McCain: Einstein Picks Palin

Leon Walker reveals that bonehead statements and half-truths magnify as McCain endeavors to salve his guilty conscience, reinforce Pain and recover Republican authority to the masses.

I expect what John McCain and the bulk of his campaign staff must certainly be feeling as if they are going thorough their latest rough patch. From where I sit they are look pretty frazzled right now. Senator McCain has individually, along with many of his high level staffers and surrogates, made plenty of “boneheaded” statements lately. They are also busying themselves trying to manage the march of the skeletons that continue to stumble out of Governor Palin’s spacious walk-in closet. This is beginning to look more and more as if Senator McCain, the “mustang” really did shoot from the hip in making the important selection of a Vice Presidential running mate.

Actually, appearances are that some of the misfortunes of the McCain camp in recent days were just bad luck. For example, Senator McCain probably did the most damage himself when he again repeated that our economy is “fundamentally in good shape” or words to that effect. That statement alone, although significantly stupid, was magnified beyond any known measure given the explosion that happened to be taking place on Wall Street when the statement was made “this time”. I’m guessing Senator McCain was tired or he was simply so accustomed to making the statement that he did not realize its relevance to this real life economic crisis as it unfolds. Of course on the heels of that, one of his spokesmen turned him into the new “national butt of jokes” by suggesting that Senator McCain was deserving of credit for creating or inventing the Blackberry wireless phone, a popular internet and email device.

Then, as if saying something foolish and being made a fool of by your staff was not bad enough, Carly Fiorina, supposedly a trusted high level campaign advisor decided to announce McCain’s lack of business acumen on the national cable news networks. On second thought, I withdraw my earlier comment about the impacts of bad luck. These are professional political operatives. This week was “stupid on steroids”. It reminds me of the latest stupid joke about the new “McHappy Meal” of moose burgers, blackberries and a quality domestic whine!

Rough weeks can be expected in political campaigns. That alone would be manageable. However, as all of the aforementioned has transpired, a separate crisis is brewing on most every front as it relates to Governor Palin. Most everything that she had initially touted as areas of experience or significant accomplishment has been repeatedly disproven in the media and she continues to draw scrutiny for her involvement in the pending “Troopergate” investigation. She initially pledged to cooperate with that investigation, but she has now withdrawn that pledge. This waffle will most definitely cause her to be further scrutinized in a questionable light, casting a further pall over her credibility. In short, it has become clear that Governor Palin has not done much of what was initially claimed. She is beginning to appear as if she has been a very capable girl in the middle of the ole’ boy network.

the palinizer

Let me get to the actual point with regard to how and why Governor Palin was selected to be the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States by asking a few questions. Why would a man who is potentially to become President, select a little known Governor from Alaska to be his running mate? How did this happen after having had very little contact with the woman before the selection was made? How did this happen when so many questions about so many claims of accomplishment and experience exist? Why would a man who is running for the Presidency of the United States make such a reckless, even desperate choice in full view of the world?

What we are witnessing in the Governor Sarah Palin VP selection is very telling and not the least bit presidential. Appearances are that her acceptance of the VP nomination was not very vice-presidential. John McCain was desperate for strength and saw an attractive, conservative woman as a long ball. This “Hail Mary pass,” if successful, would blow the other team out of the water. I think Governor Palin may have been hyper-ambitious in accepting such an offer and blinded by the exciting prospect of being Vice President of the United States. She did not know or consider that if Senator McCain threw her the long ball she would need to catch it and run with it. She did what she was told to do initially, and she even caught the ball… but then she fumbled. Or given the distraction she has become maybe she made the catch but then started running in the wrong direction. Now time is running out, and the McCain-Palin team is falling further behind.

I need not stoop to any attempt to diminish anything that Governor Palin has accomplished. She’s a Governor and that is significant no matter whatever else I think of her. The problem here is not her, but in the timing and the rationale or lack thereof that led to her selection. The decision making process that was used in her selection is unveiling critical questions about thought processes, information gathering and the judgment of a man who aspires to lead this nation.

I stated in a previous article there are those who will argue to the ends of the earth that she is qualified. But was she prepared. Not prepared with regard to experience, but prepared to be thrown into the deep end of the pool on this national and world political stage. Did she really have the opportunity to look back over her political trail and dust off some of the foot prints? Was she given the opportunity to consider the offer and what may have been in her “political and personal” closets that might be problematic? There can be no arguing that the vetting process tied to her selection was severely abbreviated if it existed at all. This is the core of the problem that now haunts the McCain campaign and may well be the albatross around Senator McCain’s neck that eventually drowns him in this race.

In just over two weeks the Republican Vice Presidential nominee has been called and proved a liar in the national media more times than anyone could have imagined. She is a lightening rod in the media because she is being sequestered as she is being mocked in the entertainment world. She has also become the target of many male and female conservatives who are open about their displeasure with her range, depth of experience and her extreme right-wing positions.

She has also changed her position on several matters while under investigation for alleged abuses of power. Her husband is under subpoena and her minor daughter is pregnant. Life is a mess and that’s bad news. The good news is she is “miraculously” upstaging Senator McCain at every event they attend. She draws record crowds wherever they go and he still can’t fill a phone booth when he appears on the campaign trail alone. She is pretty, charming and well spoken. McCain is just plain boring in appearance and delivery. She has stolen the spotlight and Senator McCain has been relegated to the role of a geriatric warm up act.

All of this has happened while the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, “Senator Biden” rocks along daily, making his seasoned positions known to the benefit of the Obama Campaign. No questions and no unturned stones have been discussed. Does anyone see the contrast here besides me? There really is something to this vetting stuff I think. As president of the United States, it is probably a good idea to do your homework before you make decisions. But hey…that’s just my feeling on the matter.

I suppose there is some truth to the claims that elections are popularly contests. I don’t pay much attention to what those on the right think of Senator Palin. Perhaps I should focus on that in the near future. What I do know is that I can’t figure out what she stands for or what she has accomplished because the media is saturated with news of her lies, failures and embellishments. The ongoing Troopergate investigation that is now taking on the appearance of a forming cover up. How in the world have we already begun talking about the first scandal and cover up of the McCain Administration and there isn’t a McCain Administration? That does not sound as if it makes sense because it does not make sense.

Maybe they do things differently on the McCain team. Somehow, I don’ think this is way it is supposed to be. As many pundits have stated in recent months, the primary rule in selecting a Vice Presidential running mate is: “First do no harm.” McCain’s selection has demolished that rule of logic beyond recognition. If Senator McCain hopes to appear Presidential in his decision-making, I think he missed the mark in selecting Governor Palin. They have done a disservice to each other. They have likely destroyed any chance Senator McCain had of being elected. But what is more, they have both disrespected their party and constituents.

Interestingly, it was the desperate blind ambition of both that will be their undoing. It is telling and sad.

Senator John S. McCain will be remembered for making the least presidential decision of any nominee in Presidential campaign history.

L. A. Walker, © Leon A. Walker