Manzullo on Palin: I’m excited

6 comments August 29th, 2008

Here’s U.S. Rep Don Manzullo, R-Egan, on McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin for vice president:

“I had a hunch McCain would go with someone other than the first tier of people who were mentioned. It’s obvious that the Republican Party needs someone to shake it up, re-energize it, and bring some new life into the party and to demonstrate that Republicans are interested in the same social and economic interests as Democrats, and to articulate some solutions.

She’s only been a governor for two years, but she’s been kicking a lot of butt in Alaska. She beat a good friend of mine, Frank Murkowski, in Alaska, and he actually came in third in the primary (for governor.)

“So, here’s a person knows how to shake up elections and shake up the state by eliminating the bridge to nowhere, because she controlled the funding for it.. That bridge to nowhere, more than any other thing, was responsible for Republicans losing control of Congress in 2006. And here comes somebody who understands the significance of fiscal conservatism and is also a good speaker. I think she’ll fulfill an interesting roll on the ticket. I’m excited about it.”

 

 

 

Voter Panel member Egan on Palin: “Game on.”

3 comments August 29th, 2008

Here’s RRS Voters Panel member Terrence Egan’s take on Sarah Palin:

“First time I’ve heard of her and who is she?

What brilliant timing for McCain as none of the TV news shows are recapping the Obama speach just 12 hours later.

Palin could help secure the female vote - those who were so wild for Hillary and who are let down.

Did I mention most people have never heard of her?  Who is she?  Here’s a thought…. at McCain’s age this gal we do not know anything about could be one heart beat away from the Presidency. The news is reporting that she’s both a soccer mom and Moose hunter.  How cool is that?

With Palin, there is an entire new race here.  Game on.

Syverson, Borling weigh in on Palin pick

2 comments August 29th, 2008

Here’s some Republican reaction to the pick of Sarah Palin as McCain’s runningmate:

State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford:

“It’s an excellent move, because the public wants change, and the first decision that each candidate makes tells us a lot about how they will make the change. Obama chose Joe Biden, one of the good old boy insiders, and McCain chose a real reformer, one who is tough and has cut the size of Alaska government , worked to reduce property tax, got rid of the state plane, got rid of her bodyguards.She’s actually done what others talked about and never do. She’ the only one with executive  experience. She’s a real woman, a fisher, a hunter, a hockey player.”

And here’s what McCain delegate and longtime friend John Borling, maj. general, USAF retired, has to say:

“It’s an inspired choice She’s got all the right stuff, and complements John McCain. It’s like Biden’s an old war horse, and here we’ve got this bright, young attractive race horse of our own with a demonstrated track record.

I just listened to her first speech in Dayton, and I got a lot more excited by her speech than Obama’s Thursday night. The combination of McCain and Palin will make a lot of rubber hit a lot of road.”

Hunting for Alaskan moose

Add comment August 29th, 2008

Terrance Egan, a new member of our Voter Panel, tells me that Ms. Palin is both a soccer mom and  a moose hunter. Egan says, “How cool is that?”

I think, however, that upon further review, Ms. Palin just might be a hockey mom. I’ll check it out.

Let’s look at why McCain chose Palin

5 comments August 29th, 2008

Now that I’ve had some time to think about the Sarah Palin pick for veep, here are the reasons I think McCain chose her:

McCain is not trusted by the Republican Party’s conservative base. They’ll vote for him because they consider Obama the devil incarnate, but they’re not motivated to organize for McCain as they would have been for a movement conservative with the James Dobson seal of approval.

Palin, a mother of five, is a social conservative and economic conservative.

McCain has been making a pitch for disaffected supporters of Hillary Clinton to consider voting for him. Adding a woman to the ticket strenghtens that pitch, especially because with McCain’s age being a factor, Ms. Palin could become president.

It diffuses the GOP’s “old fuddy duddy” image by adding an attractive young woman who resembles a Fox News Channel anchor to the ticket.

Downsides: Palin has virtually no experience in governmet, being governor under 2 years. And some in the evangelical community do not believe that a mother of five should be working outside the home.

Palin choice reduces GOP’s experience argument

3 comments August 29th, 2008

The nation will be examining John McCain’s veep choice veeeeerrrrry carefull. McCain turned 72 today, and he’s had recurring bouts with skin cancer. So, there’s a more than average possibility that his vice preident could be thrust into the presidency.

That makes the Republicans’ argument about Barack Obama’s lack of experience  less credible than it was yesterday. In picking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, he’s chosen a 44 year old whose chief claim to fame is that she was Miss Wasilla, a small town in Alaska, and was runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant. Palin has been governor less than two years, before that she was a mayor of Wasilla.

OFFICIAL: McCain picks Sarah Palin for veep

Add comment August 29th, 2008

John McCain has picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, 44, as his running mate. Read it here:

GOP Chairman Klaas: Palin ’sounds very conservative.’

Add comment August 29th, 2008

I talked with Jan Klaas, chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Central Committee, about the possibility (probability?) that Sarah Palin of Alaska would be John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee.

“I just just read a biographical piece on her, and was very impressed with her accomplishments,” Klaas said.

“She has a family of quite a few children and she’s governor of Alaska too. She sounds very conservative,” Klaas said.However, Klaas thought that Palin was an up-and-coming politician who might be considered for national office in 4 years, not today.

Klaas, who like Palin is a conservative, gave her formula for GOP success: “The three legs of the stool for Republicans are: Strong on national security, promote capitalism for a strong economy instead of socialism, and promote strong, traditional family values to promote a health moral environment.”

 

 

 

 

Good bet: Palin’s the veep pick for McCain

1 comment August 29th, 2008

Many reports in the atmosphere this morning say that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, 44, is John McCain’s running-mate. She’s in her first term as governor of the nation’s largest state geographically, and is very conservative. A former Miss Alaska, Palin was a small town mayor before running for governor. She’s known as a reformer.