Begala: Is McCain out of his mind?

[usregimechange]

(CNN) -- John McCain needs what Kinky Friedman calls "a checkup from the neck up."

In choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, he is not thinking "outside the box," as some have said. More like out of his mind.

Palin a first-term governor of a state with more reindeer than people, will have to put on a few pounds just to be a lightweight. Her personal story is impressive: former fisherman, mother of five. But that hardly qualifies her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

For a man who is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer to have chosen someone so completely unqualified to become president is shockingly irresponsible. Suddenly, McCain's age and health become central issues in the campaign, as does his judgment.

In choosing this featherweight, McCain passed over Tom Ridge, a decorated combat hero, a Cabinet secretary and the former two-term governor of the large, complex state of Pennsylvania. iReport.com: 'McCain pick might be a gimmick'

He passed over Mitt Romney, who ran a big state, Massachusetts; a big company, Bain Capital; and a big event, the Olympics.

He passed over Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas senator who is knowledgeable about the military, good on television and -- obviously -- a woman.

He passed over Joe Lieberman, his best friend in the Senate and fellow Iraq Kool-Aid drinker.

He passed over former congressman, trade negotiator and budget director Rob Portman.

And he also passed over Mike Huckabee, the governor of Arkansas.

For months, the McCainiacs have said they will run on his judgment and experience. In his first presidential decision, John McCain has shown that he is willing to endanger his country, potentially leaving it in the hands of someone who simply has no business being a heartbeat away from the most powerful, complicated, difficult job in human history.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/begala.palin/index.html

[Jacobin]

1. Going for the PUMA vote in a hail mary move

[johnnydrama]

2. hail mary in

McCain's down by 14 points, and thinks a long touchdown is worth 15

[HereSince1628]

5. Seems like that hail Mary pass is way overthrown

I expect most PUMA's watch it sail out of reach and out of the end-zone.

When you do a head fake your not supposed to throw the ball to help make it look real.

[...of J.Temperance]

7. Women won't vote for McCain because he's chosen Palin though

Women won't just vote McCain because Palin is a woman.

If McCain thinks that, then he's more senile than I already thought he was.

If we can mention 1984, Walter Mondale picking Geraldine Ferraro didn't help Mondale win the female vote en masse, Reagan still won 49 states.

The Palin choice won't help McCain with women voters, just like Ferraro being on the Mondale ticket didn't achieve anything.

[fishwax]

18. As Hail Marys go, this is pure Garo Yepremian

:rofl:

[CarbonDate]

24. Does he need the fifty votes that badly?

Just saying.

[speedoo]

3. Begala can still slash for the Dems.

Good, we need that.

[...of J.Temperance]

4. Begala makes good points, it's amazing and

Baffling to me as to why McCain has chosen Sarah Palin.

The two best choices were Tom Ridge and Mitt Romney....I just don't get the Palin choice, she's not going to help with women voters, just because she's a woman doesn't mean that women will automatically vote for her en masse.

The REAL reason McCain chose Sarah Palin is what? I dunno.

[LittleClarkie]

8. He was after the PUMA vote, and the Conservative/Fundy vote

Exp. that last one, I think. There are rabidly conservative women on the radio here who are absolutely bouncing up and down at the prospect of voting for McCain/Palin now where they were holding their nose now.

[...of J.Temperance]

9. He could have gotten the Fundie vote by picking Huckabee

The PUMA vote is this supposed bizarre group of so-called Hillary supporters, which I DON'T believe, I was a Hillary supporter 100% until Obama got enough delegates to get the nomination the other month, and I immediately switched my 100% support to Obama.

Who are these so-called Hillary supporters, who apparently would now support McCain because of Palin....Palin a woman who's anti-Choice, anti-Gay Rights, a Creationist....I mean Palin is the DIRECT opposite of Hillary Clinton.

[usregimechange]

6. What the hell was he thinking? Experience is important? Does she know Iraq is not in Africa?

[Tennessee Gal]

10. Does she know Africa is a continent?

[...of J.Temperance]

14. The good thing is that McCain and his media whores can't say that Obama isn't experienced enough

Now.

The Palin pick also brings to the front McCain's age, IF he won, he could die within the next four years, and Palin would be President, a person with such minimal experience as her isn't even funny....she'd be a TOTAL puppet to the neo-Conservatives, because she has no opinions of her own or experience on how to deal with world affairs.

This issue needs to be used by the Obama camp, they need to STRESS this, how the hell could Sarah Palin be realistically be seen as having the goods to be President.

At least Senator Biden does have 36 years of hands-on political experience, and at least he has a very good grasp of foreign policy and world affairs.


On Edit: Dammit spelling error

[invictus]

11. Yes, McCain is out of his mind. He is an idiot who exercises poor judgment and would make a terrible

president.

[Sparkly]

12. "shockingly irresponsible"

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

13. begala comes through and it took

a palin to do it.

[faithfulcitizen]

15. Good Job Paul!

[Triana]

16. Why, yes as a matter of fact, he is. That, and he has a penchant for using women...

...like pawns in his life - like most misogynists.

Anyone else noticed?

[Kahuna]

17. He got rattled by our convention and his own internal polling and "blinked."

Stupid stupid move on his part.

[BamaforObama]

19. Decision Time

Did he make the decision to pick Palin after Obama's speech?

[Kahuna]

23. Could be. Mitt and Pawlenty seem to believe they were serious

contenders down to the wire.

[BeyondGeography]

20. I love his take on this...he has been a valuable voice for us today

[sfam]

21. Begala honestly seems furious about this pick in terms of its irresponsibility

Methinks he won't be the only one...McCain met this person ONE TIME. He's older than Mount Rushmore, has had cancer 4 times and makes the pick for his potential replacement after meeting with her ONE TIME just one week ago.

Reckless indeed.

[K Gardner]

22. I just saw him on CNN.. he was LIVID, good for Begala ! Now waiting for Carville to speak.