Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

No Left Turns

Palin’s Lost Opportunity et al.

She did not tag Biden on judges, and the wacky world view which liberal lawyers occupy. Here’s where Sarah’s good sense plays well. Probably the McCain polling showed no profit on the subject. As Bush finally did on Iraq with the generals: fire your pollsters and hire others. And, concededly, the format stifled development of the issue.

The issue that the courts point to: Do we want the most leftist ticket in American history (of major parties) to take control of the Presidency and Congress, and subsequently the Supreme Court? Someone needs to sound the alarm, which the McCain camp’s themes don’t raise.

All this "maverick" talk reminds me of the individualists who comprise "the herd of independent minds." It reeks of process and style and avoids substance. Is eccentricity a virtue?

Michael Barone addressed the election to a group at the White House the other day. He gave the group no encouragement whatsoever.


I am more optimistic: Once the bailout/rescue bill passes, McCain’s numbers should stop tanking. (If McCain had a chance to lead a revolt defeating it, that would have been another thing.) But he needs to strip Obama of his moderate mask and make him the issue.


Finally, McCain could get a boost from President Bush, who will receive obligatory poundings from McCain-Palin. Conscious of his low approval ratings, the President has pulled back from the political scene--which has been the theme of his second term disasters, when he failed to calculate the political consequences of his policies and decisions: Iraq, Katrina, and immigration, for openers. The result of this shrinking of the executive branch has been to convert our regime of separated powers into a parliamentary one. Parliamentary regimes directly translate the passions of the people into policy and law--with disastrous consequences. Fighting his instincts and his past practice, Bush has to be pulled back into his constitutional responsibilities. That activity may not avert a Katrina for Republicans and a dark night for America. But it is Bush’s constitutional duty.

Discussions - 7 Comments

I noticed that Palin did not bring up the judges too . . . but what is more significant is WHEN I noticed it. There was no question where she could have worked it in (unless I missed it between dinner and homework) but BIDEN brought it up and (again, unless I'm missing something) it was entirely to his disadvantage. All he did was remind people who care about that issue of his terrible record of grandstanding in judge confirmations (I could see hands slapping foreheads all across America . . . "Oh yeah!--expletive deleted--That's where I know that guy from!). Mark Steyn argued today that Biden and his gaffes were in danger of becoming--because of their sheer numbers--as forgivable as Clinton's women. He has been becoming the loveable dork you'd like to drink beer with--a real Joe Six Pack. But his mentioning the judges reminded us of his darker side--his meaner side. His two-faced side. His snide, would-be elitist side. He may have thrown a bone to his hard left base (as if they were looking for the exits?) but he reminded my Grandmother in Ohio that he can be a first class jerk.

Now Palin and McCain have a wide opening. Drive the straight talk express right through it!

As you see it, this could be the gaffe of the campaign. But judges have to be something McCain wants to drive--maybe his colleague from Arizona, Sen. Kyle can give him some pointers. But we need Sarah in there too! How are ordinary people affected by leftist judges? We could start with the Louisiana rape case....

This bi-partisan nonsense of the McCain campaign is hurting McCain and we clearly saw this in this debate. Sarah should have made Biden a democratic senator own Fannie Mae crisis, as the Democratic Senate hold help the majority Republicans for passing any legislation. Explain that to the American people.. and numbers will fundamentally change. Gee.. what I saw in Palin is being a good team player by McCain's rules.. which sadly is a recipe for defeat.




Perhaps being here in Poland in exile will not be that bad with 4 year of BO.. unless the Russians invade... :(

I agree with Ken. The "maverick" junk is weightless and easy to counter for anyone with a few facts about McCain's record. Biden did it last night with some success, I thought, when he accused McCain of being a maverick on issues Americans don't care about. If Palin and McCain keep that up, they'll soon be changing the name of the bus to the "Vacuous Talk Express."


Speaking of vacuousness, the security word NLT is asking me to enter to post this is "enjoying horses." ???

The issue that the courts point to: Do we want the most leftist ticket in American history (of major parties) to take control of the Presidency and Congress, and subsequently the Supreme Court? Someone needs to sound the alarm, which the McCain camp’s themes don’t raise.

This old song and dance does not work anymore. EVERYONE knows better - most importantly the "base".

The GOP has to do better than "the judges, my god, the judges". The GOP has been a resolute failure when it comes to judges, conservative governance, even the size of government and no brainers (an example you point to) like immigration.

This "well, were better than those other guys" just does not work - it failed in 06 and it will fail in 08. I for one am glad. As a conservative, give me a real liberal like Obama over a lying cheating one like McCain each and every time...

Yes, Gov. Palin's silence on judges when Biden reprised his Borking of Bork two decades ago was very obvious. Her silence was clearly part of the same strategy that was put in place at the moment Palin was introduced to America, and which she has consistently followed. She is aiming at the women who wanted Clinton. Thus she, not Clinton, will "break through that glass ceiling." This important constituency according to polls is available to Palin, and the question of the Supreme Court does not gain their support, hence her nonresponsiveness.

McCain has stated again and again that he would appoint Justices in the mold of the 4 conservatives on the Court. Those of us who are most concerned about the character of the Court have little reason to doubt that.

But these TV debate entertainment shows must always be looked at first of all in the light of the voting group the candidate is appealing to, given that there are only a few opportunities to reach a nationwide audience.

It's not worth making more about her nonresponse on judges than this.

McCain has stated again and again that he would appoint Justices in the mold of the 4 conservatives on the Court. Those of us who are most concerned about the character of the Court have little reason to doubt that.

At the risk of sounding crude, but what have you been smoking?

As George Will and many others have noted, we conservatives are under no illusions that McCain will do anything other than be a "maverick" and cave to his own and the Dem's non-conservative view of the court.

Also, is it not just a shame that Palin was playing for McCain here and not her own future by being silent about the court?

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