Choosing Palin was Never about Hillary Voters

Posted on Posted in Politics

Listening to Democracy Now this morning, hearing the jubilant interviewees at the RNC who saw one of their own in the VP seat, I had an insight.

When the nomination was announced, I assumed this was a craven attempt to capture disaffected Hillary Clinton voters–but now I think that had nothing to do with this particular political calculus. it doesn’t take a whole lot of brainpower to suspect there won’t be a heck of a lot of Hillary voters who would choose a candidate who is anti-choice, anti-Green, pro-war just because he’d chosen a running mate that happens to have two X chromosomes, even though she’s well to the right of even McCain (who is no liberal).

But what I didn’t think about is the instant street cred this gave McCain with Bush’s base: the arch-conservatives. They were not excited about McCain, and rumor had a lot of them planning to sit this one out. Now, they’re energized. They’ll vote, they’ll send money, they’ll campaign actively. In a single stroke, he makes the race a lot more competitive, and has the added benefit of something that brings in the disability advocacy community.

But…here’s my insight: The ultra-right likes this pick because they think McCain has a very good chance of dying in office.

McCain, at 72, has a long history of health problems. If he is dead or incapacitated, Sarah Palin is the wet dream of the radical conservatives. She ardently opposes abortion (and I’ll give her credit for this–chose to bring her own baby to term knowing he had Downs, so on this matter at least she lives her principles), believes in teaching creation, waves her NRA membership around proudly, censors books…and for this, they are willing to forgive much:

  • The fiscal irresponsibility and ruination of the character of the town of her years as Wasilla’s mayor
  • A long track record of petty vindictiveness and a very spotty record on ethics
  • A clear attraction to pork-barrel special-interest politics
  • Her daughter’s illegitimate pregnancy
  • The possibility that her own first child might have been conceived out of wedlock (Track Palin was born just 7 months, 21 days after the wedding–isn’t that unusual for a first pregnancy?)

    That last should be easy to check. If Track Palin, her oldest son, was a premie, there should be some significant medical evidence of neonatal intensive care. Any investigative reporters want to work on that?

    It is a bit ironic that all these people who’ve been screaming their highly intolerant definition of family values for decades suddenly find tolerance in this case. I personally don’t care who Palin slept with or when, but I find the hypocrisy very revealing.

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    A lifelong activist, profitability and marketing specialist Shel Horowitz’s mission is to fix crises like hunger, poverty, racism, war, and catastrophic climate change—by showing the business world how fixing them can make a profit. An author, international speaker, and TEDx Talker, his award-winning 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, lays out a blueprint for creating and MARKETING those profitable change-making products and services. He is happy to help you craft your messaging and develop profit strategies. Learn more (and download excerpts from the book) at http://goingbeyondsustainability.com