She's unprepared, but we were more unprepared

I love the continuing battle over Sarah Palin's readiness to join John McCain's ticket in 2008. Nothing will change the minds of people who like her, and nothing will change the minds of people who dislike her.
But I did read the latest. And got all the way to the end. If Palin was so unprepared to be vice president, why did McCain and his campaign select her? Because they were unprepared.
Part of the reason the campaign struggled to deal with Palin was that they were still seriously considering another VP pick--Joe Lieberman--until just days before the convention.
"Roughly up to a week before the convention, we were still talking very seriously about Senator Lieberman," Schmidt says. "But Once word leaked out that he was under serious consideration, the blowback was ferocious."
A campaign focused on a possible bad decision tries to blame Sarah Palin for being Sarah Palin. It's time to move on.

Remove one word

Politico has a headline on reaction to Sarah Palin's new book.
McCain camp: Book 'petty and pathetic'
You can improve the headline by removing one word
McCain camp: 'petty and pathetic'

Going rogue: Past vs. Future

Blue Virginia is looking forward to the fighting between the Palin and McCain camps with the publication of Going Rogue.
Just as I would be interested if Creigh Deeds wrote about his campaign and blamed bad staff decisions. Deeds' staff has been getting chewed up pretty good on that blog, even if Creigh's not doing the writing.
Sorry, McCain staffers, but your job is to suffer the pain. Palin is the person people are excited about and believing. As her current life more matches her earlier life than the 10-week Vice Presidential candidate phase, it's easier to believe her side.
Especially after hearing post after post blaming bad advice for dooming Deeds' chances.

What's in Sarah Palin's book?

Words and pictures.
Names of McCain staffers, but no index.
Let the hype begin. Time has talked to some people with advance copies.
Texas4Palin caught the post, and the L.A. Times blog saw that. I saw Instapundit's link of that.
And her interview with Oprah taped Wednesday.

Staffer watch

Blue Virginia has heard someone on the Creigh Deeds staff saying "It is not my fault" and trying to line up a new job.
Obviously, this staffer learned well from watching John McCain's staff last year.
"The ship is sinking. Get me off first!"

Sarah, here to stay

The blogosphere is buzzing over the Sarah Palin piece in Vanity Fair.
Whether Sarah Palin runs for president or becomes president, I expect she'll remain a political force for the next 25 years. The people who love her see themselves in her. Attacks on Palin are attacks on them and their lifestyle.
Sort of like how many African-Americans see themselves in Barack Obama. Obama rode that wave to the White House, and that helps keep his popularity higher than the popularity of his proposals.
And unnamed McCain staffers who continue to cut Palin down need to realize their political future is worse off than hers. Give it up.
I'm rooting for Palin to become president. Just because I want to see TV reporters shivering outside the Wasilla White House at vacation time.

Indiana Sarah and the Staffers of Doom

Some former McCain staffers are still upset about Sarah Palin. Surprise.
Palin mentioned that no one would pray with her before the vice presidential debate. The staffer think she is throwing them under the bus.
She is just like Indiana Jones. When someone tries to throw you under the bus, you use your leverage to knock them under the bus. Nobody complained when Indiana Jones got the better of his foes.

On TV

John McCain will appear on Jay Leno tonight.
Sarah Palin has been on Fox, Today and will be on CNN Wednesday.
And several unnamed staffers will be on Cheaters.

From an unnamed McCain speechwriter

How else could they try to make Sarah Palin look bad?
Have her say "Let's drill in ANWR so Todd can make enough money for me to shop at Neiman Marcus."