So it is Palin

Well, I was wrong on the Republican pick for Vice President. John McCain apparently is going for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I'll have to give credit to the earlier comment, that guy called it.

That being said, this is an interesting pick by McCain. The most glaring part of this choice is Gov. Palin's lack of experience. Obama was hammered on this issue from the beginning, and it seemed to be one of McCain's main strategies for the general election. But, that's not an option anymore. Palin has been the governor of Alaska for less than 2 years. Before that, she was on the city council and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town of approximately 8,000 people. She was also Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for 2 years.

Highlights from her personal life include being married to man who works for BP, a beauty pageant winner, has a son bound for Iraq (as does Dem VP Joe Biden), and won the Alaska small school state championship in high school.

The question on my mind is why her?

The most likely theory to be floated is the thunder it steals from Obama/Biden by having a woman on the ticket. This makes no sense. First, a woman running for Vice President is not new, it happened 24 years ago (No surprise, the GOP thinking an idea over 20 years old is new). Also, surely she cannot be the most qualified woman in the Republican Party. But, after Condi Rice and Elizabeth Dole, there are few well-known established women in the Republican party.

The Republican talking point is likely to include references to Hillary Clinton. Personally, I think this decision will help swing those undecided Clinton supporters to Obama. Palin, while she may be able to swing undecided female voters, has little in common with Clinton supporters. Palin does not have her experience, has a pro-life record, has no record on health care, and is a lifetime member of the NRA.

If this is an attempt to bring Hillary Clinton's supporters to McCain, it is a cheap one. It showcases the lack of women in the Republican Party. Major female players in the Democratic Party include: Clinton; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Ca); Sen. Barbara Boxer (Ca); Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo); Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (Kn). All of these women could have been seriously considered for Vice President, and some were. But, choosing an unknown, first term Governor, shows how little Republicans really care about women.

I cannot stress that point any stronger. Republicans do not care about women. Republicans put up the glass ceiling, Republicans stop equal pay, Republicans do not respect women. If you do not believe me, talk to some Republicans and you will learn.

So will Sarah Palin help John McCain? She has no connection to any battleground state and the only major constituency she could possibly affect would be women and it is debatable that she will be able to do that. She has no foreign policy credentials (Obama/Biden have tons). She has no economic credentials. She has energy credentials but one may wonder how her husband's job at BP and her own experience in the industry will play into the debate.

But, an interesting move is that while many think Biden will be Obama's "attack dog," Palin will not need to do the same because McCain has talk radio and 527s available for that.

Bottom Line? Its a weak pick. And for the women? Women will have a better voice in an Obama Administration than a McCain Administration regardless of the VP.

Rabbit