Palin disclosures raise questions about vetting ?

Question

New York Times, Tues., Sept. 2, 2008

ST. PAUL - A series of disclosures about Gov. Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain’s choice as running mate, called into question on Monday how thoroughly Mr. McCain had examined her background before putting her on the Republican presidential ticket.

Alaskans say no one from McCain camp asked them about eventual VP pick

Full article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26501863/?GT1=43001

What does this say about John McCain's decision-making abilities?

Answer 1

I think McCain expected to pick Ridge or Lieberman... Palin was a last minute choice and not fully vetted before hand.

She has proven to be a big distraction

Answer 2

This says a lot about how he likes to do things on his own without consulting senior analysts. This also can be a sign if he becomes president of what he might do. We've already seen Bush and his arrogance to not listening to the UN before going to war with Iraq, but with McCain, I think it could be worse.  

Answer 3

It says he can make a decision on his own with out pandering to everybody to see if his choice is popular or not.

It says he is a leader. He knew about the pregnency and decided Palin is still the best choice for VP.

It says he is interested in the job she will do a VP more then a popularity contest.  

Answer 4

Regarding asking the people of Alaska (or any other state) about their elected officials:

1) The people of Arkansas could have warned everyone about Clinton.

2) A lot of people in Tennessee insist that they warned us about Al Gore.

3) The people of NY elected Hillary Clinton before she was ever "on the ground" there.

4) The people of Mass continue to send Teddy Kennedy back to D.C.

5) The people of Texas warned us about "W"

6) The people of Delaware continue to send Neil Kinnock to D.C.

7) Agnew was in the Maryland state house when Nixon went looking for him and Ford was in Congress.

8) ... ... ...

Political history seems to indicate that voters are the next-to-last people who should be listened to followed only by the people who listen to them.

Regarding the question "What does this say about John McCain's decision-making abilities?" (which is, after all the question at hand):

"You can recover from a bad decision, you can never recover from failing to make a decision."

Answer 5

I don't see how you can leap from an adulterer vetting a grandmother of an illegitimate child who's husband had a DUI and who's currently under investigation by the legislature in her home state to questioning McCain's decision making abilities...

DID I MENTION THAT HE WAS A POW? Also, 9/11.  

Answer 6

He knew about the pregnancy. It's the media that has made a big deal out of this.

Did you want him to include that in the announcement of his pick? "I choose Sarah Palin whose 17-year-old daughter is pregnant."

He picked Palin because she is the best for the job. No one is without a skeleton or two in their closet. Imagine if the entire force of the media were to look into your background. Imagine what they might uncover.

And, exactly who in Alaska was he supposed to ask? Everyone? Who is whining that they weren't asked? They voted her into office, so the assumption would be that they approve of her overall.

.

Answer 7

More or less I plan to vote for Obama.

That said - Palin is very appealing to me and these so called 'scandals' are nothing.  

I have to say - I'm very disgusted with the overt attempt by the media to scandalize Gov. Palin (Cambell Brown on CNN last night was awful), they are not even attempting to feign being unbiased.

All that said - Obama locked in my vote with the "Eight is Enough" quote - I can't take any more Bush!  No way, No how - Sorry John.

Answer 8

Knee jerk and as short as his arms.

Answer 9

Even if he did know, I'm sure he forgot soon after.

Answer 10

V.P.s do not make that much difference.

She is much more Qualified then Obama and she is not at the top of the ticket.

I LOVE MCCAIN

Answer 11

That it was hasty and lacked judgement.  I wonder if he knew she once supported an organization that wants Alaska to secede from the union.

Answer 12

one word for mc cain. foolish

Answer 13

Exactly which Alaskan is so important that they could expect or demand that McCain ask for their opinion on Sarah Palin?

An abundance of people in Arkansas said they could have warned us about Bill Clinton.  It is no different.  Unfortunately the journalists invent these stories and pretend they mean something.

MS NBC being true to their openly expressed liberal agenda is trying to sensationalize the fact that Palin isn't perfect.  Rather than praise her daughter for not having an abortion, they rake her over the coals for getting pregnant prior to marriage.  Don't read or listen to MS NBC unless you want to hear everything filtered through liberal bias.  It is the opposite equivalent of getting all your news from Sean Hannity.

Answer 14

The baby issue IS NOT the only thing McCain didn't ask about.

Palin FLIP FLOPPED on the bridge to nowhere. Or lied on national TV saturday if you're being particular. "I told Congress thanks, but no thanks"....please

Palin once supported the secession of Alaska from the continental US.

Palin is under an ethics investigation for abuse of power.

Palin was a stay-at-home mom from 2000 to 2003. (Not bashing stay-at-home moms--but does that qualify you to be the vice president??)

Has a new infant and a daughter with a new infant on the way. Shouldn't she be taking care of her family before she decides to hit the big stage like this? It would seem she's got WAY TOO MUCH on her plate....or she's just being VERY selfish.

Was quoted a few months ago as saying she didn't even know what the VP does.

Was also quoted as saying that she would have to make sure she could use the office of VP to help Alaska before she decided to take the position.

Her and McCain met ONE time before he picked her.

She wants creationism taught in public schools....I could learn this in church, right? If I wanted too.

Not voting for Obama....but McCain has made a TERRIBLE decision with this pick.

Answer 15

It shows that she wasn't properly vetted and McCain made a quick decision without gathering enough information.  Remember McCain has had the republican nomination locked up since March, therefore he has had 6 months to check out potential candidates.

"Aides to Mr. McCain said they had a team on the ground in Alaska now to look more thoroughly into Ms. Palin’s background. A Republican with ties to the campaign said the team assigned to vet Ms. Palin in Alaska had not arrived there until Thursday, a day before Mr. McCain stunned the political world with his vice-presidential choice. The campaign was still calling Republican operatives as late as Sunday night asking them to go to Alaska to deal with the unexpected candidacy of Ms. Palin.

Although the McCain campaign said that Mr. McCain had known about Bristol Palin’s pregnancy before he asked her mother to join him on the ticket and that he did not consider it disqualifying, top aides were vague on Monday about how and when he had learned of the pregnancy, and from whom.

While there was no sign that her formal nomination this week was in jeopardy, the questions swirling around Ms. Palin on the first day of the Republican National Convention, already disrupted by Hurricane Gustav, brought anxiety to Republicans who worried that Democrats would use the selection of Ms. Palin to question Mr. McCain’s judgment and his ability to make crucial decisions."

Picking a VP in what will be another close Presidential race was critical for McCain and he failed in the process.  This week should be the a showcase event for the RNC and McCain.  Now they will have to spend time really looking in Sarah Palin and trying to sell the decision to the republican core.

Answer 16

It says he is very smart. She's fantastic and adding her to the ticket will catapult him to the White House.

Not the answer you were looking for?

Answer 17

Is this going to be the topic of the day? It wasn't a bad decision. It has all of you Liberals putting your foot in your mouths, showing your hypocrisy and intolerance like never before.

Answer 18

MSNBC is biased they obviously have a left wing agenda.

Answer 19

She told him herself so why would he need to ask Alaskans?

Answer 20

We already know from his fellow republican senators that he is a bad choice.  His fellow REPUBLICAN SENATORS won't vote for him.  That tells us he has a serious problem.  I can't believe after all that Bush has done, they want to vote someone just like him into office.  How naive.

Best for the job? The woman's life plan was to be a stay at home mom.  She was the first mayor of a town too small to have a mayor and has only 20 months political experience!

Answer 21

Do you think he should have called "the alaskans" you mention above and "asked them about her".  Each & every one??  She does have an 80% approval rating as governor of Alaska- so I think most of them are pretty happy with her.  Your guy picked Biden over Hillary- What does that say about his decision making abilities?

Answer 22

So yea,where's the change Obama keeps rapping about.

The L.A. Times just popped a big story the Obama-Biden folks don't want to be reading the night the Delaware senator introduces himself to the nation: a potential conflict of interest involving Biden and one of the nation's biggest asbestos litigation law firms — which also happens to be his top contributor.

The report seems to provide fuel to Obama supporters enraged Illinois senator picked a running mate with such deep ties to the D.C. cash-politics-lobbying world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/2008082...