California Conservative

Pundits all across the country are buzzing about Sarah Palin and the impact she’s having on the Obama-McCain matchup. This represents typical inside-the-box thinking. I think it’s also out of step with a new matchup that’s taking center stage: the Palin-Obama matchup.

People across America still understand that the presidential matchup is still McCain-Obama but they’re starting to notice that, when it comes to reform, it’s really a Palin-Obama matchup.

Prior to Gov. Palin’s entry into the mix, people generally thought of Sen. Obama as a change agent, a reformer. Now that people are finding out how Sarah Palin took on the powers-that-be within the Republican Party of Alaska and how she ran out the Republican Attorney General before thrashing the sitting Republican governor in a GOP primary, people are taking a second look at Sen. Obama’s reformer’s credentials.

The closer the scrutiny, I predict, the less impressed voters will be with Sen. Obama. The reason for that is because his reformer’s credentials are largely nonexistent. While he made his way up the food chain in Chicago’s crony-laden political system, Sen. Obama didn’t utter a peep about the corruption that dotted Chicago’s political landscape.

Instead, he picked friends like Jeremiah Wright, a racist, and William Ayers, a terrorist. While those relationships with radicals prove that Obama isn’t an inside-the-box politician, those relationships don’t prove that he’s got an ambition to change the status quo when the status quo is corrupt.

In fact, what it really proves is that, putting it charitably, Sen. Obama’s judgment on personal matters is suspect. It also calls into question Sen. Obama’s priorities. Based on this information, it’s difficult to prove that reforming Washington is a priority. (more…)

John Forbes Kerry, one-time Democratic presidential nominee and career politician who lost to George W. Bush in 2004 and still remains bitter, has just returned to insult our intelligence. Again. This time, he’s done what I didn’t think possible. Here’s what he just said:

“With the choice of Gov. Palin, it’s the third term of Dick Cheney,” Kerry said on ABC News’ “This Week.” “He’s chosen somebody who doesn’t believe climate change is man-made.”

Kerry added that Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters should be offended if people suggest Palin was selected to draw some of the female vote away from the Barack Obama-Joe Biden ticket.

“It’s almost insulting to the Hillary supporters,” Kerry said, calling Palin a “Cheneyesque social conservative who’s going to satisfy the base. John McCain is a prisoner of the right wing, not a maverick.”

Comparing Sarah Palin to Dick Cheney is like comparing a pistol to a rifle. They both shoot, but they’re entirely different. Calling the comparison a stretch is an understatement. Calling Kerry’s remark idiotic would be redundant.

Actually, I shouldn’t call Sen. Kerry an idiot. I don’t want to demean idiots that way. That isn’t fair.

UPDATE: Just when I thought liberals couldn’t get more stupid than Sen. Kerry, I get an email from the DNC. Here’s the spin they’re selling this morning: (more…)

Friday evening, Mort Kondracke of the Beltway Boys said during the roundtable portion of Special Report that Sarah Palin wasn’t qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. I took offense with that, especially considering the ineptitude and qualifications of Sen. Obama, who wouldn’t be “one heartbeat away from the Oval Office”.

This morning, I wrote an email to Mr. Kondracke. Here’s the text of that email:

Mort, You’ve really outdid yourself this time. Saying that Gov. Palin, who’s visited Kuwait to talk with the troops from Alaska’s National Guard deployed in the Gulf, who’s rooted out corruption within her own party, isn’t qualified is uninformed opinion. It’s also irresponsible journalism.

Why haven’t you talked about Obama’s lack of qualifications? As you know, he chairs a subcommittee with oversight on Afghanistan. As you know, that subcommittee hasn’t met under his control. He’s been to Iraq twice. The last time he visited, he couldn’t even admit that the surge had worked because his hyperpartisanship wouldn’t allow him to admit that.

Who’s qualified to be commander-in-chief? It isn’t the junior senator from Illinois. (more…)

This post by the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol quotes a Newt Gingrich email on why Sarah Palin is a big hit with people. That word is simply authenticity. The email is utterly spot on, so I’ll just repost it here and get out of the way. It speaks for itself.

Authenticity is the one word threat to the Obama-Biden ticket.

There is something going on this weekend which traditional pundits, traditional consultants and traditional politicians are simply missing. All of the normal biography-oriented and issue-oriented analysis misses an emotional gestalt event comparable to when Ronald Reagan in 1980 crystalized his leadership in New Hampshire when he seized control of the GOP debate.

In one sudden moment Friday, John McCain fundamentally changed American politics in a manner that transcends issues and details.

The great threat to the Obama-Biden ticket can be captured in one word: authenticity. (more…)

Since Friday morning, I’ve been hearing anecdotal evidence that Sarah Palin was helping John McCain’s campaign. Now I have a way of measuring it. Here’s what a Zogby International poll found:

The interactive online Zogby survey shows that both Obama and McCain have solidified the support among their own parties; Obama won 86% support of Democrats and McCain 89% of Republicans in a two-way head-to-head poll question not including the running mates. When Biden and Palin are added to the mix, Obama’s Democratic support remains at 86%, while McCain’s increases to 92%.

This is proof that conservatives love the pick, as well they should. Having 92% of the conservatives supporting McCain is nothing short of spectacular. That’s approaching Bush-Cheney 04 levels.

I’ve been suspicious of Zogby International’s polling so I sought other forms of confirmation. It didn’t take long to find it. Consider this David Brody post for CBN:

For the most part, social conservatives and the Evangelical base are now about to come fully on board. Obama’s enthusiasm gap has narrowed considerably. Anytime you have motivated Evangelicals behind you it means your candidate is in a good spot. Watch for pro-family organizations and the McCain team to now start working together to get out the vote. This CAN NOT be emphasized enough.

Working at CBN gives Mr. Brody a pretty good grasp of what evangelical Christians are thinking. Couple McCain’s pick with his performance at Saddleback and there’s tons of reasons why evangelical Christians are jumping on board.

That isn’t the only proof of evangelicals coming on board. Here’s an exchange between James Dobson and Alan Colmes: (more…)

The Politico’s Jim Vandehei and John Harris have written something analyzing Sen. McCain’s pick of Gov. Palin. In their article they cite “six things the Palin pick says about McCain.” According to Mssrs. Vandehei and Harris, here’s what the pick tells us about Sen. McCain:

1. He’s desperate. Let’s stop pretending this race is as close as national polling suggests. The truth is McCain is essentially tied or trailing in every swing state that matters, and too close for comfort in several states like Indiana and Montana the GOP usually wins pretty easily in presidential races. On top of that, voters seem very inclined to elect Democrats in general this election, and very sick of the Bush years.

McCain could easily lose in an electoral landslide. That is the private view of Democrats and Republicans alike.

McCain’s pick shows he is not pretending. Politicians, even “mavericks” like McCain, play it safe when they think they are winning, or see an easy path to winning. They roll the dice only when they know that the risks of conventionality are greater than the risks of boldness.

Listen to the BS in that fist sentence. Mssrs. VandeHei and Harris are suggesting that all of the polling is badly wrong. Talk about arrogant. It’s beyond their belief that Sen. McCain could hang with this smooth-talking do-nothing liberal. Perhaps they didn’t notice that Sen. Obama’s fundraising comments about rural voters clinging to their guns and to God alienated voters to the extent that they wouldn’t trust him if their life depended on it. (more…)

Barack Obama is still attempting to paint John McCain as a Bush flunkie. He’s still trying to say that a McCain-Palin administration is Bush’s third term. Here’s his latest video making that silly accusation:

Here’s another video making essentially the same claim:

Nothing says change like someone that’s got a record of taking on corruption in your own political party. For all of Sen. Obama’s bluster that he’s the candidate of change, he’s sorely lacking in accomplishments. (more…)

The editorial board at the Wall Street Journal have posted their thoughts about Sen. McCain’s picking Gov. Sarah Palin. The entire editorial is up to their high standards and well worth reading. I want to focus on something that will become clear in the days and weeks ahead.

Here’s the key paragraph in the editorial:

Experience?

For starters, we’d say Governor Palin’s credentials as an agent of reform exceed Barack Obama’s. Mr. Obama rose through the Chicago Democratic machine without a peep of push-back. Alaska’s politics are deeply inbred and backed by energy-industry money. Mr. Obama slid past the kind of forces that Mrs. Palin took head on. This is one reason her selection, despite its campaign risks, seems to have been so well received by Republicans yesterday. They are looking for a new generation of leaders.

Sen. Obama likes talking the talk but his reform accomplishments are thin to nonexistent. In fact, I haven’t seen proof that he’s ever even attempted to spearhead a reform movement. Perhaps it exists but I’m not betting on it. Instead, I’d bet that reform isn’t a priority with any Chicago machine-style politician. (more…)

Last night, I sent an email to Minnesota’s House GOP leadershhip asking them for their opinion on Sen. McCain’s selection of Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Here’s what House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said of Sen. McCain’s pick:

“Sarah Palin is a rock solid conservative that brings excitement to this ticket. Her plain-spoken common sense is refreshing and will help John McCain in key areas.”

-House Minority Leader Marty Seifert

Here’s House Assistant Minority Leader Laura Brod’s reaction to Sen McCain’s selection of Gov. Palin:

“Governor Pawlenty’s reform message and ability to win and govern in a state that has trended Democrat attracted the attention of Senator McCain and others looking for new leaders. That made him an excellent candidate to be John McCain’s Vice President. However, Minnesota faces a looming budget deficit, and rumblings from our friends on the other side of the aisle that they will continue their drumb beat for job-killing tax increases. We will be fortunate to have Governor Pawlenty here to protect Minnesota taxpayers and struggling employers.

Governor Palin is also a reformer who offers fresh ideas from about as far away from Washington DC as you can get. As a mom, business owner and leader, she is a great mentor for those of us in public service as well as women across the country who are trying to balance checkbooks, family time and careers. Governor Palin is an excellent choice for Republicans who are looking for a conservative leader who is ready to serve as Vice President. Similarly, Independents and Democrats appreciate that Sen McCain is willing to step outside the box. (more…)

I’ve just spent some time listening to Bob Beckel and Alan Colmes question Sarah Palin’s lack of experience. To be fair, both gentlemen said that picking a woman was a great step in the right direction for American politics.

The experience thing isn’t unimportant but it isn’t everything. The reason why experience often is beneficial is because you can draw on that information to see what did or didn’t work. The reason why it isn’t everything is when a Joe Biden has lots of information inside his head but his critical thinking skills cause him to make bad decisions.

Everything that I’ve read about Gov. Palin, coupled with watching her speech Friday morning, tells me that she’s got outstanding critical thinking abilities. A close examination of her decisions tells me that she picks up on things quickly, which helps her make high quality decisions.

Two things in her background particularly stand out for me, things that political pundits might laugh at. The first thing from her personal, non-political, life that jumps out at me is that she was a point guard for a state championship team. the reason why that’s important to me is because point guards are the quarterbacks of the basketball court.

Great point guards like Magic Johnson, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd get the ball to their teammats at exactly the right time in the best place for that player to make important, sometimes gamechanging, plays.

By all accounts, that’s something that Sarah Palin excelled in in high school. That tells me that her critical thinking skills are very good. Another thing that tells me that her critical thinking skills are good is that she hasn’t lost sight of her mission. (more…)