SPECIAL PROVIDENCE

David Kaiser reminds me of Bismarck’s quote that “God has a special providence for fools, drunks, and the United States of America”.

Now after eight years, it must be tempting fate to push the boundaries. John McCain has shown that he is extraordinarily reckless, in his choice of vice presidential nominee. That pattern of behavior seems to fit the earlier descriptions on him as a harum scarum naval cadet who broke all the rules and just passed his final exams. Then there was his evocation to “bomb, bomb Iran”.

Sure in terms of dominating the news cycle, and drowning out the success of the Democratic National Convention it is an effective ploy. It is reasonable to suppose that such success will be a short-lived as it is short sighted. Now Governor Sara Palin will have to rigors of a national election campaign, for which she has had not preparation. She has been Governor of Alaska since 2006, and before that a mayor of small town. Governor Palin has not faced re-election. She has admitted she does not know what the VP does. I don’t know either, but I do know the VP has to chair the Senate, which perhaps is a largely ceremonial post, but at least you might have to look the part. Who knows what she could bring in terms of insight and knowledge to the councils of state, and should the occasion arise could she step into the role of President. If she is a person of no substance, and therefore a puppet, whose puppet is she?

Steve Benen at Political Animal observed:

Sensible people of sound mind and character simply don’t do things like this. Leaders don’t do things like this. It’s the height of arrogance. It’s manifestly unserious. It’s reckless and irresponsible. It mocks the political process. Faced with a major presidential test, McCain thought it wise to tell an imprudent joke of lasting consequence.

And then concluded:

We’re poised to learn a great deal about Sarah Palin, but we’ve just learned even more about John McCain. He’s fundamentally unsuited for the presidency.

This stunt by McCain (“he has done it again”) might work in the short term, but it would give serious Republicans pause, and I would be surprised if it would work with women. Now if it did work, McCain could become an even more dangerous and flawed President than Bush. My guess would be, despite the trope about the irrational voter, that the American public will be of a mood to demand economic answers. It is an extraordinary and frightening sight to see a former drunk and a fool roiling around as the US President. We will learn in due course whether “Eight is Enough”.

Interestingly, the latest polling I saw, perhaps taken before the Palin nomination, was that the Republicans were not winning Alaska, but the Democrats were winning Pennsylvania and Florida was line ball.

UPDATE:

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that neither Bush nor Cheney will be attending the Republican Convention, rather they will be focusing on Hurricane Gustav that is approaching the Louisiana coast.

Staff writers, James Gerstenzang and Michael Muskal observe:

. . . the convention schedule itself is up in the air due to the hurricane, which may strike the Gulf Coast on Monday and has prompted an evacuation of New Orleans.

The convention posed both management and political problems for Bush, if the hurricane strikes at full strength as anticipated.

For one, it is easier to monitor the federal government’s preparations for the storm — and its response after the hurricane makes landfall — from one location, the nation’s capital, than while moving about from Washington to Minnesota and back to the East Coast, notwithstanding the communications available to him everywhere, including aboard Air Force One.

Since the issue has arisen with the appointment of the Republican VP nominee, it is probably fair enough for the President to be in Washington to authorize actions in the event of an emergency, but does the VP really have to be there as well. Perhaps with this president he does, and I acknowledge the tendentious nature of that comment.

Mudflats, an Alaskan political blog, is on the Palin case. What vetting? None it seems. My guess is that if Governor Palin was an outstanding nominee, an Abe Lincoln figure, there would be endorsements coming from those that know her. I suppose it is yet to be discovered what qualities and talents Mrs Palin brings. There are always rumour mongers, even it seems in Alaska. The worst thing that could happen, since she has not been on such a large political stage before, that she could be personally crushed, or damaged in some way. I hope that does not happen. Alternatively, she may prove to be a very effective politician.

Dan Conley, at Political Wire, via Truthdig, has a short and pertinent observations about the Palin appointment, arguing it is not her inexperience, rather that the American voters do not know what her positions on issues are, and will not know by election day. His conclusion seems emphatically correct:

This strategy is cynical, undemocratic and frankly, unpatriotic. Americans have a right to know who they are elevating to the Presidency. The McCain campaign is using Gov. Palin for tactical political gain with no regard for the voters’ right to select a candidate who they know and trust.

This strategy he recounts has been used in the selection of Supreme Court Justices. If that is the case, it seem to me to show contempt to the political institutions and by implication the people.