Last Friday Obama announced Joe Biden as his VP.  That was somewhat of a shocker for me.  But I guess the only thing better than one egomaniac on the ticket is two egomaniacs! (Clearly, I’m showing my political hand here!) 

Today, McCain has announced his VP pick: Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska.  I haven’t exactly been thrilled over John McCain, but his VP choice isn’t going to make it much easier for me to vote for him (but I will, as I am much much less thrilled over Obama).  

Why am I not excited over Mrs. Palin?  After all, from what I know of her so far, she seems pretty conservative, both morally and fiscally.  What more could one ask for in a candidate?  Experience!  Substantive ideology needs to be matched with experience, particularly when they job they are “applying” for is the second highest position of power in this country (with a chance of taking the top spot if their boss kicks the bucket or behaves illegally).  Not only is Mrs. Palin very young, but she has very little political experience.  She has only been governor for a little over a year and a half.  Sure, she was a two-term mayor as well, but she was mayor of a city with a population of less than 10,000.  Running a small town, and running the most powerful country in the world aren’t exactly the same.  I don’t have any reason to believe Mrs. Palin is prepared to be president of this country. 

I’m also disappointed that McCain picked a woman.  No, it’s not because I am a chauvinist.  It’s because McCain seems to have picked a woman for strategic reasons, rather than because Mrs. Palin was the most qualified for the job.  Surely, there were other Republicans more qualified.  Why didn’t McCain pick one of them?  Dare I say it’s because he’s hoping to women voters, particularly those who were Hillary supporters?  It’s not a bad strategy when you think about it.  A lot of women vote Democrat, and many were rooting for Hillary as the first woman president.  Well, we all know that boat didn’t float.  So McCain comes along and gives women another chance at getting one of their own into the White House.  The hitch is that they have to vote for the other party.  Brilliant!  

In one sense I love it, because it gives McCain better odds at beating Obama, and I want nothing more than to see that happen.  An Obama presidency would be a disaster in my opinion.  But in another sense, I am not at all thrilled with the prospect of “President Palin” in the event John McCain dies in office.  But who knows.  Maybe my initial judgment of Mrs. Palin is wrong.  Maybe she has wisdom beyond her years, and beyond her political experience that will make her a good vice president, and possibly a good president.  We’ll see.