Biden to be a heartbeat away from the presidency has any room to ridicule the intelligence of any Republican, let alone a successful governor.

And while we're at it, someone please tell the brilliant Mr. Obama that Austrian isn't a language, and explain to him how automobile insurance works.

Mutnodjmet said...

WAR!: In "Dangerous Liaisons", the Glenn Close character is being bullied into sexual submission by the one played by John Malkovitch. She DOES NOT roll over and take it. She DOES NOT compromise. A three-prong battle strategy to counter the elite media and Obama's minions is provided at the link. We are in TOTAL WAR.

Kirk Parker said...

Bruce Hayden,

Biden == impeachment insurance. Bingo!

Love said...

Lombardi Chick - People all make bizarre comments (and mistakes) from time to time, but to try to compare Sarah Palin's life and government experience to Joe Biden is laughable at best.

Here's a good one from someone YOU voted for...twice:

"I know the human being and the fish can coexist peacefully."
G.W.

Matt said...

Lombardi Chick
I'll grant you Obama has made some verbal gaffes. But Bush made many more so let's not go there.

yashu said...
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yashu said...

"But Bush made many more"

Or, the MSM made much more of them.

Kansas City said...

It was amazing how haphazzard the selection process was on Palin. I think Rcocean is correct that McCain wanted Leiberman. Yet, the process shows that McCain really is not too smart and probably would have been a mediocre or worse president. Of course, Palin contributed to the problem with her weak performance in television interviews. McCain reasonably could have expected more.

But the questioning was fascinating. Ann is not giving McCain enough credit for his answer. He artfully provided his definition of "qualifed" ("excite our base, etc.") and, technically, was not "lying."

Even more fascinating was when This Week showed Nicole Wallace the scene of Palin and Wallace arguing over the Couric interview and Wallace essentially confirmed the accuracy of the scene. Wallace came across as a very engaging woman (and smart), but she sure did a dumb thing in recommending the Couric interview and then an incredibly disloyal thing in talking bad about Palin.

walter said...
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walter said...

"how little interest and seriousness McCain and the Republican party put in picking a VP who was actually qualified to be President."

To be "fair", it was against the choice of the Dems proposing an unqualified person at the top of their ticket. Biden, buffoon he is, was more "qualified" than Obama. Two men! War on women!
But then, folks put the economy in the hands of someone who promised to skyrocket electricity costs. It was a magical time.