Palin and the dawning of the age of the super vice-president

As many of you may be aware the Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain has had four bouts of cancer and is 72 years of age, which, if he is successful, would make him the oldest first-term president in US history. With this in mind the possibility of Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, following her running mate into the White House is not that far-fetched.

Analysts this week were trying to come to grips with the new role of vice-presidents in American elections. Whereas previously it was seen as a stepping stone to greater things or adding value in key states, this time out it has taken on a whole new meaning.

In the case of the Democratic nominee Joe Biden, his addition has been used to “complete” Barrack Obama’s relative inexperience and particularly in the area of foreign affairs. This saw the Obama camp poll 50% this week for the first time.

Palin on the other hand not only introduces a fresh new face but gives McCain access to the broad base of the Republican electorate which he was in danger of losing to voter apathy. Palin brings youth as well as a no-nonsense approach to corruption and wastage along with all the traditional Republican values from pro-life to guns galore.

Whether her speech to the party faithful gives McCain the bounce he needs, only time will tell, but that Palin is proving a popular choice is understating the obvious.

Accordingly her first trip up to the podium as the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee was much anticipated, particularly in light of the media frenzy which had preceded it.

i.usatoday.net/news/politics/election2008/pdf/palin-speech.pdf

She began by accepting her nomination and promising to assist McCain in serving and protecting America while highlighting his stance on the war in Iraq. Confirming how he had put country before presidency in adopting an unpopular approach, which the media believed would ultimately cost him the presidency.

Unlike the Democrats who are at lengths to point out that while they are tough on security they want out of Iraq, she highlighted the role McCain played as a soldier, how victory was becoming a possibility in Iraq and her assertion that Obama was ready to forfeit that. She also prided herself on the fact that her son and nephew would also be joining the army soon. Hardly something the Hillary-brigade would be drooling over. Yet a major part of her being there is to draw on disaffected Clinton voters, primarily women who feel slighted by the Obama camp.

In dealing with the issue of her family she adopted the regular team from a small town approach with the ‘we-all-have challenges’ solution. She did however place emphasis on being a special needs’ mom and promising those who faced the same challenge a friend in the White House.

She then plotted her course from mom to governor of Alaska against a backdrop of the small town gal made good. That’s when she took her first swipe at Obama likening her role as mayor to a community organiser (which Obama was at one point in time) except, as she claimed, that this job came with actual responsibilities.

The first punch thrown she then took a full swing in alleging that Obama was two-faced. On the one hand he praised working people when he spoke to them but whenever he addressed other groups he mocked their clinging to religion and guns. Unlike McCain, whom she considers Mr Consistent wherever he goes.

She then drew attention to her tough approach to corruption and self-interest groups. She said that she wasn’t going to Washington to join the elite but rather, like McCain, to shake things up and deal with the good ol’ boys’ network. If Alaska is anything to go by they’ll be leaving in droves when this lady hits town.

When she highlighted how she had cut spending in Alaska and achieved a substantial surplus, no mean feat in America at this point in time, people became aware that there is real substance to this package.

She hammered the Democrats hard on the key question of relying on imported oil saying that America needed to be more self-reliant. While accepting that drilling won’t provide an overall solution she hit hard on one of Obama’s Achilles heels — a reluctance to go drilling, by suggesting that it was better than doing nothing.

She outlined Obama’s plans to increase government spending, raise taxes and meet with terrorist organisations despite being critical of government spending and claiming to be strong on security.

In terms of change she pointed out that Obama had produced two memoirs but not a single major law or reform. She then attacked Obama’s foreign policy and pointed to the fact that with all his rhetoric he never once uses the term “victory”.

While on the theme she then claimed that McCain had used his career to change things while Obama used the term for electioneering purposes only. Some do change (McCain) and some talk change(Obama).

She concluded by highlighting the struggles and challenges that McCain had faced from a prison cell in Hanoi to those in America.

It was a well delivered speech and received huge support from the GOP members who were in St Paul to hear her.

The question now is does Palin give McCain the completeness that voters saw in the Obama/Biden combination. How high will the bounce be?

One thing is certain: the role of vice-presidents in future US elections has completely changed. It has become almost as vital to the ticket as selecting the candidate for president. No longer the convenient nogshlepper these are people who add material value.

How that will translate in the day to day functioning of the vee-pee’s, time will tell.

I still can’t work out if this combo-plan is a good or a bad thing, but like everything else to do with this election it really gives you cause to pause.

Most exciting election I’ve ever followed.