Following my argument, Obama picked Biden to address conservative concerns about foreign policy, and national defense and security. Palin’s selection further entrenches the far right. McCain actually wanted to nominate Lieberman (who is technically an independent), but the RNC wouldn’t tolerate it. They told him it would cost him too much core support. You are right about McCain’s “maverick” status being irrelevant. He has abandoned it for the support of the far right, without which he could not get elected. Selecting Palin attempts to resurrect the maverick issue, but time will tell if that is successful. Reaching across the aisle in a highly republican environment is not as hard as doing it in DC. I never suggested that either candidate select a member of the opposing party for VP. McCain had a chance to appeal to moderates and independents with a moderate republican choice, but he went for the partisan option. I have no doubts that conservatives are happy. Liberals, Progressives, Moderates, and Centrists, on the other hand, have been dissed. Obama has not moved farther to the left, he has moved toward the center. A move that has made the far left nervous. A move that reaches out to the center, the independent, the undecided, and moderate republicans. Obama is making an effort to represent all America. McCain represents the far right and the republican party, which seem to define the borders of “his” country.

James—If McCain had picked a pro-choice candidate, like Ridge, he would have lost a lot of the base. Forget Lieberman, the base would have abandoned him with that pick. Without the base, he can’t win. Many in his camp wanted to direct the campaign toward the Independents and the moderate Dems, but to do so with a pro-choice candidate would have be a big mistake. I think he still gets plenty of Independents and moderate Dems, but have to agree with you, not as many as he would have with a moderate or someone like Leiberman on the ticket. But going after those votes was a risk and may not have paid off. The Republican party was lukewarm to McCain and he really needed to reassure them—a solid conservative VP choice was the only way for him to do that. That just my GOP humble opinion.

So, why would you have voted for Hillary in the first place? Only because she was a female? What possible resemblance, other than physical, does this woman have to Hillary Clinton? Obviously, you do not support equal pay for women or a woman’s right to choose. And, certainly, you care not for Sen. Clinton’s foreign policy opinions. So, I know you will be very happy when McCain puts up pro-life Supreme Court Judges and federal judges for nomination.