John Nichols: McCain's Palin Performance Anxiety

[babylonsister]

McCain's Palin Performance Anxiety
posted by John Nichols on 10/01/2008 @ 12:04am


Syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker, who went from being a fierce defender of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin to suggesting that the Alaska governor should for the sake of her party and the republic quit the ticket, has certainly caused a commotion.

"I've gotten about 8,000 e-mails," she told the Christian Science Monitor. "They range from angry to vicious to appreciative to ‘Thank God somebody spoke up'."

Clearly, Parker hit a nerve.

That nerve runs right through the middle of John McCain's campaign.

But don't expect the Republican presidential nominee to ackowledge that fact.

McCain may, in fact, be reconsidering the choice of Palin as his runningmate. But he won't talk about the nasty thoughts that are running around a brain that knows nasty. And he certainly won't act upon them -- before or after Thursday night's debate.

If there is one ironclad rule in the PE (post-Eagleton) era of modern American politics, it is this.

Presidential nominees don't dump their runningmates.

more...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/366823/mccain_s_palin_performance_anxiety

[pinto]

1. Great line on McCain - "a brain that knows nasty". I agree with his take.

[EquusMtn]

2. Palin Backlash

Apologies if I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I'm concerned that too much ridicule of Palin could result in a sympathetic backlash in her favor, especially among undecided/independent/low information voters. In communication to the general public, we progressives should avoid being too disrespectful or we could end up defeating our own purpose.

[babylonsister]

3. Welcome to DU, EquusMtn; you haven't been here long enough

to sound like a broken record! I am positive Biden will be more than gentlemanly towards Palin, so I'm not concerned at all. He is by far the superior vp candidate; all he needs to do is cite his experience. I hope he keeps it simple;
I'm thinking Palin won't need any help skewering her own self, or else she too will be on her best behavior and the debate will be boring and predictable. There are very low expectations for her.

[EquusMtn]

5. Not Worried About Biden

My comment wasn't about the debate -- I agree with you in trusting Joe to handle it appropriately. I'm more worried about the media and all the rest of us progressives ridiculing Palin so much that she starts to look like a victim, thus generating sympathy.

[mooseandsquirrel]

4. John Nichols

I am happy to report that John Nichols will be speaking at my place of employment this Friday evening.

If you live within driving distance, come on down. A big crowd is exepected.

http://www.kclibrary.org/event/our-media-not-theirs

Date and time of event: 10/03/2008 - 7:00pm
Location: Central Library
RSVP now!
The Kansas City Public Library hosts Nation magazine columnist John Nichols for a critique of mainstream media outlets during a program called Our Media, Not Theirs on Friday, October 3, at 7 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

Nichols is the Washington correspondent for The Nation, the oldest weekly journal published in the United States and self-described “flagship of the left.” His articles have appeared in The Progressive, In These Times, The New York Times, and The Chicago Tribune. Nichols is also co-founder of Free Press, a media reform network.

This program will be preceded by a video address from Senator Claire McCaskill as well as Federal Communications Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein.

Admission is free. Click here or call 816.701.3668 to RSVP. Free parking is available in the Library District Parking Garage at 10th and Baltimore.

m&s
http://moose-and-squirrel.com

[KSDiva]

6. Wish I could make it!

But the drive from ICKY-taw just would be too long. I'd miss most of it! Have fun! (waves)