Obama: A Bigger Maverick than McCain (or Palin) By: Ara

[cross posted at E Pluribus Unum]

Republicans loooooooooooove to ask "Who is Obama, really?" Here's the answer: He's the guy who (for the last two years of intense media scrutiny) expertly ran a $400 million campaign that knocked Bill and Hillary Clinton off their pedestals and secured the nomination of his party -- and more importantly, pulled the party together when it was all over. McCain himself should have the balls to acknowledge that (by his own definition) that makes Obama the biggest maverick of all time -- and someone who has shown that he can "reach across the aisle" (see "Powell, Colin" below). Obama is a force to be reckoned with and hardly a mystery man -- unless you've been hiding in the garage since 2006.

The truth is that the electorate should be asking, instead, "who is Sarah Palin, really?" She showed up 7 weeks ago, having been touted as the person who "stood up" to the sitting governor of her own party (and I defy you to even name him) and somehow this qualifies her to be president. Why? Because she's a maverick and a reformer. But really -- have you listened to her talk? We just got done having a president that talked like Palin. What did we learn? That words mean something and you can judge a person by the words they use. We don't need another president like that.

McCain now says "I am not George Bush." He might as well add "Sarah Palin is."

For the life of me I cannot understand why McCain picked Palin -- the maverick -- when it's obvious that he gave away his biggest argument against Obama in so doing. Think about it: compare Obama's last two years of public life with Palin's last two years and tell me, honestly: who is better prepared to be president? Then when you've got your answer ask yourself this question: WTF was McCain thinking?

Fact is, Palin, in all her mavericky glory, hasn't worn well in the 7 weeks she's been on the national stage. The sad truth is that the more the electorate finds out about Palin, the less they are impressed with her qualifications and (more dangersously to the point) the less they like her. She's tanking McCain's campaign and (judging by the steam coming out of McCain's ears during their joint interview last night) McCain knows it. Colin Powell (and how's THAT for reaching across the aisle?) isn't the only Republican who is shocked that McCain thinks she's qualified.

The good news for McCain? The electorate's #1 negative perception about him is no longer that he'll be like Bush. So, yes, they believe McCain is a maverick. The bad news? The electorate's #1 negative perception about John McCain is Sarah Palin.