THE ISSUE: Role of McCain’s VP choice

OUR OPINION: Palin shows she will be effective on national stage

John McCain is the Republican presidential nominee, embraced by the GOP in ways that would have surprised some during the long primary season. His reformer image intact, he embarks on the fall campaign with a real weapon at his side: his vice presidential pick.

As much as McCain and his experience were welcomed and celebrated by Republicans, the hit of the convention was Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Her speech of Wednesday night left little doubt that she has a specific role in the campaign: as the antithesis of Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

Her speech attacked Obama’s inexperience, comparing his record to hers as a mayor and governor of two years.

She hit and she hit hard at Obama, saying she has led a local government while Obama has only organized at the community level. She praised McCain’s military record by making the point that Obama has never served his country in the military.

In a brilliantly crafted and delivered address, she took slap after slap at the leading Democrat, including a shot at Obama’s central theme − change.

“In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change,” Palin said.

Conclusion: Palin is more than capable of handling herself on the national stage.

And she may have, at least for now, put aside the issues of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy for her 17-year-old daughter and reports that her reformist, conservative approach today has not been the case in all her public life.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden was as strategic as expected in his assessment of Palin, saying he is not good at one-line zingers and expects to have a tough time in the single debate between the two. As much as Biden likely was playing down expectations that as a veteran politician he would dominate any debate with Palin, he also was quick to echo allegations that Palin has been victimized by sexism in questioning by the media about how she will balance family and politics as vice president. The continuing discussion tends to inject issues that Democrats hope will lead to doubt about Palin and subsequently McCain as the veteran leader who selected her.

Yet as much as she stays on the attack vs. Obama − and allows McCain to be more the statesman and patriot − the Republicans see benefit. Expect the GOP to continue the theme that Obama selected Biden because of real concerns about the experience of the man at the top of the ticket. McCain had the courage to select the first woman on a GOP ticket, knowing she would be a top-flight campaigner and ultimately by her words and presence be the high-profile weapon that could undermine Obama, his positions and his very candidacy.

You must be logged in to comment.