PALIN IN COMPARISON

OK, the title might be a bit weak. But hey, it's a blog, not heady literature. Like many conservatives, I have been luke-warm at best regarding the nomination of John McCain for President. Not because he's a dud, but because I think we could do so much better if we just stood up for our core beliefs instead of allowing the media to define us. He's not a "dud" but let's face it, he's way too willing to play the game on liberal terms which is pretty close to the dud zone.
I knew my support for him would hinge on his pick for VP. I was totally willing to sacrifice the next four years knowing that Obama's naive policies would create such a mess that the people would have no choice but to embrace a conservative candidate in 2012. Granted, this was not a great plan, but it's not like I had many options. After all, I'm only one vote.
I woke up Friday morning ready to accept the worst case scenario. If McCain picked Lieberman, I knew I would be staying home on election day. The same would happen if he picked Huckabee. In the back of my mind, I was hoping that he was going to surprise everyone by picking Fred Thompson. But as a realist, I knew that was a long shot.
Later that morning, I ran into a friend of mine at work who happens to be a fellow political junkie. He asked me what I thought of Sarah Palin from Alaska because he heard that was going to be the pick. I told him that I really didn't know much about her, but what I did know, I liked. In fact, until nine o'clock tonight, I couldn't pick her out of a line-up. Let's face it, conservatives are not known for their media coverage. Until today, I had only heard her in radio interviews and read about her in newspapers.
Later, it was confirmed by McCain himself at a rally in Ohio that Palin was the VP pick. This was followed by a speech by Palin herself that I was able to listen to on the radio. Let me just say, I'm on board for McCain.
Much will be made about her lack of experience compared to Biden. But what good is experience if you've been wrong on pretty much every issue for your thirty-plus years in Washington as Biden has been? Also, Governors actually manage and delegate authority for the extent of their term. Senators "legislate"...and not much else. Neither Biden or Obama have ever ran anything.
One dynamic that will be worth watching is Biden's tendency to bully people now that his prey is going to be female. Will he be able to "keep it in his pants" or will he walk out on that very thin branch and be his usual cocky/condescending self toward a woman for all the world to see? How will that play in middle America...especially with women voters? How will that contrast with the Obama claims of "change", civility and bi-partisanship? Will Biden's bullying make him look ridiculous if Palin is not impressed with his tactics and totally cleans his clock in their debate? Will the Obamas keep trying to claim "regular folk" status now that a hocky-Mom who's married to an oil worker/snowmobile racer is in the mix?
In any case, thing's just got a whole lot more interesting around here.