Impressions of Palin
So, I kept to my word and waited until after her speech to make some initial judgements about her. I think we know a lot more about her than we did on Friday, that’s for sure. Yet, after all I’ve read about her, and after hearing her speak, my impression of the choice of Palin is this: she was picked to save McCain’s reputation with the base, whilst not being someone completely insufferable to work with.
Basically, she’s pretty far from my own political views, at least socially. Then again, so is McCain. Economically, this may be a little tougher to determine. With so little information to go on, it’s hard to see a whole picture, but some economic conservatives are not happy about the windfall profits tax on oil companies she signed into law. McCain doesn’t support the windfall profits tax. That suggests she may be closer to the economic center than expected, but it’s hard to tell at this point. McCain has also historically been more of an economic moderate, at least since 2000. He’s more conservative these days, whether for political reasons or not.
On foreign policy, she’s pretty much unanswered. She supports the war, it seems, but in 2006 wanted to make sure there was an exit strategy. Perhaps not as hawkish as McCain? Who knows…
On ethics, she’s well known for challenging Republicans in the legislature, but is also under investigation for trying to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired, and then firing the state commissioner when he wouldn’t do it. If I were the McCain campaign, I’d hope that the brother-in-law was actually a deadbeat or something, and not an upstanding trooper.
Finally, one of the few nitpicks I have with her as of yet. Her deception on the “bridge to nowhere” comments in her speech last night. If you believed her, you’d think she turned the money away on principle alone. The truth is more complicated. According to reports, she initially supported the bridge to Gravina Island, but once the national uproar ensued, become against it. However, Alaska kept the money it had been given. I don’t know. Take it as you will. They all have to lie in a speech somewhere, I suppose.
So, in conclusion, Palin is basically a pretty conservative person with some more moderate positions and a record of ethics reform (assuming the investigation doesn’t grow legs). I can see why McCain chose her. He had a slew of other candidates to choose from, but she seemed most in temperament to him, while staying true to conservative values. This helps him with the base, where his likely first choice, Joe Lieberman, would not have.
It’s hard not to like her on a personality basis, which is where a lot of my McCain support comes from. Political positions, however, are another story. As they are with McCain.
