Less than twelve hours after Democratic presidential nomination Barack Obama made waves with his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, John McCain made tsunami with his selection of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as running mate. Palin was the youngest person ever, and the first woman to be elected to the Alaskan governate (in 2006), and previously served as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and on the City Council of that same town.
The blogosphere reacted swiftly to the news. Czech blogger the reference frame thinks McCain's choice of Palin improves his prospects:
Sarah Palin (44), the governor of Alaska, and her life surely look fascinating and she will probably make McCain's GOP ticket much stronger (and certainly much younger! McCain is 72 today) but some of her attitudes make it slightly less clear what is she doing in the Republican Party (besides whistleblowing). ;-)
The Cuban author of
Babalu Blog is clearly pleased with McCain's choice. Referring to Palin, she says:
She is a conservative Republican, pro-life, a free-trade capitalist, an NRA member. Oh, and she's a woman, if you missed that.
This should re-define the Obama's CHANGE slogan. The Republicans have a little change of their own up their sleeves, huh?
Russian blogger Laurence Jarvik wonders about the role gender will play in the election, saying:
At least McCain picked a fresh face…although how many Democratic women would cross party lines to vote for Sarah Palin is unclear. Ironic that Obama seems to be targeting the bitter white working class clinging to their guns, while McCain appears to be going after feminists.
Meanwhile, Turkish blogger talkturkey is annoyed that Palin's nomination has raised the gender card again:
Palin is a Governor, with executive branch experience, and brings a non-legislative approach to the race, since all three remaining males are Senators. But I am not sure if having a white female (and a virtual unknown) is going to persuade white women (possibly Hillary supporters — or whatever is left of them) to vote Republican instead of a man. Since it will still be a man at the top job . . .
In Kuwait, Teach the Masses is more interested in the example Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin have set for young women:
So history will be made: for the first time either a) a black American will be in the white house as president or b) a woman as Vice president.
All in all this is a good lesson for the girls in our schools- they have seen through Hillary Clinton and now Sarah Palin what a woman with an education can do.
Finally, Egyptian Chronicles reminds us of the fact that no matter what happens, this year's election is making history:
She was the surprise of the day and the evidence that this race of the American elections 2008 is one of the most interesting races ever. All People expected after the huge of celebration of Obama in the NDC and choosing a foreign policies vet like Joe Biden as his Vice that the race was over and the republicans got nothing new to offer , even the expectations on who would McCain’s vice were not interesting.
13 comments
why should the burden of Trig be placed on Bristol if she is pregnant? If a woman would turn her back on her children, especially a special needs baby, then what would she do if her role as vice president got tough. The truth about everything will come out because there is nothing done in darkness that will not be bought to light.
I am very pleased to see Sarah Palin as the nominated VP for the Republicans. Contrary to what the far-left say, she has an excellent track record and will make far better VP that that hot-air (talk under water) Joe Biden, who along with Obama voted against the surge. The main reason the Far Left hate her is because she is pro life. McCain will win in November and he can thank Sarah for helping to make it so.
Frank Bellet
Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Sarah Palin has a TERRIBLE record. She is a spend and borrow bureaucrat, and, even though her state has been doing very well in this time of high oil prices, she has been going after earmarks (and, of course, she was FOR the bridge to nowhere before she was against it and managed to keep the money for it to use elsewhere.)
She cares less about experience of the people around her and more about their loyalty (sound like a President we are dealing with now) and is being investigated for abuse of power. She left the little town she was mayor of $22m in debt (when it had no debt when she came in), trying to deal with the poor management of her main project which has cost $1m more to settle the title, she borrowed to pay for roads that Alaska could’ve paid for with a bond…
But – she is good to big oil – taxes went up 38% for the little guy but the corporations are doing better.
She hasn’t thought much about Iraq by the way (they will tell her what to think, I’m sure) and with the very real threat of war with Iran (Bomb bomb Iran McCain is in charge and, the news is that we are fighting a proxy war with Iran in Iraq right now.)
But – hey – economy sucks in the U.S., the middle class is carrying an ever increasing burden, everything is being privatized to much higher costs (that do not trickle down but stay with the CEO and Board) and our military is stretched so thin it can’t handle the situation it’s in now but…you know – she is pro-life so hey – bring it on.