09/03/2008
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Sarah Palin: GOP to Pull?
Think Progress spoke with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow in St. Paul about the Sarah Palin pick.
“Nobody can quite believe that John McCain picked her...I think the question right now is whether or not the choice is going to be withdrawn....before it gets very complicated with the rules of the RNC...And I think that that’s actually what people are thinking about, rather than what will Sarah Palin mean for the country. I don’t get the sense that anybody is totally committed to the idea that she is going to be vice president, or even the vice presidential nominee...This has been greeted with such shock — and with every salacious detail about stuff that wasn’t vetted coming to the floor seemingly with each hour of the news cycle — it is becoming less likely by the hour that Palin will still be John McCain’s nominee even by the end of the week."
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 12:47 PM EST by Andy Towle in John McCain, News, Rachel Maddow, Republican Party, Sarah Palin | Permalink
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Let me tell you what I think is going to happen.
The media, pundits like Maddow, and every blog in the universe are going to have a field day picking this woman apart. (Rightfully so, since the choice is bizarre and her life as messy as most Americans).
However, she is not going to budge and that will be her show of strength, not buckling under the media pressure, thereby impressing a lot of voters.
Posted by: Andy | Sep 3, 2008 12:59:25 PM
She will NOT be dropped unless there is an indictment which won't happen because McSame/Palin are stonewalling the investigation. The base loves her and thats all that matters. I'm sure they're hoping all of the scrutiny will energize the base even more as they rally around her.
Posted by: dk | Sep 3, 2008 1:02:19 PM
god, I'd go straight for Rachel! ..... Oh wait....I'd have to get a sex change....no thanks....but I do luvs me some Rachel Maddow!
Posted by: MARK | Sep 3, 2008 1:08:14 PM
The only people who are going to love such a "show of strength" from Palin and McCain are the Republican base. Independents and conservative Democrats are appalled by her inexperience and by the arrogance and incompetence he's displayed by selecting her.
And with only the base, McCain loses badly in November.
P.S. Try and pick one screen name and stick with it, Zeffer.
Posted by: 24play | Sep 3, 2008 1:16:43 PM
It's fun watching east coast, north slope and west coast people trying understand each other. This election has shown to me that this country is now really fractured. It seems to be beyond repair.
Long live the Northwest Rockies.
Posted by: barney | Sep 3, 2008 1:16:57 PM
I don't know. This is the party of people who value tradition, faith over science, loyalty, respect for authority, unwillingness to compromise, might makes right, and so on. This is the party of people suspicious of those egghead elitists who go to those liberal institutions of higher learning. This is the party of people who embraced the C-student Bush because he's the dude you want to have a beer with, turning a loser into a winner. The support and defense this woman has been getting - most bizarrely showcased in that interview between Campbell Brown and that Tucker freak - borders on zealotry. And what politician doesn't like a zealot? For all of those out there shaking their heads in disbelief (like me), there are plenty more who will embrace this choice and this woman as the most righteous cause ever. It's what they do.
Posted by: JT | Sep 3, 2008 1:21:13 PM
We here in Canada hope that she stays in the race. The new season of Trailer Park Boys hasn't started yet.
Posted by: David D. | Sep 3, 2008 1:29:31 PM
I've been watching the 'news channels' this morning and from what I saw, the delegates are excited about Palin... probably because of the sleeping pill called Mcsame/pm. And withdrawing the nomination wasn't mentioned. This interview is questionable at best.
Posted by: kansastock | Sep 3, 2008 1:31:13 PM
Rachel Maddow is so hot she almost makes me wish I was a lesbian.
Posted by: seattle mike | Sep 3, 2008 1:31:51 PM
2006 Party Affiliation (millions)
Republican 55
Democrat 72
Independent 42
And the numbers have certainly gotten even worse for the Repubs since then.
Posted by: 24play | Sep 3, 2008 1:33:01 PM
I don't see her quitting and there's no way McCain is going to dump her and admit that it was a mistake to choose her.
On the other hand, her son Track is going to Iraq, Bristol is pregnant, Trig has special needs and we still know nothing about Piper and Pillow. It wouldn't surprise me if something "unexpected" happened on the family side and she had to withdraw from the race in order to deal with the situation.
Posted by: Xuriel | Sep 3, 2008 1:35:38 PM
In reading the posts today and the ones from yesterday regarding Barney Frank, I am disgusted by the way gay people are treating this issue. This election is HUGE. We (gays) make huge issue about people attacking us before they know us...look at what most of you are doing to Gov. Palin and her family. We know very little about this woman. And everything we now know, we found out in 4 days. Think about all the crap the Clintons have been through and done...now imagaine if we learned about all that over a period of 4 days as opposed to 20 years. Makes a huge difference. People want to attack based on one or two issues that the person stands for. Guess what, this election is bigger than abortion. It is bigger than gay marriage. It is bigger than teen pregnancy. Yes, there are FAR RIGHT WING nuts that make attacks on our community as a whole. But not every conservative is a far right wing nut. I don't believe McCain or Palin hate me or wish me harm. We have different views. Just as I have different views from Obama and Biden. No one is attacking Joe Biden for entering the Senate just weeks after his wife and daughter were killed and his sons were still hospitalized and no one should attack him for that. This fighting and name calling is what is going to eventually tear this great country apart.
Posted by: BC | Sep 3, 2008 1:38:22 PM
Mistake or not, if McCain drops Palin, he drops any chance to win the election.
Posted by: NYBrian | Sep 3, 2008 1:39:51 PM
Unfortunately, I highly doubt Palin's going anywhere. Most of blue America are still scratching our heads at the pick, and taking bets at how long she lasts. But McCain and his base aren't confused at all. They love the old b.
Problem is, when you hear her speak more than a few words, as we will tonight, you'll see that she puts every effort into not being what she appears to be, that is, a rookie neocon marionette. She plays the maverick role to a tee, in fact it's to credit for her entire political career.
Successful, intelligent, coherent, independent, not bad to look at, and just to the right of Sean Hannity. The base is in love with her, and a lot more excited than they were a week ago.
Could be trouble for us if the worst about her has already been aired. Here's hoping she took huge donations from a gay porn star, or something.
Posted by: JeffRob | Sep 3, 2008 1:45:10 PM
GAWD - I can smell the desperation through the computer.
You people really are SCARED SHITLESS of this woman.
Newsflash: the coronation has been canceled.
Posted by: Robert | Sep 3, 2008 1:52:20 PM
After looking at the polls on a state-by-state basis, I do not see how the Republicans can possibly pick up enough electoral votes to win. I'd be interested in any explanation of how they can change the current outlook? Too bad about all this Sturm and Drang about Sally Palin, because she just seems so hypocritical and uninteresting to me. If I'm going to buy the Enquirer, I want to be interested in the person I'm reading about.
Posted by: John | Sep 3, 2008 1:59:01 PM
"You people really are SCARED SHITLESS of this woman."
Yeah, but Joe Biden aint.
I'm still speechless with shock. The base of the Republican Party was going to come out to vote against Barack Obama anyway, and so what's the point of.....
amazing. Tom Ridge would've had me scared shitless, Robert.
Mitt Romney would've just had me scared gasless.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Sep 3, 2008 2:04:40 PM
Unfortunately, the only people calling for her to step down are Obama-loyalist. No one from McCain's camp has even suggested it. They see her as a way to keep the experience issue on the table. That is all we are going to hear from them until election day. Don't be fooled by this pure Rovian tactic. But, why are "reporters" calling for her to step down? No one has even asked her a question on the record. Seems like this may backfire if she is any good.
Posted by: John | Sep 3, 2008 2:05:20 PM
Desperation, Robert? Check the papers - the only desperation belied by this choice is coming from McCain. He knew he was flailing nationally. He knew he needed a choice that would shake things up. And he certainly chose well from that standpoint. The problem, as we're now seeing, is that he forgot to consider everything else. Qualifications, clean background, etc, etc.
All these little mini scandals (and the pregnancy issue is a relatively minor one) are going to continue to pile up. And I can guarantee you there's going to be a few more bombshells that come out about Palin in the next few weeks. But from my standpoint, these scandals aren't the major issue. The major issue here is how cavalier McCain was about making such a major choice. He barely spoke to this woman before selecting her. They claim they ran a thorough background check on her, but everybody in Alaska (including those people you'd think would have been interviewed as part of a cursory bg check) haven't heard boo from the McCain camp. Until now, of course.
It's a frightening glimpse into how McCain brain works.
Posted by: Dan | Sep 3, 2008 2:06:42 PM
Nobody likes a quitter, Sarah!
Posted by: Jason (A) | Sep 3, 2008 2:07:29 PM
Robert: Yeah, I'll admit it: I'm scared shitless by this woman being in power. However, that does not negate the fact that there are more Dems than Repubs out there this time around, the Independents are moving toward Obama and any impressing Palin will undoubtedly do will do more to "shore up the base" than steal voters from the other side. So while scared of this woman's existence, I'm not scared that with her, McCain wins. Because whatever up and down happens in the polls, in 61 days we'll have a new president, Barack Obama.
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | Sep 3, 2008 2:07:56 PM
"Yes, there are FAR RIGHT WING nuts that make attacks on our community as a whole."
Those are exactly the ones who are excited and energized by Palin. Read the far right blogs and you'll see!
"GAWD - I can smell the desperation through the computer."
You're talking about the desperate right wing that sees the writing on the wall? That's what I see coming from the Republicans, trying desperately to spin both Palin's inexperience and their hasty choice as something good. Lord, even the MSM, which have been giving McCain a pass, have taken notice!
Posted by: Kevinvt | Sep 3, 2008 2:13:26 PM
Look - I said it was a bizarre choice and her life is a mess.
Just throwing a theory out there...
(-;
Posted by: Zeffer | Sep 3, 2008 2:14:58 PM
"Unfortunately, the only people calling for her to step down are Obama-loyalist. No one from McCain's camp has even suggested it. [But McCain staffers who were incensed by her selection have been leaking information about the non-vetting process at a furious pace, no doubt hoping to torpedo the pick.] They see her as a way to keep the experience issue on the table. [Uh, actually, the selection of Palin completely disarmed McCain's argument that Obama is too inexperienced.] That is all we are going to hear from them until election day. [That 72-year-old cancer survivor McCain has picked a VP who who may be the least experienced person ever on a major party ticket?] Don't be fooled by this pure Rovian tactic. [Rove is definitely not behind this pick. He wanted Romney, and called Palin "risky" even before all her shit began to git the fan. Rove is much smarter than this disaster.] But, why are 'reporters" calling for her to step down? No one has even asked her a question on the record. [Possibly because she's been kept entirely under wraps ever since the shit started to hit, canceling all appearances, holed up in her hotel, working on her speech and...meeting only with AIPAC.] Seems like this may backfire if she is any good. [She already has backfired. All over McCain.]"
Posted by: 24play | Sep 3, 2008 2:19:18 PM
I don't see McCain dropping her from the ticket, it would be too big of an admission that something had gone wrong.
Republicans NEVER, EVER, admit error.
She might conceivably withdraw to "spend more time with her family" or some such. It would give McCain etc. a good victim vibe to play for a while, and nobody would really be fooled.
Posted by: Roscoe | Sep 3, 2008 2:33:19 PM