Upside: Gov. Palin, 44, is a young, attractive woman whose conservative credentials cannot be questioned. She and her husband have five children, the oldest of which is in the military and the youngest of which was born with Down Syndrome. Gov. Palin and her husband were aware of the child’s problems before he was born and never once considered aborting the pregnancy. She’s passionate and committed and is the single most popular governor in the US, with a popularity rating of more than 80 percent. Her addition to the ticket would provide McCain with a balance in age, a diverse ticket and instant sustainable media attention. She’s also been endorsed to be his VP by political think-tank, RealClearPolitics.com
Downside: Palin’s relative lack of experience would once again force McCain to remain silent about Obama’s experience level. Her ability to campaign at such a high level is untested under the best of circumstances. Combine this with the fact that she just gave birth in April and faces significant challenges with her newborn baby, and her chances of being named as McCain’s running mate become more and more slim. While Palin’s name has been bandied about in Republican circles (she is considered the darling of the GOP), the McCain campaign has given no indication that he is interested in having her on the ticket.
GOOD PICK? YES
Downside: Palin’s relative lack of experience would once again force McCain to remain silent about Obama’s experience level. Her ability to campaign at such a high level is untested under the best of circumstances. Combine this with the fact that she just gave birth in April and faces significant challenges with her newborn baby, and her chances of being named as McCain’s running mate become more and more slim. While Palin’s name has been bandied about in Republican circles (she is considered the darling of the GOP), the McCain campaign has given no indication that he is interested in having her on the ticket.
GOOD PICK? YES