Does Palin help or hurt McCain?

By Brendan Huffman

Consultant specializing in Public Policy and Regulatory Issues

Wed, September 3rd, 2008

There are so many qualified and experienced Republicans out there, many of whom would have complimented Sen. John McCain’s perceived lack of domestic policy expertise such as Charlie Crist, Linda Lingle and Tim Pawlenty. Each of these governors is politically battle tested in states that are not all that red, and each of them has shown tendencies to be consensus builders. Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson would have been solid picks to be McCain’s running mate, too, and don’t forget Meg Whitman.

I am sure that Sen. McCain thought he was making a wise move by selecting Gov. Sarah Palin to shore up his conservative base and to show undecided women voters that they could count on him to further “crack the glass ceiling” in a direct appeal to Sen. Clinton’s supporters.

Yet, for probably every dissatisfied Hillary Clinton supporter, I suspect that their decisions on Election Day will come down to one issue—the Supreme Court. I don’t believe for a minute that any of Sen. Clinton’s supporters are willing to support McCain knowing that the next president will most likely determine whether Roe v. Wade is overturned or not.

Sen. McCain has a solid anti-abortion voting record, but he never has seemed to me comfortable with the single issue voters in the GOP who place that issue at the top of their agendas as demonstrated by his opposition to his party’s platform that opposes legal abortions even in cases of rape and incest. By downplaying the abortion issue, Sen. McCain probably was going to attract some of Sen. Clinton’s supporters on Election Day.

However, Gov. Palin has voters and the media talking about abortion again as well as whether abstinence-only classes are effective in reducing teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. (Gov. Palin supports abstinence-only instruction).

Instead of picking up some of the Clinton supporters, McCain’s selection may have pushed them in another direction and reminded Republican voters who favor abortion rights that the next president will likely pick the next Supreme Court justice.

Can’t wait for the first Biden/Palin debate!

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Brendan is obviously sad his Crist didn't get picked

Submitted by Proud Republican (not verified) on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 18:20.

Very weak article to make this the sole issue why she was picked. She was picked because she is a fighter, unlike the moderate squishes Brendan mentioned. I work for the Republican Party and if you only knew the amount of Democrats that have come into our offices and re-registered as Republicans and have signed up to volunteer, your mind would spin. I'll be honest, I wasn't even expecting it. We have had an enormous amount of Hillary supporters call or come in and procalim their support for Palin because the issue to them isn't abortion, it is showing that a strong Woman can do a great job as President or Vice President. You obviously don't get it Brendan, and you need to broaden your view and understand the bigger picture as to how important this is to all Women, Pro-Life or Pro-Choice.

McCain's choice of Palin.

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 14:29.

I believe that McCain chose Palin for more than just an appeal to the conservative/evangelical base. For you to immediately cast all women as one-issue voters is an insult not only to the women of this country but to many of us men as well. It is high time that we get off of the abortion issue as a lithmus test for candidate viability. I do agree that the appointment of Supreme Court Justices is and will be an issue for the next president. We need a president who will continue to appoint justices who respect our constitution instead of those who wish to rewrite it. That is a far bigger issue than Roe vs. Wade.

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