An Ex-Beauty Queen for VP: Political Risk or Political Genius?

[NicholeW.]

An Ex-Beauty Queen for VP: Political Risk or Political Genius?
By Heather Gehlert, AlterNet. Posted August 30, 2008.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/96989/

With no foreign policy experience and a political resume that could fit on my pinky fingernail, Sarah Palin is an absurd choice for vice president. Yet it should come as no surprise to the public -- especially to Democrats -- that John McCain chose her anyway.

That's because the very issues that Democrats say make her a political risk -- her newness to the political world stage, her anti-choice stance, her opposition to gay marriage, her support of capital punishment, her disregard for the environment -- matter very little in determining the outcome of elections. Voters -- some of whom dissect policy issues daily, but most of whom don't -- ultimately cast their ballots based on emotion. Not logic. Not knowledge of "the issues."

[tekla]

This was his first real decision, and if this was it, he ain't it.  Bad policy, she doesn't really pull any votes, carries no state he really needs, what was he thinking?

[lisagurl]

what was he thinking?

That Arizona could use a city like Las Vegas.