Putting Country Last

Andrew Sullivan, not exactly known as a lefty, has a short piece in the Atlantic which sums it up...McCain's choice of Palin, while it will drive up his ratings, was nothing short of irresponsible.

As Paul Begala says over on CNN.com:

In choosing this featherweight, McCain passed over Tom Ridge, a decorated combat hero, a Cabinet secretary and the former two-term governor of the large, complex state of Pennsylvania. iReport.com: 'McCain pick might be a gimmick'

He passed over Mitt Romney, who ran a big state, Massachusetts; a big company, Bain Capital; and a big event, the Olympics.

He passed over Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas senator who is knowledgeable about the military, good on television and -- obviously -- a woman.

He passed over Joe Lieberman, his best friend in the Senate and fellow Iraq Kool-Aid drinker.

He passed over former congressman, trade negotiator and budget director Rob Portman.

And he also passed over Mike Huckabee, the governor of Arkansas.

Huckabee also has all of the cred with the Religious Right that Palin has --- and then some. But apparently he doesn't look quite as good when shooting a semi-automatic.

9/1/08 update:

I have been pretty disturbed to hear people criticising Bristol, Palin's daughter, regarding recent events. Here's the quick take I've been posting on various forums about it today:

Leave Bristol out of it. She was like a lamb to the slaughter. I'm with Barack --- family members, particularly the children of the candidates, must be off-limits.

A child of a mother who's consistently backed abstinence-only sex ed, yet who is obviously fine with trading on her looks and sexuality (as a beauty queen), never had a chance.

One thing is clear: the McCain/Palin ticket, on the topic of reproductive rights, would obviously be "you play, you pay".

Bristol will be fine --- at least materially --- because she comes from privilege. Be really concerned for the economically disadvantaged American teens who are receiving the same NeoCon-approved (bogus) sex ed as Bristol did. They're the ones who will really pay the price, as will we all, for the children they bring into this world as teen parents.