Is John McCain [bleep]ing NUTS!? (It's a rhetorical question)

     I would briefly interupt this mostly-sports blog ("Hey what're you doing? STICK TO SPORTS!!") to offer a quick take on this week's campaign suicide by Republican presidential candidate John McCain. It was a joke, right? He's going to go on Leno, slap his knee, say he was just kidding. Right? He's going to open his convention Monday night by announcing his real running mate. Right?

      Actually, of course, the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was very popular. Unfortunately it was mostly very popular among Democrats.

      As a benefit to the McCain ticket, the logic in the choice defies identification.

      You say it is an obvious attempt to woo Hillary Clinton supporters? Not a chance in hell. Palin is an ultra-conservative who is anti-abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and who supported Pat Buchanan. Hillary's crowd wouldn't touch her with a 10-foot pantsuit.

     You say Palin's youth balances the ticket? McCain has selected a political neophyte whose bank of experience less than two years ago was running the tiny town of Wasilla, Alaska. This is the person McCain in his infinite judgement would nominate as a heartbeat away from the presidency -- McCain, who at 72 would be the oldest man ever elected to the White House.

     Did I mention that McCain had met this woman only once before entrusting her to be his VP? How does that happen? Sounds like a possible warning sign of dementia.

     Is Palin by most accounts a good governor of Alaska? Sure. Is she someone with the experience to be a heartbeat away from the presidency? You can't even ask the question with a straight face.

     [Reminder: We invite you to join our live online chat every Monday from 1-2 p.m. We'll be back at it tomorrow, holiday or not. Click here to join the chat live OR to post a question at any time].

Comments

[OC Dolphin]

Damn Greg! With that bit of impartiality it is obvious you are voting for what's his name?

[Rob]

Barack oh Drama

I was gonna get a good VP, but then I got high

[dangling dodah]

good choice. Greg you have a hard time seeing the obvious. McCain just solidified his ascent to the Presidency. Plus, that lady is attractive. Dem's are sweating this now. After the Rookie Senator from Chicago gave his little speach with no real answers to anything, McCain steals his thunder.
Republicans are a lock to win. Has anyone noticed that the Democrat women are screaching, whining, exaggerating, UNattractive? McCain was supposed to be this out of touch, unhip, uncaring, war loving autocrat who has been around since Eisenhower. Barak is supposed to be like all of America under the age of 50. To get the white male vote, he brings in Biden,, assuming that all the women votes-Hillary votes were automatically his. Did anyone else notice how cold she was toward Barak? She expected the VP and was snubbed.
Dems are going to crash and burn.

[Jack]

Shows alot about a man, when his first major decision as a potential president is a political one. He is a poor decision maker who is easily guided by conservative talking heads. John McCain lost my vote.

[dangling dodah]

jack, he may have lost your vote but he gains millions others. vote barak mullah mohammed omar o'bomber, watch your taxes go thru the roof, watch the military get downsized to dangerous size, watch everyone flocking into this country for the free give away at your expense and the expense of anyone that works. mcCain as a man??? what he did as a POW shows he is more man then you have ever wished you were. vote democrat my friend, the unintelligent and easily swayed are attracted to that party anyway.

[newwavemike]

What? Did McCain say something about the Dolphins?

Let's get down to brass tax: Who gives a crap about McCain or Obama or their mama...We're about to put a world class beat down on the Jets...

Can we get our priorities straight, please?

[Captain America]

Wow, dodah, learn your history. The military has actually suffered more under Republican administrations. Case in point, Republican administrations gave us Vietnam (loss), Korea (stalemate), first Gulf War (fine), Grenada (hahahaha), Panama (hahaha), etc.

Dems steered us sucessfully through two minor skirmishes known as the First and Second World Wars.

Advantage: Dems.

What McCain did as a POW was what POW's from all races, creeds, and political allegiances did. His politics had absolutley nothing to do with it- except for the fact that that pointless war which resulted in nothing got him captured in the first place.

[Jack]

hey dingle d!ck, i could give a sh!t about obamas name. dont give me the pow shit, ive heard all before it doesnt impress me. my cousin died in iraq for what? mccain sent him there. your a racist fukc, who scared of anyone who looks different than you, so fukc you and your mom in the a$s, you a$s clown!!!!!

[marty the viking]

hey dangling dodah, tell me how sean hannity's ass taste. how much would you love to suck his dick??? you stupid little neo-con, closet homo!!!!!

[steve b]

Barack Obama is an anti white anti american fraud, He is trying to win by stirring up racial and economic division in this country. He will lose and alot of blacks will claim racism because they are the true racists in this country,
Obama will not lose because he is black.he will lose because he is a left wing phony who has been coddled by left wing liberal whites out of guilt.
Amazing how the media trumpeted Bush's SAT scores all over the place . Also amazing how well guarded Obama's SAT and LSAT scores are. More guarded than Fort Knox by the liberal academics.
If Americans cant see this for the ruse it is than we are in trouble as a country.
We will have a black president someday but it wont be this clown.

[Captain America]

Steve, when you make an argument, it is incumbent upon you to back it up with facts. How has Obama stirred up racial and economic division? Name specific instances. Not conjecture, facts.

[Mr. Woodcock]

I wouldn't pee on Obama if he was on fire.

[Captain America]

Of course you wouldn't, Mr. Woodcock. The alcohol content of your whiskey-soaked urine would only cause the fire to spread.

[Chris S.]

Greg, if you're against the Palin pick, that means it was a good choice and that McCain will win.

Thank you!

[george Bishopric]

I am sure Mrs. Palin is a charming woman, with good values, and a sincere desire to do well.

However, her town is smaller than the average Hallandale Condo, and presumably peaceful, especially considering the tons of BC bud consumed there.

Two years governing a state with a population that is smaller than that of Broward County is not a qualification to be one heartbeat away from the presidency, especially with a 72 year old president, with four bouts with cancer.

If I were a foe of the US, I would love for this sweet woman to be president.......McCain should up his life insurance.

The selection of Palin is an embarrassment and frankly, suggests problems with McCain's judgement and wishes for national security.

[Margery Glickman]

Palin supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This sled dog race has a long, well-documented history of dog deaths, injuries and illnesses. Here's a short list of what happens to the dogs during the race: death, paralysis, frostbite of the penis and scrotum, bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons, vomiting, hypothermia, sprains, fur loss, broken teeth, torn footpads and anemia. When Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the city sponsored the Iditarod. For more facts, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website. Most women want animals to be treated humanely. Something is terribly wrong with Sarah Palin.

[MRA]

It's a smart pick, it puts pressure on Obama, it exploits the gap with Hillary supporters. Unfortunately, it does precisely what he claims Obama did. He put politics ahead of the country. Romney-whom I despise knows the economy well. Palin's unproven, to the point where she has no record whatsover on foreign polciy [see ontheissues.org].

"vote barak mullah mohammed omar o'bomber, watch your taxes go thru the roof, watch the military get downsized to dangerous size, watch everyone flocking into this country for the free give away at your expense and the expense of anyone that works. ??"

I don't give a crap what his name is. George Bush, a typical American name screwed this country up worse than anyone could've imagined. My property taxes are through the rood now, not in the 90's. The state legislature is run by the GOP as has been the national one.

The military has no ability to deal with threats, we're bogged down in a stupid war for oil in Iraq and can't finish the job in Afghanistan. As for your last point, i'm not even sure what you're talking about, Obama voted for the wall between the U.S. and Mexico, McCain tried to provide amnesty.

I'm voting Democrat because I'm tired of having given Republicans the Presidency, house and senate for six years and seeing them screw us over. I'm tired of them not doing anything for me.

[obama hismama]

el capitan of obama land. you must be living off someone other then your own work and talent.
captian of the girly softball team. was jfk and lbj republican? your trying to insult me with "facts"? I don't really care for Sean Hannity thank you, he is too weak. McCain is going to win, period, no matter how much you personally attack him or people that voted for him. Your going to lose, just like AlGoreilla. Shouldn't you be boarding the free buses to get out of the storms path?
I know, be like the Mayor of New Orleans. Blame Bush for a tropical storm. Feds provided equipment and evacuation vehicles pre Katrina and they sat there. Why? because the Mayor needs to be lead around by the feds hand there too.

[ed]

Cote..you are a liberal joke.

Experience? Palin has more executive experience than Barak Obama. Obama can give a good scripted performance but off telepromptor it is all ums, um, um ,um

Keep your politics to yourself, and stick to sports, you fool.

[moon pie batter up]

ed, I have read his comment and kinda assumed that he is registered Republican.

by the way Ed, i am that guy, who is really another guy, but playing as someone else.

I do see a problem with liberals. They want to fabricate or bend facts around to suit their agenda. When you reason with them, they personally attack you. Most of them are hateful, small, unimportant people that are either underemployeed or unemployed.

[Captain America]

Actually, "hismama (oh how clever!)," I own my own business which is precisely built on my talent, which is to say I live off nothing but the fruits of my own labor, and I must say by the grace of God I do live very well.

There is no doubt that LBJ's administration made costly mistakes during the Vietnam era. Might I suggest to you that a Republican turned tail and ran right out of Saigon.

I made no mention of Sean Hannity, someone else did, nor did I attempt to bring any human being for an act of nature. It's not at all unexpected that a person such as yourself would attempt to lead the conversation onto other subjects rather than admit his inferior knowledge regarding the one at hand.

[Stav]

McCain shows he puts ONE news cycle over Country.
The selection of Palin is an insult to the Presidency, the country and inevitably to McCain's reputation.

[MW]

Captain America needs to check his facts on history. Vietnam was started by Johnson you partisan a** wipe and you also seem to look past the bay of pigs. Everyone seems to look past Barak Obama's lack of experience, he has no damn executive experience because he was a state senator, that makes him qualified, at least with Palin she has executive experience. I personally do not like either choice of President, the only reason Barak is there is because he is black ( he didn't get there for his experience) but being black does not make you qualify to be President. He touts his experince as a community organizer, whoop de do, all hail the chief. That women has done more in her few years then Barak could ever dream of. Mccain never had executive experienc either but his experience within the federal goverment crushes that of Barak, so in my opinion McCain truly is better qualified. Speeches alone do not constitute change and that is all Barak has is speeches, once he's away from the promter he is just another bumbling idiot with a Harvard degree. Remember there are 50 states not 57 (note to Barak).

[lube]

steve b and dangling dodah- please grow up. you closed-minded bigots are the reason our country has become an international joke.

[Captain America]

Note that I have not resorted to childish name-calling or other such silliness. You're only degrading yourselves in the eyes of the reasonable.

As for the Bay of Pigs, you need to check your own facts, sir. One must blame the operation's overall failure on poor planning by the CIA. After all, the Cubans knew well in advance both the date and the disposition of the invading forces. There were even prior newspaper accounts at the time stating these very facts.

Regardless, once again, I must laugh as I bring up two world war victories led by Democratic presidents and the best you can do is the failed invasion by 2,000, whilst undoubtedly brave, ultimately doomed men?

I hardly see how McCain's (and I do not despise the man, hardly. I just won't vote for him) experience would trump Obama's intelligence. Should a long-serving Senator have been handed the reins over our youngest President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt?

You say "another bumbling idiot with a Harvard law degee." But what does that even mean? Surely you're aware of the large amounts of Republicans with such degrees? Surely you realize that argument doesn't even make sense? Where are the other "bumbling idiots," and what are they doing? Sounds like bitterness to me.

It's amazing to me the bad-mouthing so-called liberals get in a country which was based on a intrinsically liberal idea- revolution.

[You are all A$$HOLES]

FOOTBALL! JACKOFFS!

[Executive Experience]

You want to know the most competitive organization in this country? Try the Harvard Law Review. Their alumni association is basically your history book. These people are the brightest and most cutthroat competition anyone will ever face. And who did these Type A+ personalities select as their President?

Barack Obama.

What would you consider to be better executive experience: Overseeing a group of the smartest, most ambtious people in the country or running a village a third the size of Pine Crest?

Have some intellectual rigor and discipline. McCain just gave the entire country a big F-U.

[bubba]

elephants will pick anybody! also mccain uses pow status too much. sure put 72 yr old man in there and make bush look good!hahaha!

[Brandon]

Barack and Mccain have the same amount of executive experience...zero. It's funny how the GOP is now playing the executive experience card when neither candidate has any executive experience. At least Obama wasn't the mayor just a 1 1/2 ago. My vote goes to Obama.

[bubba]

elephants forget bush caused katrina. elephants big money. elephants spend 5.6 trillion surplus. elephants don't want cheap healthcare. elephants v.p. pick has 4 children and in 40's decides to have another one and knows syndrome might occur and has one anyways. though she might have been like rest of elephants and been misinformed, not smart and out of touch with reality while having baby at mccain's 8 houses!hahahaha

[somebody scratch my barak]

losers, bay of pigs, started by a dem for your info. If your self employed would you chose a line of work that the overhead was so taxing it would increase the possibility of bankruptcy? Tell me one good reason a businessman or woman would want someone who is going to tax their business out of existance. Are you also paying your own health care? Or insurance?

[bubba]

hannity bush's puppet! v.p. of elephants puppet of elephants. she mayor of hillbilly town of alaska .no wonder she for no gun control. she should have been pro choice and then she might choose it when baby has syndrome. evil women.elephants not want to listen to truth. elephanst get hillbilly votes here ins deep south because they not forgive LBJ for sigining affirmitive bill in 60's. deep south poor but vote for elephants . they use to vote for democrats. though because of their views towards minorities they stupid and hard headed and vote for bush twice because he so good at executive decisions and now vote for 72 yr. old man and 40 something plain woman with 5 babies.

[the other dude]

McCain has more then 1 house? Wow, it is terrible that the man has been successful.
I am the dude, plays being another dude, that all along was a whole different dude, when in fact i am the dude who has been on here quite regular.

[bubba]

elephants want to remember past from long time ago .not want to press on as this country needs. they care about country as far as a russian wold about usa. elephants not care about poor people or health . they get their hearts from cheney. they allow insurance companies to make profits and still charge us. elephants so dumb. poor animal elephants. ehy elephants remember bush regime started untrue rumor about mccain in 2000 about mccain had affair with black woman that's why he has black baby now. don't rmemeber that's why you have elephant as mascot right? suppose to remember. bush/cheney forget every morning how much money they spend because they have so much and still use usa money .

[Hagar The Horrible]

I Would Vote For Grand-Pa Munster before
Barack Hussein Obama Bin Laden.

[bubba]

wow its terrible how he left his first wife because she wasn't pretty anymore. clinton womanizer? how bout mccain? wow he good at making money and not sharing? wow we have no house and he has 8 while eveybody goes foreclosure? make sense

[bubba]

grandpa munster remember things unlike mccain. munster had personality and he not keep bringing up pow. he must have been a bad pilot.hahaha

[the dude of all dudes]

bubba, capt and tunhill(your fat mama).
Democrats- tried blocking civil rights act of 1963, keeping segregation sacred. Now is perpetrating themselves as the "peoples" choice of all peeps all colors. Their history shows different. Quite honestly, I have never voted Dem Prez, military and law enforcement and my wife is military also. so I am bias toward personal freedoms and lower taxes and strong military domestic and abroad. There are bad apples in both parties, former and present. Inferring that the only reason a white male isn't voting for O'Bomber is racial based is wrong. Gimme Colin Powell running for office on either party ticket and I would vote for him.

[bubba]

when have you got lower taxes. that 1963 mr.elephant supporter. different time my friend like mccain would say. what time is it? oh i need to go lay down .which house today?

[bubba]

mitt romney and mccain old man pow fought too.

[bubba]

SURGE? WHAT SURGE?SURGE OF MONEY? HUCKABEEE CRZY BAPTIST MAN WHO IS OUT OF TOUCH AS WELL. MR.SADDLEBACK .

[dangling dodah]

bubba, U R running out of steam, took you 8 of Bush to come up with that 30 mins of ranting. U have been hanging out with AL Coholic and Capt america haven't U.

If you want to see weak American, look at your parties own Jimmy Carter. What have you to offer? Bill Clinton, Hillary, John Kerry, now Obama? truth is, if he were white and preaching liberal agenda, no one would be listening. Bill Clinton won re-election because he campaigned on the right. He TALKED smaller welfare, smaller gov't, knowing that was the way to stay in office. Bill Clinton is probably the best politician I have seen in my lifetime. He would tell what you wanted to hear, plain and simple.

[Stav]

Cubans have a name for the way McCain made his money: un chulo. It cost him the respect and friendship of Ronald and Nancy Reagan, but it did get him his Father-in-Law's money and clout. Not a bad trade for a pimp.

[marty the viking]

hey dangling dodah, you stupid fukk, did you find out what hannintys ass tasted like yet? did you suck on his little dick? you neo-con homo.

[tony]

The pick defies logic for a number of reasons, many of which Cote covered. What he neglected to mention is how McCain undermined one of his main arguments with this pick: Obama's inexperience. He risks coming off as a hypocrite if he continues along that tack.

At best, Its a reach; more likely, its a desperation move. In any case, it shows that McCain didn't have the stones to select his first choice, whether Lieberman or Romney.

[Margery Glickman]

McCain betrayed Evangelicals by picking Palin. She supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This dog sled race is terribly cruel to dogs. Evangelicals believe that it's a sin to abuse God's creation. Rev. Frank Hoffman wrote, "When God gave humans dominion over His creation, He followed this with some direction and declared that what He had made was very good, which reinforces the fact that dominion and rule refer to stewardship and protection. There is nothing to indicate in the slightest way that we are granted permission to exploit, use, and abuse animals; instead we are to protect them from all harm." For information about the cruelties Iditarod dogs are forced to endure, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website.

[lenny]

McCain betrayed Evangelicals by picking Palin. She supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This dog sled race is terribly cruel to dogs. Evangelicals believe that it's a sin to abuse God's creation. Rev. Frank Hoffman wrote, "When God gave humans dominion over His creation, He followed this with some direction and declared that what He had made was very good, which reinforces the fact that dominion and rule refer to stewardship and protection. There is nothing to indicate in the slightest way that we are granted permission to exploit, use, and abuse animals; instead we are to protect them from all harm." For information about the cruelties Iditarod dogs are forced to endure, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website.

[benny]

McCain betrayed Evangelicals by picking Palin. She supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This dog sled race is terribly cruel to dogs. Evangelicals believe that it's a sin to abuse God's creation. Rev. Frank Hoffman wrote, "When God gave humans dominion over His creation, He followed this with some direction and declared that what He had made was very good, which reinforces the fact that dominion and rule refer to stewardship and protection. There is nothing to indicate in the slightest way that we are granted permission to exploit, use, and abuse animals; instead we are to protect them from all harm." For information about the cruelties Iditarod dogs are forced to endure, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website.

[benny]

McCain betrayed Evangelicals by picking Palin. She supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This dog sled race is terribly cruel to dogs. Evangelicals believe that it's a sin to abuse God's creation. Rev. Frank Hoffman wrote, "When God gave humans dominion over His creation, He followed this with some direction and declared that what He had made was very good, which reinforces the fact that dominion and rule refer to stewardship and protection. There is nothing to indicate in the slightest way that we are granted permission to exploit, use, and abuse animals; instead we are to protect them from all harm." For information about the cruelties Iditarod dogs are forced to endure, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website.

[benny]

McCain betrayed Evangelicals by picking Palin. She supports animal abuse, including the Iditarod. This dog sled race is terribly cruel to dogs. Evangelicals believe that it's a sin to abuse God's creation. Rev. Frank Hoffman wrote, "When God gave humans dominion over His creation, He followed this with some direction and declared that what He had made was very good, which reinforces the fact that dominion and rule refer to stewardship and protection. There is nothing to indicate in the slightest way that we are granted permission to exploit, use, and abuse animals; instead we are to protect them from all harm." For information about the cruelties Iditarod dogs are forced to endure, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website.