I burst out laughing reading your comment. “IQ > 90″

I don’t know if I should be happy or sad with Ms. Palin’s selection. I am a registered democrat, so I am happy that her pick instantly increases the democratic base by alienating the middle. However, I am sad that it slides the scale so low on the position of VP.

Competence has never been a pre-requisite. It’s been more about likability and who would I have beer with (you may question, prudently, if I will ever have the chance for a beer with the VP / President, but that’s besides the point and we wouldn’t have elected the current one if competence was a criteria).

David Brooks recently wrote about the Republicans moving away from anti-elitism (of the 80s) to anti-intelligence and he was worried that it’s such a slippery slope for the country. You bring up the same point with your IQ>90 comment.

Me personally – I’d like more of a fight based on principles. This feels more like beating a dead horse (elephant in this case)

I am not sure Al Gore could have won the primary. He comes with too much baggage and have been hit hard by late night shows and comedians for his many gaffes. People don’t have the same respect for him anymore and Independents would have skewered him, if not the Republicans. If it was Gore vs. H.R.C in the primaries, Clinton would have won it in a landslide.

I can understand your irritation with Gov. Palin. Remember, the Republicans feel the same irritation with Obama and Biden. They can’t understand why there is so much mass hysteria over Obama when he hasn’t accomplished a lot. This is not just a few people, this is nearly 50% of the population.

There has been numerous articles about how we seem to be hard-wired to be a Democrat or a Republican. Granted, the last 8 years have made us much more cynical about a Republican president, but some conservatives say that the last 8 years are not true conservative thinking. If you look at the Republican / conservative principles

1. Small Government
2. Less Taxes (because it’s going to be a small government)
3. Pro-life (human life, that is)
4. military might

These are in somewhat order of priority. If you look at the last 8 years, Government grew an average 18% YoY (today’s NY times), taxes increased as a percentage, nothing was done about pro-life except improving militarily by waging 2 wars. So, the conservatives feel that the last 8 years is a bad example for a republican government.

The 2 most differing issues between Democrats and Republicans in my opinion are a) pro-life vs. pro-choice and b) fight vs. coalition.

No matter what we say, it’s the center / independents that decide each election. This time too they would decide the election. Given the economic condition, Republicans can’t come up with a small government (bailout of banks, bailout talks about auto industry, infrastructure investments, completing the war). They look more and more like Democrats with big government and increasing tax rates. That’s why they are getting creamed in the polls.

Palin already has more skeletons than a crypt keeper That too in such a short period, while wielding very little power. Imagine her tantrums if & when she becomes the VP.

Yep, the extreme right must be ecstatic. They are generally threatened by anyone with an IQ > 90. So, let me say I’m not surprised. A person with limited cards shouldn’t be running for high office. Palin may not be an idiot, but I think many readers of this blog are better qualified than her for the job.

Don’t believe in mincing words, do we

I agree with you in principle, though I wouldn’t go to the level of calling Gov. Palin an idiot. She has played her limited cards very well for her to be at this level, outside of McCain having moments of stupidity and car-crashing risk-taking approach in picking her. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, and politicians can count only in denomination of 100s.

Yes, her selection has made McCain lose some from the base (more to the center than from the right – The extreme right are ecstatic about her selection. In fact, the right wants her to the president and Joe the plumber the VP Some say she’s already thinking about 2012.