Palin's pragmatism
James Forsyth 10:51pm
There were three major worries about the Palin pick from a campaigning point of view; I’ll leave those about her as a governing choice to another time.
On the first two issues, time will tell—though, Palin’s speech on Wednesday suggested she won’t freeze in the spotlight. But on the final question, I’d say the signs are encouraging. First, there was the news that she has a more liberal position than McCain or the Republican platform on sex education. Now, the Anchorage Daily News reports that Palin has not pushed on abortion at the state-level because she wants the cooperation of the Democrats on a natural gas pipeline project and realises that abortion legislation would polarise the legislature. When you combine this with the fact that Palin vetoed a bill that would have barred the partners of state employees in same-sex relationships from receiving benefits on the grounds it was unconstitutional and that she hasn’t pushed for creationism to be added to the syllabus it seems that she is not determined to make these social issues her signature topics.1). Would she flub a question on national security or some other key issue so badly that it would hurt the ticket by reflecting badly on McCain’s judgment and making voters positively concerned about the possibility of her becoming president.2). Might one of the Alaskan issues blow up and prevent the campaign from getting its message across and turn Palin into a liability.
3). Would Palin’s stance and record on social issues end up putting off moderate swing voters.
If Palin does not come across to moderates and independents as a social issues crusader or as a divisive figure then she probably won’t frighten the horses. Indeed, her personal story means that she can talk less about abortion less than other Republican candidates, she didn’t mention the issue in her convention speech, but can still enthuse pro-life voters.
Ian C
September 7th, 2008 11:38pm Report this commentThere is likely to be more surprises from the revelations about Mrs Palin. She is clearly not a creationist, I would guess her views on abortion are personal to her and is unlikely to want to impose them on others and that she is simply a human being with above average drive and ability to get done what needs to be done without undue recourse to intellctual and political justification; just a simple approach to getting onwith what works.
If not, she is unlikely to prove as authentic as she appears. Just relax and wait to see what unfolds. Her next big test will be when she meets the press - something that will happen when the campaign organisers have briefed her fully and are happy that she will perform.
Craig Strachan
September 8th, 2008 3:31am Report this commentI see she's agreed to a sit down with Charlie Gibson.
Ted Tedford
September 8th, 2008 4:21pm Report this commentHere's a meaningless but fun poll: the Cafe Press sales figures for Campaign 08 merchandise.
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/buy/elections08_meter
Factoring in the assumption I always make that wearing your political position on a t-shirt or a bumper sticker is generally the preserve of adolescent leftists, the boost to McCain and the slump in Obama merchandise must be heartening to the GOP.
They don't even *make* Sarah Palin t-shirts yet. Yet another example of the political market being shocked.
Verity
September 9th, 2008 1:26am Report this commentLook, the woman is a politician. Why the surprise that she makes political decisions? Like all politicians, she's ruthless. When she took over the governorship from her Republican predecessor, she cleared out all his cronies at the same time. No mercy. They lost their jobs. This is the correct way to proceed - no allies of her predecessor reporting back - and she didn't hesitate. She is not Little Mary Sunshine, and Americans like that about her. Ian C, her next big test, the mega test, will be on 2 October when they hold the Vice Presidential debates.
"They don't even make Sarah Palin T-shirt yet". They don't? I've just sent Pete Hoskins a pile of photos of Sarah T shirts and bumper stickers. They're plastering the United States! There are also t shirts marketing McCain and Palin as Big Mac and the 'Cuda.
Ray
September 9th, 2008 8:30am Report this commentOf course, Abraham Lincoln hummed-and-arred about the political perils inherent in moving to abolish slavery.
Indeed, in a similar vein to this article, I can imagine his more cautious advisors fretting thus:-
"Whilst your views about the abhorence of enslaving black men and women are personal to you, so long as you don't come across to moderates and independents as a social issues crusader or as a divisive figure then you probably won’t frighten the horses. So, for God's sake, don't make these social issues your signature topics".
It was Barry Goldwater who once noted that " moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue". Since Roe v Wade in 1973 fifty million unborn Americans have paid with their lives for the inability of mainstream politicians to find the courage to stand up to the terrible evil that is abortion.
Oh, that someone might "frighten the horses"!
Oscar
September 9th, 2008 9:36am Report this commentWhat I find worrying about this is the way the media swamped us with disinformation about Sarah Palin. They stereotyped and demonised her on the basis of their own prejudices and suppressed the facts. Witness Liz Forgan and Bea Campbell's astoundingly sexist and prejudiced performance on last weeks Any Questions - which they were only too smugly comfortable with. I hope the identity of the real Sarah Palin is allowed to surface, but the signs are that the liberal press have made their minds up and as so often aren't going to let the facts get in the way of their manic bias.
Ted Tedford
September 9th, 2008 9:51am Report this commentVerity - sorry, I meant they *hadn't* even made any t-shirts until she was announced, indicating that they got it wrong in merchanise world as well as in medialand.
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