Palin Simply Does Not Matter

by Mary Pitt
9/13/08

This comment may seem to come from far left field but, when you stop to consider it, the perfect sense of it will become apparent. First, Senator John McCain was all set to prove his "bipartisanship" by naming his colleague and good buddy, Senator Joe Lieberman, as his running mate. His Republican advisors vetoed that idea and told him he needed to choose someone to bring around the religious right who had, to that time, been lukewarm about the prospect of voting for the secular McCain and would not be impressed by the addition of a Jew and a Democrat.

Now, McCain was not overly impressed by Governor Mike Huckabee and the other possibilities might have expected to be asked to actually do something in the McCain administration if they won. I am a contemporary of John McCain, (actually a few years older), and I am familiar with his history throughout his adult life. He is a man who, while being happy to appear to be agreeable to a bipartisan approach to getting what he wants, is also willing to "go it alone" despite any opposition and has actually been quite successful at it. In fact, anybody who was anticipated a "partnership" administration in the manner of Bush/Cheney or even Clinton/Gore is to be greatly surprised. In the macho world of the military, there is only one "Top Dog".

When interviewed prior to being named for the slot, Governor Palin questioned what the duties of a vice-President might be. Well she might. The Constitutional duties of the holder of that seat are to, "preside over the Senate and inquire about the President's health daily"; she is likely to find that this is precisely the extent of her duties under a President McCain. If McCain wants someone to do the job of Dick Cheney in a new administration, he will name someone like Joe Lieberman to a new post which he has the authority to create after the changes in "Executive Privilege" as interpreted by George W. Bush, and the veep will fade into the background as they so often have. I wouldn't go so far as to accuse the good Senator of being a male chauvinist but he has not been known for expressions of his "female sensitivities".

Governor Palin should realize that she is trying to play in the Big Leagues now and being named as the vice-Presidential candidate is not winning Miss America. She is as much "a decorator accent" as Britney's dog. It doesn't matter what she thinks nor what she says beyond attracting the religious nuts to vote for the "big guy" and the best she can hope for as the result of her efforts will be a good paycheck, a fine temporary home in the Naval Observatory, and a lifetime pension. All of which will be good for now but, twenty years from now, she will be approached in the street with the question, "Didn't you used to be somebody?"

The author is a very "with-it" old lady who aspires to bring a bit of truth, justice, and common sense to a nation that has lost touch with its humanity in the search for "societal perfection".