In an effort to run down Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, a snarling Jack Cafferty managed to insult the entire state of Alaska on CNN's Situation Room: "Sarah Palin is in her first term as governor of Alaska, that's a state that has 13 people and some caribou." This was one small part of an acid-laced harangue by Cafferty on the subject of Sarah Palin, (emphasis mine):
All we have heard from John McCain is, "Barack Obama is too young. Barack Obama is too inexperienced, he can't be the commander-in-chief. Who do you want answering the phone in the White House at three in the morning? Blah, blah, blah, blah."
So what does he do? He picks someone to be his running mate who is younger than Barack Obama. Has less experience than Barack Obama. Sara Palin is 44 -- Obama is 47. Sarah Palin is in her first term as governor of Alaska, that's a state that has 13 people and some caribou. Obama is a member of the United States Senate from Illinois.
It's not a big deal, except for this: If McCain wins, he will be the oldest person ever inaugurated for a first term at 72. He's got a history of health problems including bouts with melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. It is reasonable to at least consider that McCain's running mate could be called upon to be our president.
Meanwhile, some may see this as a move for McCain to attract disaffected women who voted for Hillary Clinton and aren't yet behind Obama. Others might see it as pandering. It might not work for a few reasons: Palin, like McCain, is pro-life. Also, she might be a woman, but she's no Hillary Clinton -- when it comes to her experience or her ideology.
At some point, voters are going to have to ask themselves who they would want running the country if it ever became necessary: Joe Biden or Sarah Palin?
Here's the question: Does John McCain undercut his own message by naming someone even younger and less experienced than Barack Obama to be his running mate?
Cafferty then concludes the segment on what he thinks is a hopeful note: "This could be ballgame over."
Really Jack? And which of the people you mentioned has the most actual executive experience? It turns out that it is none other than Sarah Palin. And Cafferty might have to use the line about "ballgame over" when a certain Joe Biden meltdown video is made available to the public. But about that, your humble correspondent is keeping his mouth zipped...for now.
