The "vetting" of Sarah Palin

By Ron Beasley

Yes Sarah Palin was vetted all right but not by the McCain Campaign.  I think DDay gets it right:

That's all this was about. Forget the press reports grasping at straws trying to figure out this pick, whether it represents a new reform message or was targeted to exurban voters. This was a wet kiss to the religious right. There was only one group doing the vetting. The theocons were waiting for a signal to start up the phone banks and the ground work and now they have it. They probably would have done so anyway, but this was the tipping point.

And so the fact that Todd Palin has a DUI record is just a sign of temptation followed by redemption. The pregnancy of the Palin's 17 year-old daughter, which should show the failures of abstinence-only education (which the Governor opposes), just shows the importance of coming down on the side of life. The fact that she thinks the Founding Fathers wrote the Pledge of Allegiance means that she believes this is a Judeo-Christian nation. The fact that she's appeared at a secessionist movement meeting in Alaska means simply that she is appalled by the cultural decline of America.

Oh, she was vetted all right. By the religious right. The question is whether or not Palin's extreme, radical philosophy is distasteful to the wide swath of Americans. In a sane world, the support for creationism and questioning of man-made global warming and rejection of birth control would indeed be disqualifying.

...What this also means is that she was totally forced on John McCain, which must call into question his erratic, shoddy judgment, and his ability to carry out anything but the most extreme agenda.

This decision was forced down John McCain's throat - he wanted Lieberman but the theocons insisted on a flat earther.  Josh Marshall makes an excellent point, if the McCain campaign had known about Bristol's pregnancy there was a much better way to handle it.

Vetting works in a fairly established way with most campaigns. The standard procedure in a case like this would have been for the campaign to have gone to a trusted reporter -- and by that I don't mean a hack but someone the campaign knew would deal with the story in an appropriate way -- and given them the story about the family drama the Palins are going through, how the daughter is planning to have the baby, how it confirms the family's values, etc. In an ideal world, the daughter's life would be her own business. But in the world we live in the best for all concerned would be to give it a respectful airing on day one or two and take it off the table rather than have it come out in some more jagged and painful way.

I think there is a 50-50 chance that Palin will decide "she want's to spend more time with her family."  I say 50-50 because this is a real no-win situation for McCain.  He looks like a fool regardless.  If she stays it will hurt him in November but if she goes it will infuriate the Religious Right.  This was one last grab for power the the Mullahs of the Evangelical movement and all they succeeded in doing was bring down John McCain.

Comments

[Reality Fungus]

Not vetted? See this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002377_pf.html

By the way, Obama isn't pleased with the Palin rumor mongering.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Obama_on_Palin.html?showall

[Steve Hynd]

Fungus, are you are new resident winger? Should we get you a collar, leash and food bowl with you name on it? I'm just wondering. Our resident trolls don't seem to last long before they slip up with some bigotry and we send them to the pound.

Regards, C

[Reality Fungus]

Not a resident winger (at all- I'm a pro choice, pro immigration person. I have no trouble with gay marriage, either) though I'm flattered to be thought of in that way.

What really irks me is deliberate deceit and the elevation of leftist bullshit ideology over what is real and true progressive liberalism.

When what passes for 'progressive' thought includes embracing bigots, racists, homophobes,liars and fear mongers and elevating them to sacred status simply because they embrace anti Americanism (all the while embracing bigots, racists, homophobes,liars and fear mongers I referred to), there is something very wrong.

As for sending me to the pound, by all means give it your best- and honest- shot.

Refute my arguments and convert me with honest and fair argument, without resorting to ad hominems.

[Steve Hynd]

When what passes for 'progressive' thought includes embracing bigots, racists, homophobes,liars and fear mongers and elevating them to sacred status simply because they embrace anti Americanism (all the while embracing bigots, racists, homophobes,liars and fear mongers I referred to), there is something very wrong.

Oh go on fungus, pint me to where we've done this. Don't just say it, explain it. Without that, your claims are just the ad hominems you accuse us of.

Refute my arguments...with honest and fair argument

I think I did.

Regards, C

PS: You came here via Dr Sanity? Really?

[Reality Fungus]

Yes, I came from Dr Sanity.

Now, as for your clarification, TY.

Of course, Palin's position was well known prior to her election. That the majority of Alaskan voters chose to elect her notwithstanding her beliefs point to one of two realities- they are all idiots or they felt strongly enough about her leadership capabilities notwithstanding her religious beliefs.

As for the left embracing bigots, misogynists, homophobes, ad infinitum, please understand that I am distinguishing leftism from real liberalism.

That so many on the left find Che Gueverra a hero is astonishing. Apart from ordering the deaths of thousands, he personally shot hundreds of women and children. He was as revolting to Jack Kennedy as was Castro, another 'hero' of the left that is responsible of tens of thousands.

Further, the left embrace of many of the Middle East tyrants and dictators is appalling. Women are subjugated as second class citizens and 'meat' (there are legions of verifiable examples if you need them), gays are routinely executed and the rate child sexual abuse in some parts of the region are world class, according to the United Nations.

The unending disaster in the Sudan has been going on for two decades- over two million have been killed. What started off as genocide against Animists and Christians has gone on, long after over a million have been killed.

In Arab world media, calls to genocide are mind numbing as is antisemitic ideologies, taught in schools, preached from the pulpit and broadcast in media 24/7/365- and the leftists cannot wait to line up in support of those regimes and leaders. Why? Because as long as their is an anti American, anti democratic and anti semitic agenda, all is forgiven.

I can assure you, the left has nothing to do with real liberalism- and that is why the left 'lost' middle America, once their bastion of support.

[Clive A.]

"Reality Fungus" is Donald Douglas, methinks.

(Textual analysis)

[Steve Hynd]

Fungus - ah, you're talking about "the Left' as an amorphous thing which bears no resemblance to Newshoggers. OK, but without actual cites its still ad hominem.

Clive, you may be right. If so, and since he still hasn't apologised for his original trolling, baiting for responses and then writing "gotcha!", he'll get banned again ;-)

Regards, C

[Reality Fungus]

Who is Donald Douglas- and do you regard anyone who disagrees with you a troll?

[Reality Fungus]

Right- 'Pivot and attack.' Great strategy.

You ask me to cite examples of leftist duplicity. OK, how about we start with leftist support for Yassir Arafat- and continues on with support for Hamas, Jihad, et al?

How about the silence on the anti semitism that emanate from the Arab world?

Do you need examples of that?

[Cernig]

You can give examples of silence? In writing? Good trick. Why don't you provide examples of how Newshoggers authors have done these things? Or otherwise go give examples to the sites that did so. The left is not a monolith, more like a herd of cats.

And no, not everyone who disagrees with me is a troll. Go ask e.g. James Joyner whether that's the case.

Regards, C