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Loading ...McCain picks Palin
08.29.2008 11:27am EDT
(Dayton, Ohio) Republican presidential hopeful John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate Friday.
Palin, a self-styled “hockey mom” and political reformer, was introduced to party supporters at a rally in Dayton.Palin’s selection was a stunning surprise, as McCain passed over many other better known prospects, some of whom had been the subject of intense speculation for weeks or months.
At 44, Palin is younger than Obama and, like McCain, she calls herself a maverick. A first-term governor she is credited with reforms in her state.
McCain made the announcement on his 72nd birthday Friday saying he made his pick after looking for a political partner “who can best help me shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people who are counting on us.”
McCain said that Palin was “Exactly who I need. She’s exactly who this country needs to help us fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second.”
Palin has a scant record on LGBT rights but is considered a moderate.
In one of his last acts as governor, Palin’s predecessor Frank Murkowski called the legislature into special session in 2006 to approve a same-sex couples benefits package to comply with a court order declaring the lack of health and pension benefits violated the Alaska constitution.
But rather than approving the plan the House and Senate passed legislation prohibiting the Alaska Commissioner of Administration for implementing the court ruling.
Both houses then voted to endorse a move putting the issue to a statewide plebiscite, asking voters if a constitutional amendment barring gay benefits should go on the 2008 ballot.
Shortly before the January 1, 2007 deadline newly elected governor Palin, vetoed the bill that would have blocked the state from giving the benefits and the plan kicked in at the first of the year. But Palin endorsed the referendum on the issue and she has publicly voiced her opposition to same-sex marriage.
Nevertheless she was hailed by gay Republicans.
“Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters,” said Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon.
“Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.”
Religious conservatives also praised McCain’s pick.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant choice,” said Mathew Staver, the president of Liberty Counsel and the dean of Liberty University School of Law.
“This will absolutely energize McCain’s campaign and energize conservatives,” he predicted.
Liberty Counsel has been involved in court battles to block LGBT civil rights in a number of states.
But the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization was less than enthused.
“America may not know much about Sarah Palin, but based on what our community has seen of her, we know enough,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
“Sarah Palin not only supported the 1998 Alaska constitutional amendment banning marriage equality but, in her less than two years as Governor, even expressed the extreme position of supporting stripping away domestic partner benefits for state workers. When you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality.”
Palin opposes abortion and is a member of the National Rifle Association.
Republicans kick off their national nominating convention next week in St. Paul, Minn., and McCain’s campaign hopes the announcement of Palin as his running mate will stunt any momentum Obama might get from the just-concluded Democratic National Convention.
With ethics the centerpiece of her campaign, Palin defeated incumbent Gov. Murkowski, who served 22 years in the U.S. Senate before winning the governor’s seat in 2002.
Her task didn’t seem any easier in the general election, but she handily beat Tony Knowles, a popular Democrat who had already served two terms as governor.
Her previous political experience consisted of terms as Wasilla’s mayor and councilwoman and a stint as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
But Palin also comes with her own ethics complaint. She has come under the scrutiny of an investigation by the Republican-controlled legislature into the possibility that she ordered the dismissal of Alaska’s public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.
Newly minted Democratic nominee Barack Obama is making an aggressive play for the traditional GOP stronghold and its three electoral votes, and polls show the race close.
Kucinich was my number 1 the only candidate along with Gravel to champion gay marriage, not afraid to rattle news media and corporations. Edwards was 2nd.
Hillary 3rd and Obama 4th. I was not going be dazzled and blinded the “glitter and gloss” surrounding Obama and Hillary.
Awesome choice! I was on the fence with McCain since I always saw Obama for the phony he is but now I now who I’m casting my vote for. Talk about real change an Intelligent and experience and gorgeous woman with her resume she makes even Obama seem diminutive.
Go Palin! Go!
Yes Alaskan – good post. She clearly is more anti-gay than the initial research I had on her. Thanks. An another point – to be honest – I hate the term “Pro-Life” as if people who are pro-choice are “Anti-LIfe” – they aren’t. Most people I have met who are pro-choice are EXACTLY that – they support the right of a woman to make the choices that govern her own body. Yes, there are some women who use abortion as a form of “secondary birth control” and that is regrettable and should be addressed. The fact is that great strides can be made in this area if we can educate women at a young enough age about family planning and make birth control readily accessable. Like HIllary herself said “Safe, legal and rare”. That won’t satisfy the supposed “moral majority” because they won’t be satisfied until they can control every aspect of others people’s bodies who don’t agree with them. Too damn bad. What we can do is stop mis-educating our chidren and make the need for abortions far fewer.
McCain is merely pathetic and this choice is proof positive of the fact. Any GLBT person who could possibly rationalize a vote for McSame now is little more than a self-loathing homosexual or a blatant racist.
Hunter, what are you doing on this site? Look at your URL. It says gay…as in homosexual. You must be a homo-hater if you are willing to vote for the Republican party that has distain for us gays. No job protection, no hate crimes legislation, no military service, and don’t even think about legal recognition for our relationships. Quick, get off of this site, clear your history, and Google “fox”.
What’s with the comments about her being beautiful. How insulting to women. Never is an election a beauty contest until a woman gets in it. I don’t care, and don’t comment (until now) about McCain being so damn ugly. It matters more to me that he’s an angry meany. I propose that anyone who comments on her looks should rate the looks of each candidate in the same post. Fairness and equal time to cuties and uglies alike.
I am liking Karen more and more! Hey Jennifer, you said you needed another writer, right?
The Log Cabin Republicans must be straight folks in disguise. They do not care about the rest of us and are content with stripping us of all rights.
What commander in chief is 44 and wears Talbots separates???
I agree Terry and I was going to mention that. (I noticed that mainstream media sites had stories about Hillary’s wardrobe – which is irrelevant to me. If they want to do that, then tehy should also do a story on the wardrobe of the men as well. It would also be irrelevant, but at least it would be balanced.) I fault the media most of all in the way Hillary was treated during the primaries. I don’t care if this woman is attractive or not, I DISAGREE with her views – that’s what really matters.
Could Sarah Palin be the future Mrs. John McCain the third? After he is elected President he won’t need Cindy’s money. And didn’t he dump his first wife Carol after she became disfigured in an auto accident for the younger, more beautiful replacement Cindy Hensley McCain?
Palin is a horrific pick. She has stated previously that she has no idea what the Vice President does. She ran a campaign on the fact that she has not been in Washington for 35 years (McCain has), and she is not a member of the good ole boys club (McCain is). Guess people will sell out values for power!
If Obama wanted to win he would have chosen Mrs. Clinton as his V.P. running mate. He didn’t. Blame Obama’s sexism: Not Mr. McCain’s brilliant strategizing.
Chris Sullivan Said:
“McCain is merely pathetic and this choice is proof positive of the fact. Any GLBT person who could possibly rationalize a vote for McSame now is little more than a self-loathing homosexual or a blatant racist.”
Because of your national German workers’ party brown shirt tactics which are to be envied by the vilest of GOP pundits you make me want to vote for McInsane more and more with every one of your Stalinist character assassinating posts. I have read many of your posts and you make some very good points and valid arguments when you stick to the issues but you also make slick slimy slanderous slams which would make the late king of mud slinging Jesse Helms jealous.
You castigated me for being the “sole decider….” what gives you the right to demand other non-heterosexuals follow you lock step. There are many many issues to be decided, with the issues of the gay community being a few of many others. Let the people live their lives the way they choose with their own morality without your intimidation and efforts of coercing their vote. By doing so you are doing the very thing your slander others for doing. You are becoming the very NAZI brown-shirts from which you scream for us to defend ourselves. “We have met the enemy and he is us”.
I welcome your points and arguments for you make them well but I ask you to leave the childish name calling some where else because it has not place in the school yard nor here because it really has no place in a respectful society.
You might accuse me of the same slander; but I point out I call you no names nor attack your character. I characterize your actions not your person, there in is the difference.
Karen Said:
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Hunter, what are you doing on this site? Look at your URL. It says gay…as in homosexual. You must be a homo-hater if you are willing to vote for the Republican party that has distain for us gays. No job protection, no hate crimes legislation, no military service, and don’t even think about legal recognition for our relationships. Quick, get off of this site, clear your history, and Google “fox”.
Your argument that gay and (R) are mutually exclusive is a false one. Though you are right when the times are easy the (D) are more inclusive, however the (D) will throw the non-het community under the bus at the first sign of tough times. So voting for (D) for purely gay issues alone is choosing the lesser of 2 evils. However, I pose to you “voting for the lesser of 2 evils is still voting for evil non the less” Though I am not (R) I can understand why a non-heterosexual would be if they are against socialism; I am not a (D) I too understand why many in the non-het community would be. I chastise neither for being such but I do argue often about the evil of big government and socialist policies of the (D) which I cannot support and the theocracy which big government neo con (R) have brought to our once free nation. Again Your argument that gay and (R) are mutually exclusive is a false one.
Chris Sullivan Said:
I agree Terry and I was going to mention that. (I noticed that mainstream media sites had stories about Hillary’s wardrobe – which is irrelevant to me. If they want to do that, then tehy should also do a story on the wardrobe of the men as well. It would also be irrelevant, but at least it would be balanced.) I fault the media most of all in the way Hillary was treated during the primaries. I don’t care if this woman is attractive or not, I DISAGREE with her views – that’s what really matters.
This is the type of post by you I cherish. The post is about the issues not about a person thank you.
I too agree the wardrobe is irrelevant and I too agree that the media should treat each candidate equally and fairly. However, where you fault the media I fault the American people for buying into such fluffy irrelevant journalism. Bad fluffy journalism is like drugs someone will always be there to sale it if someone is always there to buy it; unfortunately for the Republic the American people buy it!
Well, isn’t this a huge suprise! McCain picked a woman. Do you think it was for her experience, or simply to swing Hillary voters to his side?