Few have been more critical of Sen. McCain than I, both here and on my radio show. And I have long said on my radio show that his selection of a running-mate will be key in determining my enthusiasm for his candidacy. If McCain has, in fact, chosen Gov. Palin, then count me in with both feet. It would be a terrific choice.
Palin is by all accounts a principled conservative and government reformer who can contribute mightily to the decision-making that occurs in the White House. She has more executive experience in her two years as governor than Obama, Biden, and McCain combined. She is a mother of five in what appears to be a loving and functioning family. And she is someone Republicans, conservatives, and others can rally behind in the future.
From a purely tactical aspect, Palin would knock the legs out from under Obama’s monopoly hold on “change.” And attacks on her “inexperience” will only highlight one of Obama’s greatest vulnerabilities — and he’s at the top of the Democrat ticket. And because Hillary Clinton spent months telling women voters that they are being dissed by Obama, some percentage of women who normally would not vote for McCain will take a second look if Palin’s on the ticket. There is no question that a Palin selection would cause the Obama camp headaches.
I should add that if Palin is the choice, this also suggests that McCain may not be as stubborn as portrayed — and that’s a good thing given his positions on a number of issues that have given conservatives heart-burn. At least it gives us some hope in that regard.
If Palin is, indeed, McCain’s choice, I will have more to say, as will most everyone else. If it is not, he may have created – or some in the media may have created – a situation in which hopes were raised and then dashed. We shall see. There are other solid candidates out there to be sure. If it is not Palin, here’s hoping it is one of them.