The Palin Pick

So, I am of the opinion that McCain just handed the election to Obama by picking Sarah Palin. Check that: I think the election will still be decided in the debates. But I think it just got a whole lot harder for Americans to take McCain seriously. I've been ranting all weekend how hypocritical and cynical the McCain campaign's choice was. But because I haven't written about it and because Andrew Sullivan's posts on McCain's choice have mirrored my own feelings on the pick, from surprised, to confused, to alarmed, to upset, to fully enraged, I will let his posts speak for my own feelings. Most movement conservatives are ecstatic about the pick like Kristol and almost all of the writers at National Review blog, The Corner, but some, like David Frum are pretty skeptical. The point I want to make is that there is a lot of skepticism, disbelief and contempt surrounding the Palin pick in the blogosphere, even on MSM blogs like Time and Politico. Sure, I am biased, but this seems to me to be the proper reaction. The Palin pick is transparently gimmicky, it fulfills every requirement that McCain needed to politically, except the actual requirement of the Vice-Presidential office itself--being able to step in and take over if the President is unable to fulfill the duties of his office. This is the big meme going around the blogosphere.

Not on the Sunday news shows, however. The disconnect between the blogosphere and television news is stunning. I just watched 'This Week', and it was like walking into an alternative universe. Not once they bring up the fact that McCain only met her once. Not once did they talk about how closely she was vetted. It was an "exciting pick" according to Cokie Roberts. George Will, who I have a weird sort of respect for because at least his opinions are usually coherent, makes the incredible statement that McCain's base is now more fired up than Obama's. The only one who seemed really skeptical was Stephanopolous himself, but he seemed like a kid in High School, who knows that what he's hearing is bullshit but doesn't want to appear too uncool by harshing on the vibe. Admittedly, when Stephanopolous interviewed Lindsey Graham he actually pressed him really hard on the hypocrisy and cynicism of McCain's choice. But once roundtable started, it just became ridiculous.

Meet the Press was a little better, principally as a result of Doris Kearns Goodwin, who specifically brought up the impulsiveness of McCain's decision-making process. But there was still a lot of the 'McCain's restoration as a Maverick' meme. But it really is like entering a parallel universe in comparison to the blogosphere. The same things have happened, in the same temporal order. None of the facts have been changed. But the interpretation of what they mean could not be more different.