Pretty good read about the rift in the McCain camp and their demoralization

[gabeana]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6124663&page=1

"The McCain campaign is definitely demoralized right now. The blame game has begun"

"But some McCain camp insiders tell ABC News they simply couldn't put Palin out in front of the media any more than they did because she wasn't ready.

The Palin camp is fighting back, arguing that if the McCain campaign had just let Sarah Palin be Sarah Palin, she would have done just fine on her own."

[wileedog]

1. By all means, please, let Sarah be Sarah

I think her 'entourage' may be dumber than she is.

[TwilightGardener]

2. They didn't VET her, but she had apparently been on the VP radar

for at least a year before she was chosen--I am betting that the McStupid campaign assumed she was preparing herself accordingly in terms of issues and policy in case she was chosen. They assumed wrong--she was only preparing herself for stardom and free goodies.

[Jade Fox]

4. They also assumed she had no baggage to speak of.....

being a pretty little ole gal from Alaska who was just a hockey mom. That's a good example of actual sexism, not imaginary sexism, brought to you by (of course) the GOP!

I love that the Republicans have created such a no-win disaster with this woman.

[TwilightGardener]

5. I think they really believed the press she was getting--they accepted it

at face value, the whole "cleaning out corruption" story and the "taking on big oil" and Bridge to Nowhere bullshit. She crafted an image of herself based on very weak/dubious accomplishments, and the GOP religious right bought it wholesale and sold it to the McStupid campaign.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. good article

[Historic NY]

6. this didn't help her Sen. Chuck Hagel..

<snip>
“I don’t believe she’s qualified to be President of the United States,” Hagel told me. “The first judgment a potential President makes is who their running mate is—and I don’t think John made a very good selection.” He scoffed at McCain’s attempts to portray her as an experienced politician. “To try to make the excuse that she looks out her window and sees Russia—and that she’s commander of the Alaska National Guard.” He added, “There is no question that this candidate is arguably the thinnest-résumé candidate for Vice-President in the history of America.”
<snip>


http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/03/081103fa_fact_bruck?printable=true

[TwilightGardener]

7. That's a really interesting article, thanks.

[Window]

8. Sarah thinks she's hot stuff, and she's an egomaniac. That's why

she wanted that second interview with Katie Couric...and still came off looking more of an idiot.

[BlooInBloo]

9. The Olbermann video on it was excellent as well.

[firedupdem]

10. The fact that they didn't vet her shows the stupidity of the campaign

they are running. I'm glad they didn't...it helped us in the long run.

[political_Dem]

11. The show, I believe, is about to begin--regarding Palin and McCain.

The proof that those two are conducting their bickering in the public eye is proof that the GOP is definitely in the midst of a Civil War. Why, we're used to the Republicans keeping tight lipped about their squabbles. But, now, their infighting has been spilled out into the street.

This week is on the tip of the iceberg. I believe after the election, the real drama is going to begin.

[azmouse]

12. kick