Some Early Analysis on What's-Her-Name

By Zamboni

Talk about Hail Marys. Here are our first reactions to the mystifying selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee. We may come back later with more.

It takes away the "experience" argument. Good heavens, Sarah Palin has been Governor for less than two years. Before that, she was the mayor of Wasilla (estimated 2005 population: 8,471).

It highlights McCain's age. Having turned 72 today, he'll be the oldest party nominee in history. So if elected, this woman really has a chance of becoming President — which brings us back to the now-destroyed "experience" argument.

Compare her resume to the resume of other prominent women in politics today, such as Senator Clinton, Governors Sebelius and Napolitano, Senator Feinstein, or Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, just to name a few. (Oh, okay, none of these accomplished public servants ever competed in the Miss Alaska pageant...)

Like most of the Alaska Republican Party these days, Governor Palin is the subject of a corruption investigation. Does Senator McCain really want to 1). shine a fresh spotlight on the problems of the Alaska GOP, and 2). possibly reopen the topic of his own sorry past as a member of the Keating Five?

Although Governor Palin may have been chosen to appeal to women voters, her staunchly anti-choice beliefs will be anathema to supporters of Senator Clinton and to anyone else worried about the Supreme Court and women's reproductive freedom. It's an issue that otherwise may have comfortably flown under the radar for Senator McCain, whose anti-choice views are not well known.

The selection risks comparisons to Walter Mondale, one of the biggest losers in Presidential history, who chose Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate in 1984 in a dramatic — but ultimately desperate — game-changing attempt. Similarly, it reaffirms comparisons of Senator Obama to "The Great Communicator," the victorious Ronald Reagan. (Oh, and as we recall, Congresswoman Ferraro had some ethics problems crop up during the campaign... gee, this is getting a little creepy.)

The selection may appease the anti-choice base of the Republican Party, but it does nothing to attract undecided white male voters, who we suspect won't be comfortable at the thought of Governor Palin being a heartbeat away. And yes, it makes Senator McCain look desperate (see "Walter Mondale," above).

The selection gives any Republican with Presidential ambitions — say, the passed-over Mitt Romney, the temporarily sidelined Jeb Bush, or the ever-aspiring George Allen — no incentive to help his party's ticket this year. Why would they help elevate a person who, in 2012, would either be a sitting Vice President if McCain wins or the inheritor of the party mantle if he loses?

Alaska has three electoral votes. At least when Senator Obama picked a running mate from a state with three electoral votes, he picked someone with experience.

Finally, how is choosing a grossly unqualified person for the position of Vice President putting "Country First"?

We cats are only sorry it wasn't Joe Lieberman. Now, that would have been fun.