McCain's VP Choice - Politics Above Country

To quote the architect of McCain's VP choice, Karl Rove:

"I think [Obama's] going to make an intensely political choice, not a governing choice," Rove said. "He's going to view this through the prism of a candidate, not through the prism of president; that is to say, he's going to pick somebody that he thinks will on the margin help him in a state like Indiana or Missouri or Virginia. He's not going to be thinking big and broad about the responsibilities of president."
Rove singled out Virginia governor Tim Kaine, also a Face The Nation guest, as an example of such a pick.

"With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years, he's been able but undistinguished," Rove said. "I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America."

Presumably this still holds true? (For comparison, Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska whose size estimates range from a low of 6,000 people to a high of 8,500 and whose major municipal headache appears to be keeping the moose out of the street.)

From a commentator over at Talkingpointsmemo:

I don't agree that the Democrats should focus on Palin's inexperience - at least not directly. (For one thing, it keeps Obama's "inexperience" in the discussion as well.) I would instead focus first on McCain's judgement and priorities - the argument practically writes itself: "Barack Obama selected one of the most qualified people available for the job of vice-president; John McCain picked one of the least qualified. Who really puts country ahead of politics?"

This is spot on. The problem is not pathetic Palin, she's merely a 'sympbol' an empty vessel that the Republicans come to time and again. A far-right conservative who supported Pat Buchanan over George W. Bush in 2000, she thinks global warming is a hoax and backs the teaching of creationism in public schools. Women are not likely to be impressed by her opposition to abortion especially when she thinks pro-life cancels out pro-choice even in the case of rape and incest. But she's perfect social conservative fodder, and she's good looking to boot: kind of like Ann Coulter without the meanness. Need zealous 'pro-life' cred for the evangelicals? There's Palin. Need Grover Norquist libertarian government self-emolation at its finest--there's Palin. Need to peel off a ticked off Hillary voter or two who might be witless enough to think voting for a vagina is the same as voting for women's rights? There's Palin.

Politically a brilliant choice, as all the hacks are saying. The only problem? Palin sucks at governing. She's only been in office a little under two years and is knee deep into a scandal. She left the city where she was Mayor millions of dollars in debt. Palin is exactly what modern Republicanism has become, the triumph of political manipulation over governance, petty symbols of social self righteousness overriding detailed daily concerns of survival. I had a conservative friend who, after a few beers, decided that he was deeply, indeed, mortally offended that the Democrats had actually packaged their convention to appear completely unified, even though, as he said, they obviously weren't. Yeah, crazy of those Dems wasn't it?

I wait with breathless anticipation his squeals of indignity regarding McCain's VP pick.

I'll let you know how it goes, but I won't hold my breath.