What will happen tonight in St Paul
September 3rd, 2008
Some friends think I’m too quick to see the absurdity of McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as running mate. We’ll see. But it doesn’t take much of a crystal ball to predict the outcome of her speech to the Republican National Convention tonight.
She’ll do a good job. The hall will be utterly ecstatic with enthusiasm and multiple, lengthy ovations. The talking heads on cable will say she exceeded all expectations. The Republican spinmeisters will say the response shows just how canny and clever McCain was to single Palin out.
What none of it will do is erase the completely impulsive decision making behind the choice. It won’t provide any response to Palin’s abhorrent (to my mind) views on teaching creationism, denying the human role in global warming, and opposing abortion in any circumstances. Despite the bloviating about her having more “executive experience” than any of the senators in the race, she’ll still have the thinnest set of credentials of any candidate in the last hundred years. It’s a joke. But none of that will be pointed out by the media guardians tonight.