Six things wrong with this article

Leave it to the media during this election year to provide slander with no remorse.  I have already discussed my disgust at CNN’s “hit job” yesterday, which was underlined by this desperate attempt by reporter John Roberts to discredit her (attacking her through her child with Down syndrome? do you even have a soul?). I also didn’t appreciate Paul Begala’s melodrama during what was supposed to be a serious look at Governor Palin, but it isn’t shocking to see this coming from the Democrat’s “Yes Man” (I’m “terrified” too Paul, especially seeing that your candidate talks about disarming America, among other things). After all that, it came as no surprise that Politico would also join in to attack the McCain/Palin ticket, but the thing is I expected some honesty from them, or at least get their facts right. So let’s set the record straight here okay? No speculation, just the real story.

1. “McCain is desperate.” Well according to Gallup, before the DNC, McCain was up by two across the country, this coming after a two month slide by Barack down in the polls (someone who has been keeping on top of things would know that, especially after Saddleback). Sure Governor Palin made mention to Clinton’s 18 million supporters (it was Hillary, not Barack with those numbers Begala, super delegates don’t count) as a way to hint to her supporters that they should choose McCain over Obama, but I would argue her record of reform had more to do with her selection then her gender. Joe Biden, on the other hand, was a desperation pick. In all honesty I like Joe, especially when compared to the rest of the Democratic front runners. While he isn’t John McCain, he does have his head straight on the issues. This is a guy who has been to Iraq to visit the troops off the campaign trail, and the way he pounded Barack, Hillary and Edwards at the first Democratic debate over the issues of “redeployment” and the safety of Iraqis after America leaves shows that he is ready to lead in unpopular times. While he has made mistakes recently, and he was caught ripping speeches in the past, he is still the closest thing to a President the Democrats have in my opinion, and that is why Barack picked him. Biden not only tore him apart on experience, but also showed him up to be to the far-left of his own party. With Senator John Edwards now in political ruin after his affair hit the press, Obama was forced to pick Biden since no one would believe in the “unity” of a Obama/Clinton ticket no matter how much CNN and others tried pushing the idea. So let’s stop pretending Jim VandeHei and John F. Harris, the Democrats are desperate and Bill Clinton’s speech last tuesday proves that, especially since no is really believing in this new found unified front (just ask the posters on HillaryClintonForum.net).

2. The second point mirrors the first; McCain’s pick of Palin is a “Hail Mary” pass. As many have pointed out, a pick of Huckabee or Romney would make the new McCain ads about Biden and Clinton thinking Obama is a bad choice, moot. The choice of Pawlenty is a safer choice, but he lacks the “Maverick” streak Palin has, which would go against McCain’s platform of change. With approval rating through the roof in Alaska, and being a social conservative, locking in the hard-right members of the Republican party along with the religious block, this is far from the desperate act VandeHei and Harris are claiming. Matter of fact, her knowledge on energy problems facing America also gives McCain credibility that Obama and Biden don’t have on an issue that many voters are worrying about. Either way you slice it, the more and more you look at this choice, the more and more it seems like the only one for McCain to make.

3. Concerned about his age? Maybe, but after seeing his appearance on SNL, I think he is more comfortable with his age then his critics would admit. Matter of fact, SNL viewers love this guy regardless of his age, ratings don’t lie. Now, am I saying that he isn’t concerned about his age at all? No, but I do think the SNL appearance though shows that he was willing to take the issue on rather than dodge it for 6 months (still waiting on your explanation for Ayers and Rezko Obama). Do I think American voters should care about his age, and in relation, his health? Not really, especially seeing that Ronald Reagan, one of the more celebrated Presidents of our time was just a hair younger than McCain is now when he took office for the first time. Do I think Obama is worried about it? You better believe it, especially since he picked someone who is facing the same challenges as McCain on age.

4. Which is it VandeHei and Harris, is he concerned or is he not concerned enough? Let’s forget the downright hypocrisy of this argument and face it for what it really is, an attack on McCain through Palin. Now a direct attack on Palin due to her age and thus her inexperience puts a spotlight on Barack Obama himself, as they learned last night when the Republicans responded to these shots, but an attack done this way is far safer. This does however call into question whether or not Palin can handle the top position if something does happen to McCain, something to which Alan Colmes probably regrets asking Mike Huckabee now. As Huckabee stated himself, experience needed for the top position is something Palin would learn in her first month of office as mayor, not to mention her experience heading up the Alaskan National Guard and the position of the Governor of Alaska itself, not something Obama or Biden would even know about (debatable on Biden’s part, but for the sake of argument I will let it go). I think the real question here guys is whether or not Obama really has the experience to be President on day 1, and according to his colleagues and running mate, that answer is no.

5. Worried about the conservative base? I am willing to buy this to a point. While McCain himself has an rocky relationship with the conservative block, his VP short list consisted of choices which would solve this problem. Romney for example was a big hit with the strict religious voters, but he choose someone who is, as Glenn Beck stated, a “realistic social conservative”. “Let call a spade a spade” here, VandeHei and Harris are trying to say that she is a religious fanatic by being against abortion, but how does that explain her desire to reach across the floor and amend the laws concerning gay marriage to allow for same-sex couples to have some rights which married couple do? Once again, do the research or someone might catch you bending or even breaking the truth.

6. To believe this allegation these two are pushing, one has to accept that the rumours about Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman getting the nod as McCain’s running mate were more then speculation. Just because the Democrats are upset with Joe going against the party, doesn’t mean McCain will make him his running mate. If that logic were true, after tuesday night’s speech, Bill Clinton would be a shoe-in for McCain’s VP, hell, he definitely has the experience. Yes, it is true that McCain is a rogue, a politician who plays by different rules, but there are lines he won’t cross. Whether or not VandeHei and Harris are trying to suggest it, one could assume this was also a shot at his age, and in turn, saying his rash decisions are due to senility. Do any of his political decisions lately show this? Matter of fact, he was right on the surge, he was right on standing up to Russia and, before that, was right, along with Bush, about the importance of Georgia being a member of NATO (I don’t even think Obama knows where he stands on that issue, seeing as he gave two contradicting speeches about it). With that said, you can’t have it both ways, he is either a “Maverick” or he is “more of the same”, pick one. If you ask me, this argument rings of desperation.

So there you have it, the straight goods on what is wrong with this article. If we are going to be honest, we have to root out those who would be dishonest. While that does seem like a tall order with the way politics is, it is important in my opinion that voters get the facts and not the fiction. To all those who wish to consider keeping up this approach, do your research or we will make show you to be the partisan hacks you truly are.

UPDATE: Seems they realized the error of their ways.