Serious question: How does it help McCain if he's strongly overshadowed by Palin

[cali]

I'm trying to think of a presidential ticket where the vp nominee was so definatively the star attraction. I can't. Perhaps someone with a stronger background in presidential election politics can give an example.

Doesn't it make McCain look weak and ineffective to be second string when he's the nominee? I know they want to use her star power, but couldn't that backfire? And if they try and put her out of circulation, will that turn off undecideds? I don't think anything could turn off the puke base but they need more than the base to win.

In other words; can a PALIN/mccain ticket win?

[aquart]

1. Could she have won a primary?

If so, why didn't she run?

[Sherman A1]

2. It doesn't help him, but

Remember his age and work the numbers. Also consider that he had to pick her or someone of her leanings to satisfy the base of his party. So he was in trouble before being out of the gate in this race.

[radfringe]

3. she's the shield

-- he stays out of the line of fire, she's his shield. she takes the heat and the line becomes "mccain will be president not palin"

-- when the fire gets too hot, they portray her as a victim of sexism

[cali]

5. perhaps, but I think if it's Palin/McCain, they lose. it's a double edged

sword for McCain. He wants to capitolize on her popularity, but he can't afford to be viewed as a weak old fool on his own ticket.

[radfringe]

8. it's not his image being attacked - it's palin's

he can sit in the background and look above the fray


if he's attacked for "hiding behind a skirt" then the "IT'S SEXIST" excuse will be used

[cali]

9. It's not about attacks on either Palin or McCain. It's about the head of the

ticket being diminished by his vp nominee.

[radfringe]

10. if you can use it to show it's more of the same

i.e. current misadministration is really CHENEY-bush

perhaps "freudian slip" and refer to her as PRESIDENT Palin, and mccain as VICE-President McCain?

personally, I think going after them for their belittling remarks regarding Obama's community service has more traction. Get them to apologize publically

if Dems in Congress can get their act together - they should sponser a bill to commend and recognize all community organizations and people who work there

they postponed their convention for a day of "service", even had posters and backdrops designed just for that occassion. show how hypocritical they were to exploit a potential devestating event for political gain. Have they no shame?

[texasleo]

4. They can win by getting their base out and attracting undecided voters.

Their goal is to smear the hell out of Obama, forcing Obama to "smear" back. The undecideds may decide to stay at home, some may even go with McCain, the "comfortable choice."
They want a base vs. base campaign.
The way to fight that off is to make sure there are record turnouts from AA, young women, and Latinos.

[curious one]

6. It does not help him. BTW she a ticking bomb that can go off anytime.

[POAS]

7. tic tic tic

the clock is counting down. MSM is staring to show a modicum of courage on these Palin stories. With the blogs, the MSM and the tabloids I think the word about Palin is going to come out and the "silent" undecided fence sitting voters will fall to the left side of fence.

[Two Americas]

11. great point

It is odd, isn't it?

Jefferson? Tyler? Teddy Roosevelt?

Hard to see how Palin will not be the story through the whole campaign, and yes, overshadow McCain.

I figured it was a distraction. Red meat not for the base so much, but rather to enrage and distract Democrats and engage them in an entertaining cultural war so the public loses sight of the failures of the Republicans. If they can sucker us into attacking religion, or "trailer trash," or small town America they could generate a backlash against the Democrats.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. Yes, a PALIN/mccain ticket could win.

Which is why it's so important that the Democrats focus on McCain, and on the issues, and not on Palin - her personality is by far the strongest part of the ticket, and focussing attacks on her will be counterproductive, I suspect.