By tapping the anti-abortion and pro-gun Alaska governor just ahead of his convention, which is set to start here Monday, McCain hasn’t just won approval from a skeptical Republican base – he’s ignited a wave of elation and emotion that has led some grassroots activists to weep with joy.
Idiots. Everyone accuses Obama's supporters of being overly emotional but nobody cried when Obama chose Biden.
The media elite – as well as elite members of the GOP consulting community – have all but mocked Palin as a former smalltown mayor with zero Washington experience.
Because they actually know how to win and realize this is a shallow gimmick to snare the dumber contingent of Hillary supporters who are somehow still pissed off about Obama's nomination.
Not only is the 44-year-old governor opposed to abortion rights -- but she carried and gave birth to a child with Down syndrome earlier this year, a profound and powerful motivating force to both opponents of abortion rights and the parents and relatives of special needs children.
It's all well and good that she did this. It's also true that she's got a lot more money than the average parent of a special needs child. She doesn't have to choose between having a child with down's syndrome and feeding her other 4 children. This doesn't diminish the sacrifice that middle class parents with special needs children make nor does it diminish the choice some parents have to make when they realize they're about to have a special needs child and can't afford it.
Steve Duprey, a former New Hampshire GOP chairman and top McCain backer who hails from the moderate wing of the party, was also in the Twin Cities when the news broke.
“I was in the Rules Committee with about 150 people in the room. They had TVs set up and we took a break to watch the announcement. For a second after she came out, it was silent. Then there was a gasp and everybody stood up and started cheering and clapping. We stayed standing the whole speech.”
This woman is anything but moderate. She resides firmly in the Rush Limbaugh wing of the Republican Party. She's a constant guest on the most vile right-wing talk shows. A true member of the "moderate wing of the [Republican] party", if such a thing even still exists, wouldn't be excited about nominating a female version of Jesse Helms to the Vice Presidency. If anything this is a huge spit in the face to the moderate wing of the Republican Party since they were expecting a far more moderate choice like Tom Ridge or Joe Lieberman.
“There is an electricity going through the social conservative crowd right now; it’s unbelievable,” said James Muffett, head of Michigan’s Citizens for Traditional Values, who had met with McCain in the weeks leading up to his selection of a running mate. “Especially given all the set-ups and head fakes - it’s amazing. A lot of people were sure he was going to show his more moderate colors.”
Of course not, he knows his masters in the far right-wing own him. Rush Limbaugh essentially selected the VP candidate for the Republicans this cycle and McCain really didn't have any say in the matter.
“She's one of us,” wrote Michael Bane, a prominent Colorado-based gun enthusiast who has a show on the Outdoor Channel, on his blog. “FINALLY, we can get 100% behind the Republican ticket ... change we can believe in!”
As if the past Republican VPs (and Presidents) haven't been complete pro-gun zealots. Dick Cheney not only fired guns but he shot a man in the face, showing without a doubt he exhibits one of the main principles of the NRA: the dangerous and reckless operation of firearms. It's not like the NRA has been lost in the wilderness for decades without a Party. The Republicans pander to them as much as any other stupid right-wing constituency.
And then there is the contrast: “While [Barack Obama] wants to ban AR-15s; Palin shoots AR-15s, and apparently pretty well.”
Because everyone knows how important it is in hunting to have a gun that can cut your prey in half.
“Every shooter, every hunter, every gun owner, every competitor needs to understand that it is time to, in the words of Bruce Willis, ‘cowboy the 'f...' up.’ ”
Charming...
“Palin could play strong in the sporting states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania depending on how they use her,” he said. “Most pundits will underestimate her appeal in these key areas because they don't know her and they are unfamiliar with the sporting scene. But among sportsmen, authenticity counts and Palin's got that and then some.”
And, after all, that's what matters. Who cares if she's ready to lead the country? Who cares if she's qualified to have her finger on the button? She has a downs syndrome baby and she likes to kill things, hurray!
This just goes to show how dangerous the Republicans, and their right-wing masters, are to this country. It really doesn't matter to them that the Republicans have nominated the most shockingly unprepared VP in history. All that matters is that she hates the people they hate and that she likes to kill defenseless animals with high-powered assault rifles. What's wrong with the Republican Party? How out of step with normal American values can you get? They've gone from being wrong to being outright dangerous. No more are they just a slight annoyance, I really believe if McCain wins we may not have a country left 4 years from now. They are a dangerous cult whose only interest is gaining more power, the safety and security of this country never even registers on their radar.
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