Palin brings McCain to follow-up interview with Katie Couric

[JoeChalupa]

Here's the thing...this woman is not stupid. She's not uneducated, and she doesn't lack a complete understanding of what it takes to be a vice-president.

What she lacks is the ability to come across as someone who's been there before, because she just hasn't been there before. Prior to becoming a VP nominee, she'd never even considered having to sit down in front of Couric (or any other national media journalist) and answer questions about foreign policy and McCain's senate history. She has a very short window to get up to speed, and frankly that window is closing fast, and she doesn't seem to be getting it done. That may all change Thursday night, but I'm not holding my breath.

She's just not a politician, and can't do these things the way she needs to.

I concur. She has the Bu is.

[Anti.Hero]

lol look at idiot Palin!

When Hillary Clinton told a tall tale about "landing under sniper fire" in Bosnia, she was accused of "inflating her war experience" by rival Republican John McCain's campaign.

But the campaign has been silent about McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, telling her own questionable story about being "shot at" in Iraq.

"Let's start telling the truth," Palin said during a presidential primary debate sponsored by YouTube last year. "Number one, you take all the troops out - you better have helicopters ready to take those 3,000 civilians inside the Green Zone, where I have been seven times and shot at. You better make sure you have protection for them, or let them die."

But when questioned about the episode afterward by the Hill newspaper, Palin backpedaled from her claim of being "shot at" and instead allowed: "I was near where a shot landed."

[baseline bum]

Nope, she's a moron.

[TheMadHatter]

It's hard to imagine how the American people could elect someone with less credibility than Bush. I still have faith America is not this dumb.

[baseline bum]

McCain tells Katie Couric that Palin can speak for herself right after he jumps in to answer the question Couric asked her?

This country is ed

[fyatuk]

It's hard to imagine how the American people could elect someone with less credibility than Bush. I still have faith America is not this dumb.

The problem with that line of thinking is VP and President are very different positions. The VP position doesn't require the tact and knowledge of foreign relations that the President would and is pretty much just an overblown Senator and advisor to the President.

Unless of course you happen to be one of those that assume McCain will die pretty early in office (which is idiotic to think IMO), voting for McCain would not be "electing Palin" in the same sense as electing W. Not even close.

[Shastafarian]

The problem with that line of thinking is VP and President are very different positions. The VP position doesn't require the tact and knowledge of foreign relations that the President would and is pretty much just an overblown Senator and advisor to the President.

Unless of course you happen to be one of those that assume McCain will die pretty early in office (which is idiotic to think IMO), voting for McCain would not be "electing Palin" in the same sense as electing W. Not even close.

What's the life expectancy of a 72 year old 4 time cancer survivor?

[ChumpDumper]

So it doesn't matter that Palin is an embarrassment.

What a relief.

[ratm1221]

Gotcha Journalism. Haha, you have to be kidding..

I don't think McCain understands the concept. When I think of Gotcha Journalism I think of someone saying "What do you think about everyone saying McCain is a stupid old far?"

And then Palin said:
"I think it's unfair that people say McCain is a stupid old fart."

Then the next day you see a clip of Palin saying "McCain is a stupid old fart" over and over again.

Gotcha Journalism isn't someone saying something stupid and you asking them why they said it and asking if they are on the same page.

[ChumpDumper]

Got damn gotcha cons uents!

[ploto]

There is a vast difference between coming across as a novice politician- not slick and smooth, and coming across as clueless. She seems to have absolutely no idea what she is even saying half the time. She throws out catch phrases completely out of context and totally at random. The basic structure of her statements is incoherent if you ever type them out word for word.

[fyatuk]

What's the life expectancy of a 72 year old 4 time cancer survivor?

Do a little research on Melanoma and McCain, 2 of his melanoma were not a threat with a claimed near 100% survivor rate and claimed near 0% recurrance rate.

The most severe, found on his temple in 2000, has not recurred since and apparently statistics back in the early 90's had that if it had not recurred in 5 years (McCain's now at 8), recurrence rate was 14% with a 9% death rate. The melanoma, while fairly large, had not metastacized, so was not as bad as it's made out to be. He's regularly checked for signs of cancer and there have been none for 6 years (which was a very minor one). So by that, he'd have at most a 9% chance or so of dying in his first term from melanoma, and given he currently has a clean bill of health, probably less than that.

As far as age, that's debateable. Current life extancy is over 78 years old, but McCain has a valid claim to genetic longevity. LBJ and JFK are the only President's born in the 1900's to NOT live long enough for McCain to finish his first term.

[fyatuk]

So it doesn't matter that Palin is an embarrassment.

What a relief.

Didn't say it didn't matter, said it was stupid to compare voter reaction between her credibility and Bush's due to the vastly different requirements for such.

If she shows improvement in the debate, I'll have no problem with her. If she doesn't, then she's showing an inability to learn and should be avoided at all costs.

[RandomGuy]

Pretty much everyone around the world will be laughing at a Palin presidency.

(shudders)

... and I thought Bush was ignorant.

It really took some talent to find someone who was less competent than Bush. You gotta hand it to McCain for having the talent to do that. It probably wasn't easy.

[RandomGuy]

Do a little research on Melanoma and McCain, 2 of his melanoma were not a threat with a claimed near 100% survivor rate and claimed near 0% recurrance rate.

The most severe, found on his temple in 2000, has not recurred since and apparently statistics back in the early 90's had that if it had not recurred in 5 years (McCain's now at 8), recurrence rate was 14% with a 9% death rate. The melanoma, while fairly large, had not metastacized, so was not as bad as it's made out to be. He's regularly checked for signs of cancer and there have been none for 6 years (which was a very minor one). So by that, he'd have at most a 9% chance or so of dying in his first term from melanoma, and given he currently has a clean bill of health, probably less than that.

As far as age, that's debateable. Current life extancy is over 78 years old, but McCain has a valid claim to genetic longevity. LBJ and JFK are the only President's born in the 1900's to NOT live long enough for McCain to finish his first term.

There is a difference between living and having the mental endurance to do an extremely stressful job well.

One can still be drawing breath and experience the beginnings of dementia, as any geriatric health care provider could tell you.

The other thing is that you don't really know what else besides the melanoma is in his medical records. No one but he does, and he isn't giving us any more than his word, when he has every motive to stretch the truth.

[fyatuk]

There is a difference between living and having the mental endurance to do an extremely stressful job well.

One can still be drawing breath and experience the beginnings of dementia, as any geriatric health care provider could tell you.

The other thing is that you don't really know what else besides the melanoma is in his medical records. No one but he does, and he isn't giving us any more than his word, when he has every motive to stretch the truth.

He released about 1500 pages of medical and psychiatric records back in 1999, and earlier this year granted access to his more recent medical records (as well as allowing interviewing with his doctors) to 2 newspapers, several television reporters, as well as news services AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Granted it was for only a 3 hour view session, but he was deemed in excellent health after the release, by even typically liberal press agents.

I've told my friends I think the chances of McCain going senile are higher than his chances of dying in office IMO, and even that I don't think is too high. Claims of McCain dying/losing the mental capacity to do the job while in office are about as much fear mongering as trying to tie Obama to Islamic terrorists. Loose basis in fact, but not worth worrying about.

[Shastafarian]

He released about 1500 pages of medical and psychiatric records back in 1999, and earlier this year granted access to his more recent medical records (as well as allowing interviewing with his doctors) to 2 newspapers, several television reporters, as well as news services AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Granted it was for only a 3 hour view session, but he was deemed in excellent health after the release, by even typically liberal press agents.

I've told my friends I think the chances of McCain going senile are higher than his chances of dying in office IMO, and even that I don't think is too high. Claims of McCain dying/losing the mental capacity to do the job while in office are about as much fear mongering as trying to tie Obama to Islamic terrorists. Loose basis in fact, but not worth worrying about.

Awww you almost made it an entire post without sounding like an ass.

[tp2021]

I concur. She has the Bu is.

I'd like to help her work out her bu is.

[fyatuk]

Awww you almost made it an entire post without sounding like an ass.

LOL. Sorry, should have left the Islamic off. Heard that term too many times. The nice Islamic folk do have a valid complaint about that term being used way too often (note, this is not sarcasm).

[Findog]

Do you think Gwen Ifill will ask her a question in the debate, and she'll just say "Pass?"

[Shastafarian]

Do you think Gwen Ifill will ask her a question in the debate, and she'll just say "Pass?"

Gwen Ifill broke her ankle today. I hear McCain hired Tonya Harding recently...