We now know that Sarah Palin, unlike John McCain, can read a speech off a teleprompter without making you acutely aware that the speech is being read off a teleprompter.
Isn't the Republican ticket's "message" terribly muddled? They'll bring change to Washington, "shake it up." Meaning what? Palin didn't say, because she hasn't a clue, and McCain, in the part of his speech devoted to policy prescriptions, served up the same old Republican same-old.
That's what brought us to where we are. That's why change is needed. And that's why Republicans sound confused about which party has been in power for the last eight years.
What's with the smirk that comes over McCain's face immediately upon uttering an applause line? It conveys the impression that he is himself reading the speech for the first time. "Boy, that was a real zinger." Not really, John.
I feel a little sorry for old John McCain. The macho war hero "wanted to do Joe or Ridge" but apparently he'd rather win an election than stand up to The Base. Thus he put in the call to Alaska and soon found himself, in an interview, repeating ludicrous Republican talking points concerning how certain facts of geography confer upon the governor of Alaska presidential credentials--it's "our largest state" and "right next to Russia."
Plus, she's the commander of the Alaska National Guard!
He didn't want her and now, to defend her, he has to play the fool. He puts himself forward as an independent-minded maverick but lets those who have drank most deeply of the kool-aid deter him from picking the VP he wants. He's reversed himself on every position that formerly gave him a plausible claim to being an agent of change, then runs as an agent of change. Pathetic.
On the merits, McCain's campaign should be done. But, then, Bush, with a boost from the Supreme Court, defeated Gore and, four years later, his reckless ineptitude established, won "re-election." Anything can happen.
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