Why does everyone keep saying that John McCain picked Sarah Palin "at the last minute"?

Question

I can't tell you how many times I've heard that phrase in the news over the last few days. They make it sound like he wasn't thinking about it at all over the last half a year. Even if he never thought about it once during the primaries, he's had since early March to decide. Why does everyone act like McCain's advisors came to him Thursday night and said "Senator, you've got to pick a running mate!"? He says he vetted her. Why is it so hard to take him at his word? Because she's got problems in her past? Show me a potential running mate who doesn't.

Answer 1

Maybe it's because he's only met her twice.  Once before he picked her.  The fact that he didn't know her daughter was pregnant until a few days ago speaks volumes.

Answer 2

Because they are uninformed.  He's been researching since Feb.

Answer 3

Probably because the head of his selection committee met with her for the first time the day before she was selected as VP candidate.

Answer 4

The only time I have ever heard of meeting a person once before choosing is in an arranged marriage.  Those couples aren't running to be the leaders of the free world.  But I agree we should focus on the issues.

For example, conservatives saying Obama isn't American or his middle name has bearing on his ability to lead or the church he attends or his terrorist fist jabs or the million other things outside of the issues that conservative talking heads concentrated on in the past.

Answer 5

I don't think its because of her past problems, and really her problems aren't that huge of a deal. I think the concern is that McCain admittantly only had met her one time prior to last Wednesday and that even according to some insiders from the McCain camp is was a shock to them as well, which would lead me to believe that no one was seriously courting her the way that one would normally go about the process. That, plus I don't think that you can really argue the fact that there are probably better candidates for that position within the republican party. It doesn't seem to fit his claim of country first. It looks like a total gimic or desparation ploy in many cases. This is what I feel about how people view it.

Answer 6

He did vet her, and the things the press is focusing on are irrelevant, but it is all they have, so they have to pound it home.  If the best thing they got is her 22 year old husbands DUI and her 17 year old daughter being pregnant, carrying the baby to term, and getting Married, then they have nothing.  Sorry Democrats, try focusing on the issues.