Palin choice blew it for McCain
By Chris Potter
Last Updated:5:54 PM EST 11/5/08 Section: Fisher Votes '08
While it would be misleading to state that any single factor doomed the presidential campaign of John McCain, it certainly appears as though his decision to add Sarah Palin to the ticket played no small role in the outcome.
According to CNN, exit polls have indicated that 60 percent of voters believe that Palin isn't qualified to be president. Just 38 percent said that the Alaska governor is indeed qualified to take over the most powerful country in the world.
Tellingly, the approval/disapproval numbers for Joe Biden were nearly the exact opposite, with about two-thirds of voters saying that Biden is qualified to be president. Hmm, think that might have had something to do with Barack Obama's victory?
This disparity is even more pronounced given the nature of the election, an election in which the VP candidates received more attention than normal. Right or wrong, Obama's inexperience and McCain's age cast the spotlight onto their VP picks. The exit polls certainly would suggest that Obama made a much better choice by picking Biden and his 36 years of congressional experience. McCain, true to his maverick reputation, rolled the dice on the little-known Palin. Unfortunately for him, he came up empty.
Although no election is a trivial matter, there has been a definite sense that this campaign is a pivotal point in American history. An ongoing war overseas and the economic troubles throughout the nation have driven home the point that these are serious times we live in. Obama's VP pick reflected this sense, while McCain's did not.
Would a different VP candidate, like Mitt Romney with his economic expertise, have made the difference on Election Day? That's a question that McCain and his supporters are likely to be asking for a good while to come.
According to CNN, exit polls have indicated that 60 percent of voters believe that Palin isn't qualified to be president. Just 38 percent said that the Alaska governor is indeed qualified to take over the most powerful country in the world.
Tellingly, the approval/disapproval numbers for Joe Biden were nearly the exact opposite, with about two-thirds of voters saying that Biden is qualified to be president. Hmm, think that might have had something to do with Barack Obama's victory?
This disparity is even more pronounced given the nature of the election, an election in which the VP candidates received more attention than normal. Right or wrong, Obama's inexperience and McCain's age cast the spotlight onto their VP picks. The exit polls certainly would suggest that Obama made a much better choice by picking Biden and his 36 years of congressional experience. McCain, true to his maverick reputation, rolled the dice on the little-known Palin. Unfortunately for him, he came up empty.
Although no election is a trivial matter, there has been a definite sense that this campaign is a pivotal point in American history. An ongoing war overseas and the economic troubles throughout the nation have driven home the point that these are serious times we live in. Obama's VP pick reflected this sense, while McCain's did not.
Would a different VP candidate, like Mitt Romney with his economic expertise, have made the difference on Election Day? That's a question that McCain and his supporters are likely to be asking for a good while to come.
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