Thinking about politics

My mind isn't entirely made up yet, but there's no use pretending. Just a few months after I was going to other blogs and lecturing people on the need to support the eventual Democratic nominee regardless of who it is, I find myself inclining toward McCain -- in large part because an Obama victory would be disastrous for the Democratic party.

Regardless of which candidate I prefer, I remain convinced that McCain will win. I was essentially sure of this as soon as Clinton lost the nomination. I'm more sure of it now.

First polling results suggest that McCain's Palin gamble is a winner.

If we elect McCain, we may get an inexperienced President some time in the next four years. If we elect Obama, we will definitely have an inexperienced President from day one.

McCain is now apparently considering converting the Republican convention into a hurricane-relief event. I can't imagine what that would look like in concrete terms, but it would certainly highlight the contrast with Bush.

Palin didn't have Federal office in mind when she visited US troops (from Alaska) in Kuwait -- but that just makes the contrast with Obama in Germany more glaring.

To me, the biggest turn-off about Palin is that she has supported letting "creation science" drivel into public-school science classes. Evolution is the central fact of all modern biological science, and a person's acceptance or non-acceptance of it is a much better indi-cator of their grasp of reality than, say, their belief or non-belief in religion is. Still, the President has little influence on education policy, and the Vice President has even less. We've already had at least two recent Presidents who rejected evolution (Reagan and the present Bush) and it's been more of an embarrassment than a real danger to science education.

A question I intend to look into is whether McCain himself accepts evolution. The fact that he recognizes the reality of anthropogenic global warming shows that he doesn't share Bush's ignorance of, and disdain for, scientific fact.

Another point of interest is Palin's stand on illegal aliens -- since both McCain and Obama are just about as bad on that issue as it's possible to get.

Others are making the same point I've made recently about Palin -- that she'll peel off PUMA support from Obama to McCain, not "just because she's a woman", but because she'll become a target for the same repulsive misogyny and "snark" from Obama supporters that so infuriated the PUMAs when it was directed against Hillary, thus providing a constant reminder of what alienated them from the Obama cult.

Kirsten Powers: I can't help wondering if this is a trap.The McCain camp watched and learned as Obama supporters offended Hilla-ry supporters by their treatment of her. The McCainiacs had to know that this group is incapable of behaving, that Palin would bring out their worst instincts. One top Republican said to me: "Just wait until she is debating Joe Biden and he starts attacking or condescending to her. Hillary voters are going to say, 'Oh yeah, I remember this.' "

Reclusive Leftist: It will complete the alienation of the rest of the Hillary supporters from the Obama camp. How? That’s easy — the Obamabots will do it themselves. Go read the Washington Post blog or anywhere online where the Palin pick is being discussed, and you’ll see the trademark Obama misogyny already out in full force. She’s been on the ticket for two seconds and already the Obamabots are saying she “looks like a porn star,” they’re making rude remarks about her childbearing, they’re ridiculing her intelligence. Keep it up, possums. Keep it up. Just when some Hillary supporters were trying to forget what misogynist freaks you all are, now you’re going to remind us all over again. Brilliant [expletive deleted] move by McCain.

It's dangerous to underestimate one's opponent. Democrats seem to have operated on the assumption that McCain is a doddering old fool who need not be taken seriously. It's increasingly obvious that he's anything but. Hubris has led our side to nominate an amateur to go up against a master.