McCain's take on Palin

John McCain met Sarah Palin one time and talked to her once on the phone before deciding to select her as his vice presidential running mate. Now we are learning that his staff either did not properly vet her before that decision was made or didn't vet her at all. A number of people living in Alaska -- Wasilla and elsewhere -- with connections to Palin, said they were never contacted by anyone.

Maybe that's why McCain recently sent another team of operatives to the north country to find out what else they may have missed the first time around.

What follows is from Crooks and Liars. It's part of an interview between Chris Wallace of Faux News and McCain:

Wallace: "Let's start with your choice of running mate. Of all the people you could have chosen, all the Republican leaders you've known for years. Straight talk, can you honestly say that Sarah Palin is the best person to put a heartbeat away from the presidency?"

McCain: "Oh, yeah. She's a...she's a partner and a soulmate. [laughs] She's...she's a reformer. I don't particularly enjoy the label 'maverick,' but when somebody takes on the old bulls in her own party, runs against an incumbent governor of her own party, stands up against the oil and gas interests...I mean, they really are so vital to the economy of her...of the state of Alaska. I mean, it's remarkable. It's a remarkable person and I've watched her record and I've watched her for many, many years as she implemented ethics and lobbying reforms. I mean, she led on it; she didn't just vote for it. She led it, I've seen her...take on her own party. Look, one thing I know is when you take on your own party in Washington, you pay a price for it. You do. You pay a price for it."


Let's look at McCain's statement. A "partner and soulmate"? He's met her once and talked to her once on the phone and suddenly she's a "partner and soulmate"? A "soulmate" is the one closest to you, the one you live for, the one who is always at your side, the one you rely on for your very life. Does he expect anyone to swallow that kind of crap?

He doesn't like the term "maverick"? Please! He's made that term the centerpiece of his candidacy, even though it is not true! "Sidekick," as the governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, called him, is a much more accurate label!

And this stuff about taking on the bulls of her party: Hell, she ran against a governor who was so hated in Alaska that Bullwinkle could have beat him!

She hasn't stood up against the oil and gas interests, she supports almost everything they want to do in Alaska!

He's watched her for "many, many years?" My god, she's only 44 years old! She's only been involved in state politics for 20 months. Does he mean he was spending his time "watching" the mayor of a little, dinky town called Wasilla in Alaska for many, many years? Does two mayoral terms count as "many, many years?"

Please!

Ethics and lobbying reforms? Which ones, John. Do you mean the ethics scandal in which she is now embroiled and for which she has just hired an attorney to make sure she doesn't get deposed and end up in an Alaskan clink?

Good god, what a mess.