The Vagina Vote

All the pundits are scratching their heads over John McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his choice for Vice President. I suppose in some ways that it makes some sort of sense. I can picture McCain thinking, "Boy, I'll show them I'm a real maverick by doing something incredibly stupid and at the same time shoring up support with the looney right wing and with women."

Unfortunately for McCain, this choice absolutely neutralizes his most effective line of attack against Obama, specifically, Obama's lack of experience on the national and world stage. you should note that the choice of vice president has been practically irrelevant in recent years. Sure, John Kennedy picked the powerful Texas Senator Lyndon John as his VP, but can anyone say they voted for George H.W. Bush because he picked Indian's Dan Quayle? Do you remember how Lloyd Bentson absolutely mopped the floor with Quayle when he unleashed his famous statement, " Senator, I knew John Kennedy, and you're no John Kennedy!" Bush won.

So McCain's choice of Palin is both interesting but, at best, irrelevant. At worst, it could be a "Tom Eagleston" type of pick with Palin under investigation in her home state form certain improprieties. A reader sent me this interesting blog from a native Alaskan:

“Is this a joke?” That seemed to be the question du jour when my phone started ringing off the hook at 6:45am here in Alaska. I mean, we’re sort of excited that our humble state has gotten some kind of national ‘nod’….but seriously? Sarah Palin for Vice President? Yes, she’s a popular governor. Her all time high approval rating hovered around 90% at one point. But bear in mind that the 90% approval rating came from one of the most conservative, and reddest-of-the-red states out there. And that approval rating came before a series of events that have lead many Alaskans to question the governor’s once pristine image.

There is no doubt in my mind that many Alaskans are feeling pretty excited about this. But we live in our own little bubble up here, and most of the attention we get is because of The Bridge to Nowhere, polar bears, the indictment of Ted Stevens, and the ongoing investigation and conviction of the string of legislators and oil executives who literally called themselves “The Corrupt Bastards Club”.

OK. She's cute and looks good on TV. Ok. She knows how to use firearms. Ok. She's a mom with 5 kids, the youngest afflicted with Down Syndrome. Ok. She is not qualified to be vice-president. Ok. It is a blatant appeal to women and at the same time, to the Republican right wing.

But in this day and age, the candidate's choice of vice president doesn't matter.