doubleplusundead

August 29, 2008

My Meaningless Take On The Palin Selection

While some prominent conservative bloggers are disappointed at the Palin pick, and worried that Gov. Palin may become Geraldine Ferraro Redux, one thing I noticed today that has been lacking on our side of the aisle for a long while is back:

Excitement and Energy.

Hell, just look at the comment and traffic activity here, at Moron Central, and elsewhere. This move has excited many in the base of the Party to actually (gasp) kinda, just maybe, don't look twice, support McCain.

Also, I tip my hat to Maverick for being ballsy enough to eschew the Conventional Wisdom that picking another capable, though boring, white guy with ties to a "battleground state or area" was the wise move. He gambled on energy and buzz, and it is paying off in the short term. And all of this without pissing off a base that (myself included) already eyed Maverick with suspicion and caution.

Yeah, Pawlenty, Portman, Cantor, and Romney may very well have been wonkish Beltway approved picks, or ones that would have helped solidify states like Michigan or Ohio, but would they have generated this sort of buzz? Would they have been able to get more than a "meh. I guess I'll support him" from many in the base? Would my wife and that friend of mine I see at the playground with his daughters when I take my daughter to the park be talking about Romney tonight like he was Palin?

Why do I mention my wife? Here's why. She works in a secure office without TV, radio, or internet access. She didn't know about the Palin pick until she heard it in the car on the way home from her job. She immediately called me screaming, "Did you hear?!?!?" That is how excited she was over the Sarah Palin pick. If a person who really doesn't follow politics too much can get this excited, how many times over has that happened across America this afternoon and evening?

Hey, this race is tight, and McCain could have played it safe and gone for a boring pick. He didn't need to do a desperation pick, ala Mondale/Ferraro in 1984. But the Palin choice has rocked the campaign season to its core. No more proof is needed than the fact Team Obama seems on its heels for the first time since Jeremiah Wright became a household name.

Of course, I am writing this after settling my daughter down for bed and enjoying a nightcap to help me forget about my job. So who knows?

But well played, Senator McCain. Well played.

Posted by: eddiebear at 11:21 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1 It also stole the thunder from Obama's coronation last night in a way that the other possible VP picks couldn't have. I think the Obama campaign was counting on people buzzing about it for several days, and here, virtually nobody was talking about it at all just a day later.

Posted by: Sean M. at August 29, 2008 11:45 PM (e6v7s)

I'm sorry, but if the Powerline guys are disappointed, that's just more proof that it was an excellent pick. Those guys are pure establishment hacks like Hewitt -- I stopped reading them ages ago (actually one of them seemed OK, but I don't remember who's who over there).

As I've said before (in relation to K-Lo), those types aren't going anywhere ... they won't sit out, much less vote dem. With this pick, McCain hit all the right notes with those coservatives who might have sat out (from strong pro-lifers to small-l libertarians like me).

To go along with eddie's anecdote, my SO spent half the day online looking for information on Palin, and she's completely apolitical and probably wouldn't have bothered to vote before. She's more liberal than I am and she's thrilled and will most likely go to the polls for McCain now.

Posted by: Hermit Dave at August 29, 2008 11:57 PM (WhFvm)

3 I still read Powerline, but their constant pessimism is annoying. Yeah, they did yeoman ork in 2004 against Dan Rather, but they seem to be wanting to wrest the "Eeyorepundit" title away from Allah at Hot Air.

And their churlishness because their hometown boy Pawlenty didn't get it goes against their supposed maturity and education.

Posted by: eddiebear at August 30, 2008 12:09 AM (dwHgn)

4 Damn. I meant "work".

Posted by: eddiebear at August 30, 2008 12:10 AM (dwHgn)

I'm certainly willing to give them credit for their work on Rathergate. I remember them shilling for the Meirs SC pick, however, and then turning around and trying to give Bush credit for ending up with Alito and Roberts on the SC. If Bush hadn't been beaten back into line by actual conservatives, his picks would have sucked wind.

I like the Eyorepundit thing though ... describes Allah (another one I don't read anymore) to a T.

Posted by: Hermit Dave at August 30, 2008 12:17 AM (WhFvm)

6 ^yeah. I mean, what's with always wanting to lose? What does that prove?

And as for shilling for Miers, that was one of the first reasons I quit reading DJ Drummond when he still was at polipundit.

Posted by: eddiebear at August 30, 2008 12:24 AM (dwHgn)

7 As much as I respect the Powerline guys, their attitude of "we are wealthy, successful lawyers, so we are smarter and better than you" has always grated at me.

Posted by: eddiebear at August 30, 2008 12:26 AM (dwHgn)

8 I heard the news while driving to a friends for my mini-vacation and I actually started clapping. Which is hard to do while driving. This may be enough to get me to vote for McCain, though I'm sure he'll piss me off soon. But it is an excellent choice.

Posted by: alexthechick at August 30, 2008 10:52 AM (cR/DV)

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