David Brooks on John McCain

He is not a sophisticated conceptual thinker, but he is a good judge of character.

Wasn’t this the exact same argument for Bush eight years ago?

Hey, It’s Miss South Carolina!

Quick, somebody ask her about maps….

From Teagan Goddard’s PoliticalWire:

How Alaska’s Proximity to Russia is Relevant

An excerpt from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s interview with Katie Couric to be aired later tonight on the CBS Evening News:

COURIC: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land– boundary that we have with– Canada. It– it’s funny that a comment like that was– kind of made to– cari– I don’t know, you know? Reporters–

COURIC: Mock?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our– our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They’re in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia–

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We– we do– it’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is– from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to– to our state.

Billy Madison Economics

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I’m Not So Sure

From Kevin Drum:

The McCain campaign is scared to death. They knew nothing about Palin before they announced her, they relied on a cursory vetting process that has turned out to be shot full of holes, they realize now that she has no settled views on any issue of national importance and could blurt out anything at any time, and they’re terrified about what might crop up next. So they’re keeping her in the deep freeze.

This appears to be the burgeoning  consensus view on the left. Call me overly suspicious or overly cynical, but I’m afraid people may be underestimating the McCain campaign. Mind you, this is the same campaign that seems to have swathed their candidate in the glory of some random California middle school last night just because they don’t know the difference between one building with the Walter Reed name and another. So, clearly I may be wrong. But I’m still concerned we’re being played here. Palin is clearly good on her feet and, although I haven’t seen it, I understand she did quite well in the gubernatorial debates in Alaska.

So, here’s the thing — are we being set up? Is the McCain campaign simply trying to lower expectations through the floor so that when she does hit the press circuit all she’ll need to do is pronounce her own name properly and everyone will say ‘Hey, she’s actually pretty good! Our worst beliefs were unfounded.’

Shrub is a moron in many ways, but he hasn’t been a complete political moron. I fear they’re reading from the same playbook with Palin.