Why is ANYBODY treating this Palin pick as "serious"?

[liberalpragmatist]

It's infuriating to see the cable news media treat this as if it's a serious pick -- "telling her story," asking whether this is "bold" and allowing every Republican hack recite their talking points. Even the NYT was oddly respectful towards her, saying they have "questions" about her experience.

McCain and Palin?! This is surreal. How anybody in the media -- including so-called liberals -- not laugh or express bafflement at this completely defies me.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. The only people treating the Palin pick as serious are GOP campaign consultants

. . . and nobody should take any campaign consultant seriously, least of all a Republican caonsultant, when he's talking to reporters.

[potone]

2. Not true.

Reporters are talking about her as a "maverick." It is incredible to me, but they are.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Those reporters are turning around and interviewing

Alex Costallanos and Michael Duhaime, two smooth-talking occupational liars.

[jkshaw]

3. I think McCain's campaign had stopped being anywhere

near serious when he chose Palin for his vice president. It is now, officially, a joke.

[Indiana_Dem]

4. Because the electorate voted Bush in TWICE, anything can happen...

We may laugh but she will bring out the Christian right out in droves around where I live! That scares me! But I will HOPE instead!

[Initech]

8. He didnt win twice.

The Supreme Court voted for us in 2000, by which one vote literally did count. And then in 2004 those damn voting machines voted for us.

[Indiana_Dem]

10. Well, that's true. I'm just sick of it. If it happens again, I don't know what I'm going to do! nt

[Initech]

5. Palin is going to be another Harriet Meirs.

[liberalmuse]

6. Because we can never underestimate stupidity.

Granted, there are many well-informed, intelligent Americans, but look at the evil clowns in the White House. How in the hell did that happen? Twice?! And why are Obama and McCain neck in neck? There's no question that Obama is the far superior candidate if you have half a brain. So that doesn't make sense unless you significantly lower the intelligence level of at least half of this country.

[Errrica]

9. Rachel Maddow

talking about Palin on MSNBC right now!
This should be good.

[uncle ray]

11. it might be serious.

it was good enough for james dobson to endorse mcain't. that fact alone could throw the race. colorado has a chance of going for obama, but it's close, dobson's endorsement will motivate thousands of colorado's evangelical voters. that alone could shift colorado to mccain. they are ready and willing to make abortion the issue this election.

just because the pick seems ridiculous to those of us who watch politics closely, don't assume the rest of the country will look at her so critically.

we need to keep up the fight through the election as if karl rove himself were picked as VP.

[Douglas Carpenter]

12. I remember myself and others scoffing at the suggestion that Ronald Reagan could every be elected

President.

I learned then and have witnessed time and again - not to underestimate the ability of people to be manipulated.

If the American people knew the truth and the media had been honest, Reagan would have certainly never, ever won.

[mwb970]

19. I was the same with bush.

I thought they would never nominate him. Then I thought they'd never elect him. (Partly right about that one.) Then I thought they'd never re-elect him.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I am forced to realize that the American people are even more stupid and sheeplike than I had given them (dis)credit for. So you're right, McCain/Palin could easily win in a landslide, despite (or indeed because of) their manifest lack of qualifications.

[riverdeep]

13. Because now the media has a race again.

Any news that is unexpected is good for them. They also fear taking an opinion resoundingly unfavorable to the Republicans for seeming biased. Didn't stop them with Gore or Kerry, but that's another story.

Even though this pick undermines everything he ever said about how he cares about national security, and many other things, even though this is staring rational people in the face, we live in bizzaro world, where Condi is a brilliant strategist, and Obama being popular is a bad thing.

[bob615]

14. Palin choice may be genius

Cons are a lot of things but they aren't stupid. Palin's experience is already being compared to Obama's. The debate will go on for a while then she will withdraw and an "experienced" far right candidate will take her place. I think they believe its a pretty good risk to make their case that Obama is not qualified. I think the Dem strategists know this but the media will do McCain's bidding as always. These guys can't govern but they know how to win. I just wonder if Palin is in on it or she really thinks she's their girl.

[riverdeep]

15. You really think having to withdraw the Vice Presidential nominee

is sign of an intelligent campaign? That the first important decision the potential GOP president made was so bad they had to do it over? Is he going to get a do-over with Iran? Think Putin is going to let him get a do-over?

[toddGA]

18. You may be right...

I've been watching the nightly re-runs of larry king and anderson cooper, and this is precisely what they are doing. the right-wing response to every question about her qualification is that Obama's even less experienced, and HE'S the one running for president. i smell Rove here, even if he took shots at her before.

[mwb970]

20. People here always say that so-and-so is going to "withdraw".

But they never do. Has this ever actually happened?

[galledgoblin]

16. initial shock

it was an excellent play- at first. now that the "waitwha?"-ness of the decision has begun to wear off, people are figuring out what a joke this ticket is.

[liberalpragmatist]

17. I'm laughing just thinking about it

Seriously. And I'm not even with anyone right now -- I'm by myself.

Yet I'm cracking up just thinking about how absurd this pick is. This has to be one of the most baffling decisions in the history of presidential campaigns.

[Faction]

21. If she is absurd, what does that make Obama?

She has led a state for two years while Obama has been busy voting "present" at his job...

Uh-huh...

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. TROLL ALERT!!!

[Disturbed]

24. "Present" means a no vote.

Palin is Anti_Abortion even in cases of Rape &/or Incest. She wants Creationism taught in Public Schools. Those two issues should turn off all Dems & Independents.

John McCain embraces GW Bush & his failed policies.

The short list

For overturning Rove v Wade

Iraq,

Top end tax cuts

Privatization of Social Security

Unraveling employer based health care,

Cuban embargo.

Illegal Spying on Americans

Busholini Policy of Torture

Against new GI Bill

Offshore oil drilling

Big Tax Breaks for Oil Corps

Denying Habeous Corpus

[orleans]

26. (gaze into my crystal ball--i will predict your future)

[Golden Raisin]

23. I feel your pain

but after the last 7 years of Bush and the Neocons absolutely nothing shocks or surprises me anymore. And the "media" are nothing but a semi-official propaganda office for the band of thugs McCain is supposed to succeed, paid for and pimped out at will by big corporate interests.

[old mark]

25. CNN is very excited, but they are bought and paid for. nt