I have to admit, I am laughing myself silly at the incredible cluelessness of the mainstream media journalists (so called) and pundits on the topic of Sarah Palin. Really, how did these people get their jobs?
Here are the two most glaring areas in which they are demonstrating less-than-competence:
1. Who is Sarah Palin?
Almost the entire media herd completely missed Sarah as a possible running mate selection for John McCain. All of them, completely caught off guard and dumbfounded.
I called it. Little old me, a private citizen at home blogging in my pajamas. Astute readers will scroll down to my July 4th post this year and read where I urged John McCain to fly to Alaska to research the question of drilling for oil, and while he's at it to name Sarah Palin as his VP. Me, two months ago. I knew who she was and how powerful her nomination would be. Why didn't the network news divisions know this? Really.
2. McCain did it to woo Hillary voters:
All of the commentary that I watched and read this weekend focused on that reason for Palin's selection - blatant pandering to win the mad Hillary voters.
Wrong. Really, how do these people get on television.
The main reason for McCain to choose Sarah Palin was to fix McCain's main problem: securing his base and getting them out to vote for him.
You can't win without your base, and McCain's base was in trouble. Just ask me, I'm the base and I don't like John McCain. Do you know how many conservative Republicans were telling themselves "okay, Ill vote for him but I have to get drunk to do it"? Lots, that's how many.
McCain needs his base. Not only did he not have the base secured, but he was in danger of further aggravating his base with his VP pick. Lieberman, who he wanted to pick, would have caused an outright revolt at the convention. All of the other picks would have divided the base to some degree - Romney, Ridge, etc. Pawlenty was safe, but would excite no one.
There was one candidate, admittedly out on the margin of public awareness, who the base was chattering about - Sarah Palin.
Here's the bottom line: the announcement of Sarah Palin ELECTRIFIED the base, and NO ONE thought that John McCain could even hold the base this year let alone thrill the base. He did it with this pick and now he has the base solidly locked in and eager to work for his election. That's what the choice of Sarah Palin was all about.
Wooing mad Hillary voters is just a bonus.
Okay, all of you mainstream media slackers: you are welcome for the lesson. Now, don't let this happen again.
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