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Originally Posted by JPhillips
I don't really disagree, but I think Palin was also aimed at independent women. From the initial announcement the McCain camp played up the vagina vote angle.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by albionmoonlight
I agree that Palin was a RR pick.
Why do you think that he picked her and not Huckabee? I always figured he was the go-to guy if the campaign decided to go RR/base excitement.
Is it just the vagina thing?
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I think there was a few reasons they went with Palin over say Huckabee.
1) The Vagina. She was never going to pull any die hard Clinton supporters. I think possibily the early polls showed some shift from that corner but they quickly moved back once they learned who she was. But there is always a segment of voters (not picking on women, but of any group) that vote less on issues and more on "like me" or other superficial reasons. She being a she will help on that front.
2) The unknown factor. Though there has been a lot of baggage that has been played out, she doesn't have the long-term baggage other well known candidates might bring. She hasn't been on the stage long enough for people to truly hate her yet.
3) The control ability factor. I think they believe they can hold her in check much better than they could say a Huckabee. She's new to the national stage, and much more willing to be steered because of the shock of what it is like to deal with it.
4) Charisma. McCain has none. Again, of the segment of votes that votes based on fluff, Obama had the edge by far. She hedges some of that off.
Really, when it is down to brass tacks, she was a very good pick. She gives McCain a much better chance to win than he had, and there are very few other choices he had to go with that would have helped him as much.