It might be too much, too soon. (Though tell that to Barack Obama.) But she strikes me as the most interesting of all Reihan's non-obvious possibilities.
Apart from the reanimated corpse of Calvin Coolidge, I mean.
« Time For Huck To Go? | Main | Censorship » McCain-Palin '08?13 Feb 2008 02:49 pm Comments (30)
Palin has traveled extensively, so his perspective would serve McCain well. He's probably more popular than most prominent GOP politicians. And he'll probably do well in debates, too. The fact that he's British might really hurt, though. Is Terry Gilliam available? 
Palin for VP. She is given some credit for going to the state capital and making the govt work better there. Is a good balance to McCain.
Palin for VP. Read the background at least. Pro-life, lifetime NRA, competed in Miss Alaska. At least she is an interesting person.
I vote for Zombie Coolidge. First of all, I gather that when he died no one noticed any difference. Second, he's unlikely to say anything that hurts the ticket. Third, he's already demonstrated the ability to step in and lead the country after the death of his predecessor. Potential drawback... will embryonic stem cells be necessary to reanimate the corpse? This might alienate social conservatives. On the other hand, people may be afraid to raise this issue for fear that Zombie Coolidge will eat their brains.
I'd prefer John Cleese, but I suppose the only eligible one is Terry Gilliam.
Apart from the reanimated corpse of Calvin Coolidge, I mean. On the plus side, it'd be more lifelike than Romney.
"Anyone have any other female candidates in mind?" The problem is that the GOP doesn't have a very deep bench of acceptable options in this regard. If you're going to pick from current/former governors or senators, then all the GOP women are either too old or so moderate on social issues that their selection would cause rioting at the convention. Palin is really the only exception. (Kay Bailey Hutchison is kind of on the borderline for both "too old" and "too moderate"). Though I suppose you could always go the Mondale/Ferraro route, and pick someone from the House of Reps.
Palin for VP. You cant beat a beauty queen with a gun.
She will have been governor for only two years.
Also, I hear Alaska's not a real state. And won't it just remind everyone of McCain's ANWR position?
Palin with only 2 years as Governor of Alaska will still have more relevant experience than Barack Obama.
Why would Coolidge need to be reanimated?
Other than being solidly pro-life, she's not even a bad choice for 'bringing folks together' on social issues. She's against gay marriage, but has been willing to go to bat some for partner rights and anti-discrimination stuff. Still, too early. Let her do well running Alaska for a while.
Ross, Can you do me a favor in posts like this and toss in some identifying information. For example, is Palin a man or a woman? A politician or a reality TV star? I don't have a clue who Palin is, so I don't have any motivation to click on any of the links to find out.
Yeah. Save Jindal/Palin for 2012, to provide a really interesting challenge to incumbent Obama.
We need someone who'll tell all these minority groups that America still belongs to the people who built it - we're still he majority, baby! How about David Duke or Steve Sailer for VP??? Straight White male pride, baby!
why not romney?
"why not romney? Posted by john marzan | February 13, 2008 9:17 PM" For the same level of popularity, why not the crazy guy from Saw?
"For the same level of popularity, why not the crazy guy from Saw?" I can't tell that guy apart from Steve Sailer.
How could Coolidge be REanimated? He was terribly animated the first time around. Recall the remark attributed to Dorothy Parker upon being told Coolidge had died. "How can they tell?"
CORRECTION: He was NOT terribly animated the first time around.
She's prolife, it won't happen.
You know, if the Republican Party turned into the party of racists with the Southern Strategy, perhaps an Obama presidency will propel them into scrambling to become more appealing to minorities. The fact that Piyush Jindal and Sarah Palin are both minority Republicans who happen to be young, ideologically sound, and governors might help to bring about that change.
Quietus says: "The fact that Piyush Jindal and Sarah Palin are both minority Republicans who happen to be young, ideologically sound, and governors might help to bring about that change." Which minority group does Sarah Palin belong to, chuckles?
Tee hee, women are woefully underrepresented in presidential races, hoy hoy hoy!
Also, it's not as if women have a plurality in the GOP as it is.
The shameful behavior of the Democrats throughout this primary has opened the eyes of a lot of women; entrepreneurs, professional women, working women, who have supported Democrats (sometimes against their immediate interests) because they believed in that party's greater commitment to gender equity and greater understanding of the workplace, family and social welfare issues raised by women's substantial, necessary, ever-increasing and more and more broadly required participation in the "new" post-industrial economy. Well, that apparently has been a mirage. Any illusion that the troglodytes all reside in the other party, or that the Democrat's old-guard Liberal establishment is interested in or capable of respectful and substantive, rather than merely exploitive, discussion of the issues mentioned above -- or even capable of fully recognizing how the lives of women and America's families have been totally transformed over the last 30 years -- is now, for many women, being firmly put to rest. Worse, the arguments and ugly animosities playing out in this primary are pointing up the major, the real, reason for the Democrats' repeated failure to address these issues; abject cowardice. Of course, the Republican Party's conservative leadership is equally clueless. But, the times are changing. Just on the basis of demographics alone, Republicans are not going to be able to remain so. Younger voters live in a different world than their WWII and Silent Generation, and many older, more affluent Boomer generation elders. A world in which, for all but the most affluent, women's full participation in the economy and in the economic support of their families is a requirement, not a choice. The Democrats bad behaviour is providing an opportunity to attract an important new bloc of voters who can revive the party that Reagan built and Bush destroyed. So, put a woman on the ticket -- and remind the country of the Republican's vital role in "first wave" feminism.
"Put a woman on the ticket and back a serious health care plan, one that addresses the needs of small business, the problem of affordability and the issue of global competitiveness (not just the usual tax credit sop), and the Republicans would most likely have a winning ticket in November. " In fact, Palin would likely do a good job of developing a bi-partisan health care reform consensus.
Theodore Roosevelt had been governor of his state for less than two years when he was added to the ticket as vice president. Just a few months later, he was president. Good old Teddy is considered one of the greatest presidents in U.S. History. Shouldn't we at least give Palin a chance to be vice president? It would be historic- win or lose. Republicans have never nominated a woman for such a high office. Also, she is just as if not as experienced as Obama. Remember, he has been a senator for three years, she a governor for about two. As a senator, Obama sits in a comfty chair and votes on the issues. Palin goes out and sees these issues first hand. She investigates them on the frontier, not in a stuffy congressional committee hearing. She goes out and talks to every day Alaskans- every day Americans and has a history for hating pork barrel, abortion, gun restrictions, ethic violations, and government corruption. She is good looking, but this is not important in the way we would think. It is important because she is young, fresh, charismatic, etc. She would truly be change we can believe in. She would bring the energy and interest that Teddy did when he roared into Washington. So am I saying that Alaskan governor Sarah Palin is the next Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe, maybe not. She is, however, the next star of the GOP and we would be foolish if we did not use her to our advantage in our hour of need.
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I don’t know about the Governor in particular; but the idea of a woman v.p. for the republicans is a VERY interesting one.
Anyone have any other female candidates in mind?
Posted by Fitz | February 13, 2008 3:03 PM