A Brilliant Choice

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R) speech in Dayton, Ohio, served as a perfect introduction to the American people. She was forceful, she was direct and she was in command. She also stayed positive.

And, in her first speech as Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) running mate, she made it clear that the women’s vote is in play.

The Democrats have already started their attacks on Gov. Palin. This is not surprising. Whoever Sen. McCain picked was going to be attacked and, in fairness, one has to acknowledge the McCain camp was ready to do the same to whomever Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) chose. Yet it is almost comical to hear anyone supporting Obama question anyone else’s readiness or foreign policy experience. After all, Barack Obama is hardly a Henry Kissinger or Madeleine Albright. With the exception of some time in Indonesia and a pandering speech in Berlin, Obama has no foreign policy experience.

Indeed, it was Obama who questioned his own experience http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BnLozS-TnM&eurl=http://www.facebook.com/home.php shortly after being elected to the United States Senate.

The political jujitsu in making the pick is impressive — McCain chose a woman when Barack Obama either could not or would not. Further, he chose a running mate the Democrats should think twice about attacking. Ask Sens. Erskine Bowles and Rick Lazio how going negative on a female opponent helped their respective campaigns.

If Sen. McCain wanted to send the signal that he is a maverick and willing to shake up the status quo in Washington, Gov. Palin is the perfect choice.

Like McCain, Gov. Palin can point to real leadership, real reform and real bipartisanship. Asking anyone to list similar accomplishments of Sen. Obama is a modern-day version of “Stump the Band.”