Current mood:

surprised

Vice President who?

Sarah Palin? Really?

John McCain's selection for Vice President certainly will re-enforce his maverick status. But, really?

I'm not the first to point out that having her on the ticket completely undercuts the argument that Obama is too inexperienced to be President. The sole purpose of the Veep is to be President at a moment's notice. So, if Governor of the smallest state, and former mayor of a town with as many people as the building I work in - if she's qualified to be President on Jan 22, 2009, then so must Barack.

The choice just seems so ... appropriate. For a college dorm room bull session with too many PoliSci majors. Sure, she's a woman, but she's not exactly going to win over the moderate and liberal women who supported Hillary during the Democratic primary. Yes, she's a working mother with five kids, including one under 6 months of age, but did people really vote for the person who looks most like them in a mirror, regardless of their politics?

Here's a scenario I'd like to lay out: after one day, there is a touch of backlash from the conservative pundits. Initially, there was praise for the way Palin changed the discussion, but now there's the morning after. And some folks, like David Frum, are having second thoughts.

We've seen this story play out before, when President Bush nominated Harriet "Who?" Myers for the Supreme Court. There was surprise, tepid acceptance, but then an overwhelming wave of disapproval from the insiders. In the case of Ms. Palin, I anticipate that a brewing scandal (either known or soon to be discovered) will explode. The GOP and conservative opinion leaders will decide whether to support McCain's choice, or quietly abandon her, leading her to step aside for the betterment of the party.

And then McCain will choose a more conventional choice (read: Romney), but will get points for being a maverick first.

In the meantime, we'll get an onslaught of discussions about whether a mother of a toddler is the appropriate person to be mere asystole away from the Oval Office. Let the disparaging sexist undertones resume! (You've missed them since Hillary conceded, haven't you?)