Of politics and former homes.
I try to avoid politics in this journal - I'm not so much a political animal, and I'm aware that some of my friends do not share my (admittedly socialist) views. "Minnesota Nice" left enough of a mark for me to attempt to avoid making people uncomfortable if I can at all help it (which can become a detriment).
However, the Republican Party has managed to drag both the state of my birth and the state where I spent most my adult life (so far) into the national news over the past week. MN being in the news was expected - the RNC has been scheduled in St. Paul for years now - but McCain's nomination of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was, by all accounts, a surprise even to GOP insiders. It certainly was a surprise to Palin's fellow Alaskans. Palin herself said she wasn't being vetted as recently as August 14th, and various Alaskan politicians have stated that they were not contacted re: Palin prior to the announcement. AK's got a small political field - someone would have said something.
Palin's nomination points to a lack of preparation within the McCain campaign - he's had the party nod for over 5 months, and it comes down to an 11th hour choice? There are rumors that McCain wanted former Mass. Governor Tom Ridge or Senator Lieberman, both of which must have sent the GOP's right-wing hardliners into fits. Promised a fight, McCain punted and picked a female governor that espouses traditional family values (how successfully she lives her convictions is a matter of debate).
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julianaegley) wrote,
