Turning Point

I'm sure you've heard this (or the opposite viewpoint) from people who are smarter than I am, but I just want to go on record as having said it:

McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate is going to be looked back on as the turning point of this Presidential race...

...It will be viewed as the point at which McCain blew it!

The minute I read of McCain's choice Friday afternoon, I immediately saw it as a boneheaded choice for several reasons:

1. Palin's lack of experience UNDERMINES McCain's argument that Obama is inexperienced. How can he argue that Obama isn't experienced enough to run for President when Palin has even less experience than Obama and will be second in line if McCain wins?
2. It ENHANCES the argument (never made by Obama but often made by Obama's henchmen and the media) that McCain's age is a factor in the election. After all, if McCain dies now, we're leaving the Presidency in the hands of a complete newcomer to national politics.
3. Let's quit lying to ourselves: McCain chose Palin in part because she's a woman and he's hoping to steal some Clinton supporters. But this plan is going to backfire on him. Sure, in the short term women will get excited by this pick. But when Obama's camp starts hitting back with ads that say something like this--"John McCain thinks that the women of America will vote for a woman, any woman, if that person is on the ticket. Who cares if that woman..." The ad will then list every way that Palin differs from moderate and liberal values, and then come back with, "Does John McCain think women are that stupid? Is he that sexist? Is that how little he thinks of women?"--in the long term I think McCain will find he's alienated a lot of women voters.
4. Another reason McCain chose Palin is because he wants to reinforce his maverick image, to give the idea that he is a change candidate, too. However, Obama's people will come back with ads that say the following: "John McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential candidate because he wants to be about change. But putting an unknown, untested person on the ticket is not change. President Bush believes..." and the ad will then list some issue that Bush and Palin agree on. "Sarah Palin believes that, too." "President Bush wants..." and then the ad will come back with "So does Sarah Palin." The ad will end with "McCain/Palin. Not change at all. Just more of the same."

In 20 years we'll look back on McCain's choice and call it one of the dumbest political moves ever made by a candidate.

That's my prediction, anyway.