John McCain
McCain in Feb.: Gender Not a Factor in VP Choice
By Glenn Kessler
Six months ago, Sen. John McCain insisted that he would not choose his running mate on the basis of gender or race if he faced either Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton as his Democratic opponent, but rather would select his running mate on the basis of experience and personal qualities.
Speaking to reporters on his campaign bus as he traveled to an event in Yellow Springs, Ohio, on Feb. 20, McCain was asked whether the prospect of running against a history-making figure would compel him to make his own historic choice. At the time, McCain dismissed the idea that voters would be compelled to vote for someone because of race or gender. "The primary
reason why people vote for a candidate is because of what that person will do for you," he said.
A reporter pressed McCain whether race or gender would somehow figure into his decision-making process.
"I don't think so. I don't think so," McCain replied. "I think you've got to have a first and key priority -- the person that can best take your place immediately and shares your philosophy and values and priorities. I think that's got to be the criterion. I am not capable of that kind of
Machiavellian approach to things."
Posted at 12:26 PM ET on Aug 29, 2008
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Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 1:57 PM
So, it's BAD for the Republican VP candidate to be an inexperienced politician who lacks foreign policy and economic credentials, but it's GOOD for the Democratic Presidential candidate? If this selection took "experience" off the table, that means you can't you it either.
Posted by: Ed | August 29, 2008 6:35 PM
So McCain wants us to believe that if he, the candidate running on experience, dies, he'd want a lady who hasn't even had two years of leadership to take his place?
Barack Obama has only had two years as a U.S. senator, but he had eight years of experience as a senator in Illinois. Obama's had five times the amount of leadership experience that Palin has had. If this isn't about gender, then I'd sure like to know why McCain picked her, because it sure as heck doesn't have anything to do with her experience.
Posted by: Katie | August 29, 2008 2:44 PM
Why does McCain think Hillary supporters are this dumb?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2008 2:25 PM
That was an extremely poor speech by Baracky Hussein Obama last night.
I know that only a extremely small number of people watched the Democratic Convention.
Following are keynote speakers that you missed and topics:
Marion Barry --- Drug Abuse
Rep. Denny Kucinich --- How to garner 1 % of the vote in every primary entered
Sen. Chrissy Dodd --- Obtaining Countrywide loans
Sen. Chucky Schumer --- How to initiate a run on a bank
Jesse Jackson ---- Marital fidelity and Castration
John Edwards ---- Ambulance Chasing and Spousal support in time of need
Sen. Theodore Kennedy --- Driver education and How to stop a pending autopsy
James McGreevey ---- Gay rights
Mayor Ray Nagin --- Emergency evacuation preparations
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick – Email etiquette in the workplace
Al Sharpton ---- Race relations
Sen. Evan Bayh --- How to ignore the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party and support the war in Iraq
Al Gore --- Snow Removal
Louis Farrakhan --- Muslims in America and Muslim in the White House
PS - My god, Sarah Palin is extremely good lucking and sexy !
Posted by: gary | August 29, 2008 1:59 PM
Re: old school VPs.
That was then, and this is now. JFK got away with a lot of stuff that today's Presidents can't get away with (and, of course, most of them wouldn't want to).
She's not the most qualified VP to back up a 72yr old with a history of cancer.
Reckless stupid pick that will hurt him in Virginia, No Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
The men who don't have a problem with a pick like this are democrats.
And women see a pattern here: McCain keeps surrounding himself with younger ex-beauty Queens.
If another Iseman comes out of the woodwork, he's done.
Posted by: Deep Blue | August 29, 2008 1:52 PM
What "experience" did the following Vice-Presidents have prior to their election:
Elbridge Gerry
Daniel D. Tompkins
John Caldwell Calhoun
Richard Mentor Johnson
George Mifflin
William Rufus
John Cabell Breckinridge
Hannibal Hamlin
Schuyler Colfax
Henry Wilson
William Almon Wheeler
Thomas Andrews Hendricks
Levi Parsons Morton
Garret Augustus Hobart
James Schoolcraft
Thomas Riley Marshall
Charles Gates Dawes
Charles Curtis
John Nance Garner
Henry Agard Wallace
Posted by: Ed | August 29, 2008 12:37 PM
Machiavelli would be proud. Selecting Palin - a very inexperienced politician who lacks foreign policy and economic credentials, and is backing up a 72 year old with cancer - was most definitely a play for the womens vote.
Bad choice for the notion of putting country first.
Posted by: Deep Blue | August 29, 2008 12:35 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
McCain's choice is all about gender, not experience, so he lied to us. McCain's campaign and GOP convention theme is "Country First", but elected Republicans routinely put business profits ahead of country. This is what fellow frat boy Bush and McCain share -- anything for business, at any cost.