Hip and historic: The reasons to fully endorse Sarah Palin
Joel Gehrke, Jr.
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Opinion
Negative about politics in recent years? Me too. Democrats have been winning everything. Sometimes, McCain doesn't seem all that conservative, and he's looked like a sinking ship this year.
But with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket, real conservatives - and the Republican Party - can get excited about this election.
Here's why:
Palin lifts the monopoly on the "historic ticket" angle previously held by Obama. Now people uneasy about Obama don't have to feel guilty about voting against him.
But Palin isn't an affirmative action pick. She's the Anti-Hillary. She's perfect on social conservative issues. Her teenage daughter is pregnant, but that proves the Palins are human (and at the same time, anti-abortion). Fiscal hawks can feel good about Palin based on her role in killing the Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere" project. And she's a pro on energy policy. Conservatives haven't been comfortable with McCain. Some point out that the Republican Party is bigger than the Christian Right. That's true, but Barack Obama has proven he can crank turnout by getting new voters to the polls.
Basically, McCain needs every vote he can get. Social conservatives are reliable Republican voters. Palin helps guarantee those voters show up on Election Day.
Moreover, Palin seems normal, nice, someone you'd want to have over for dinner. Women want to be like her, men want to be around her. That's important. Voters go for the candidate they like. Remember the Zogby poll in Sept. 2004 asking undecided voters who they'd rather have a beer with, Bush or Kerry? Bush won that poll with 57 percent. He also won in November. McCain needs the likeability factor that Palin gives him, especially given Obama's charisma.
Palin's likeability makes her a great response to Joe Biden. Biden is a great campaigner with good debate skills. While Obama takes to the heights of transcendent post-partisanship, Biden can engage in the cut-and-thrust of a real presidential campaign. With Palin in the other podium, though, Biden can't risk looking like he's beating up on a girl. Rick Lazio tried that against Hillary in 2000, and it blew up in his face. If Biden goes negative here, offended women and moderates may make this the race where women "break that hardest of all glass ceilings."
In the furor of the presidential race, sometimes we forget the importance of congressional races. Alaska is a traditionally red state with vulnerable Republicans facing tough general elections. Palin's presence on the ticket may galvanize Alaska Republicans and bring over enough swing voters to protect those seats.
Watch CNN, and realize how much liberals hate Sarah Palin for vice president.
It's on. And I have to be honest - I'm pretty excited.
But with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket, real conservatives - and the Republican Party - can get excited about this election.
Here's why:
Palin lifts the monopoly on the "historic ticket" angle previously held by Obama. Now people uneasy about Obama don't have to feel guilty about voting against him.
But Palin isn't an affirmative action pick. She's the Anti-Hillary. She's perfect on social conservative issues. Her teenage daughter is pregnant, but that proves the Palins are human (and at the same time, anti-abortion). Fiscal hawks can feel good about Palin based on her role in killing the Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere" project. And she's a pro on energy policy. Conservatives haven't been comfortable with McCain. Some point out that the Republican Party is bigger than the Christian Right. That's true, but Barack Obama has proven he can crank turnout by getting new voters to the polls.
Basically, McCain needs every vote he can get. Social conservatives are reliable Republican voters. Palin helps guarantee those voters show up on Election Day.
Moreover, Palin seems normal, nice, someone you'd want to have over for dinner. Women want to be like her, men want to be around her. That's important. Voters go for the candidate they like. Remember the Zogby poll in Sept. 2004 asking undecided voters who they'd rather have a beer with, Bush or Kerry? Bush won that poll with 57 percent. He also won in November. McCain needs the likeability factor that Palin gives him, especially given Obama's charisma.
Palin's likeability makes her a great response to Joe Biden. Biden is a great campaigner with good debate skills. While Obama takes to the heights of transcendent post-partisanship, Biden can engage in the cut-and-thrust of a real presidential campaign. With Palin in the other podium, though, Biden can't risk looking like he's beating up on a girl. Rick Lazio tried that against Hillary in 2000, and it blew up in his face. If Biden goes negative here, offended women and moderates may make this the race where women "break that hardest of all glass ceilings."
In the furor of the presidential race, sometimes we forget the importance of congressional races. Alaska is a traditionally red state with vulnerable Republicans facing tough general elections. Palin's presence on the ticket may galvanize Alaska Republicans and bring over enough swing voters to protect those seats.
Watch CNN, and realize how much liberals hate Sarah Palin for vice president.
It's on. And I have to be honest - I'm pretty excited.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
millie
posted 9/16/08 @ 6:26 PM EST
"Women want to be like her, men want to be around her." Are you serious? No woman with a brain wants to be like her. She makes every intelligent woman ashamed that she shares our gender. (Continued…)
Hugh
posted 9/18/08 @ 3:56 PM EST
"Women want to be like her, men want to be around her. That's important. Voters go for the candidate they like."
These are lousy criteria on which to decide who to install as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. (Continued…)
sa
posted 9/26/08 @ 12:25 AM EST
By saying that Sarah Palin isnt an affirmative action pick imply that Obama was an affirmative action pick. Are you serious? If you forgot, let me remind you that this man fought and won and a hard primary against the Clinton machine. (Continued…)
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