From a retired Air Force Colonel friend of mine. From classmate Bill Mitchell. Well said.
Mike
For 2 Cents…My thoughts…..
This is unquestionably a risky choice, but I think it has its elements of brilliance.
It’s unorthodox and exciting.
Experience:
She actually has more DECISION-MAKING, EXECUTIVE experience (in spite of her short term) than Obama.
A governor needs to run a budget and get it through a legislature. He has zero experience in either business or executive government.
But if experience is the issue (and bring it on), we need to focus on the candidates for President, not VP. There is no contest here.
Outsider/Maverick:
McCain has always been the maverick shit-disturber, and she might just be his soul-mate on this. The woman is fearless.
She has been fighting corruption in Alaska and winning, including cleaning out Republicans and Democrats alike.
She’s known as a reformer in her state.
Her No Beltway Experience can be perceived as an asset.
Big Oil:
She shitcanned all the American “big oil” firms in an ethical purge of Alaskan oil interests.
She chaired an ethics committee that restructured the oil interests in Alaska .
She has appointed Democrats, Independents and others to various committees.
Women Vote:
She’s a “hockey mom” with 5 kids. Working mothers of America will relate. She’s 44….Perfect.
This woman, Governor of Alaska, drives her own car. She has a shitload of speeding tickets.
She hunts. She eats moose. She’s a life member of the NRA.
Her husband is a fisherman. A union man. She’s got blue-collar roots.
She wants to drill, big-time. She was a goddam Beauty Queen for crissakes
She’s pro-life…..so what…There are millions of women out there who support that. The Catholic Bishops of America will rally for her.
She also is somewhat of a libertarian…She has no problem with gay rights…
She has that “no bullshit”, “salt-of-the-earth” persona that just might catch the imagination of America .
She has proven that she “walks the talk”.
She has 80% support in Alaska ….That is statistically HUGE.
And she will definitely solidify (and even energize) the “far right” of the GOP including the evangelicals.
She has one house. Nuff said….This irrelevant “number of houses” bullshit drives me crazy.
Bottom line, she may attract a significant percentage of the Hillary crossover vote.
VP Debate:
This VP debate may be critical for her. It should be interesting.
I think Biden will have to be very careful here…Overbearing by the loquacious one could backfire.
Both of their sons are headed for Iraq …We'll see….
Leadership:
McCain understands leadership, from the military to the political arenas.
His judgment is that she’s got the leadership chops.
She has been able to connect across parties politically and confront big business successfully in her state.
The Ticket:
In the end, it’s about the TOP of the ticket.
We're voting for President, not VP. The important vote is for President, and that is where we need to focus.
In that, the choice is obvious.
WBM
