Morris flip-flops on whether Palin has enough experience to be McCain's running mate
SUMMARY: On August 29, Dick Morris said of Gov. Sarah Palin: "[I]t's OK if the Republicans nominated somebody for vice president who needs a little warm-up time 'til they become president." But discussing Palin on June 16, Morris said that Sen. John McCain "needs someone with a little more experience" for vice president.
Discussing possible vice-presidential choices on the June 16 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Fox News contributor and columnist Dick Morris said that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is "a very bright woman and very good. She would be an excellent choice. But I think that he [Sen. John McCain] needs someone with a little more experience." However, on the August 29 edition of Hannity & Colmes -- after McCain picked Palin as his running mate -- Morris said of Palin: "[I]t's OK if the Republicans nominated somebody for vice president who needs a little warm-up time 'til they become president." Morris did not explain how his current view squares with his June 16 comments.
From the June 16 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
COLMES: All right. Has McCain got the converse issue of Barack Obama? He doesn't need someone with experience, he needs someone to rejuvenate his campaign, right?
MORRIS: He needs a wow factor. He needs someone where you look at it and you just say, wow. And there are four people that I think so far do that for me at least: Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Mike Bloomberg, and Joe Lieberman. I think the name that you put on there, I think her first name was Sarah Palin --
COLMES: Yeah, Palin. Yeah.
MORRIS: -- the governor of Alaska, she's a very bright woman and very good. She would be an excellent choice. But I think that he needs someone with a little more experience --
SEAN HANNITY (co-host): Hey, Dick --
MORRIS: -- at this go-around, but I think either of the four names I mentioned would do it. Another Southern governor, and people are going to fall asleep.
From the August 29 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
MORRIS: When I saw the speech -- it was wonderful. It is one of the all-time great speeches. It ranks up there with Lincoln's second inaugural, with John Kennedy's only inaugural.
What I was critical of on the show was that I had just read the excerpts that his campaign put out, so I figured it was the best stuff, which was a short list of programs, and I had wanted him to go through a State of the Union-type speech. He did. He enumerated all of these programs. And there's a lot of stuff in it that I disagree with, there's a lot of stuff that's wrong, but it was a brilliant speech. The problem is, and you just saw it here, when he equates Bush with McCain and says they're the same, saying that Sarah Palin is more of same is like equating Cameron Diaz with Doris Day.
COLMES: I'm not sure which is which there. But in any event, so -- in terms of the analogy, I mean.
MORRIS: A young modern person, as opposed to George Bush.
COLMES: All right. But here, you know Sarah Palin. And doesn't this take the experience argument off the table? You can't say Barack Obama's not experienced and say, "But we're embracing Sarah Palin to go against Joe Biden for vice president."
MORRIS: There's a difference for somebody running for teacher and somebody running for student. Theoretically, Obama, who has only about the same amount of experience that Palin has --
COLMES: Or that Bush had.
MORRIS: -- in statewide office, is a -- is running for president of the United States. Palin is running for vice president, to bring her fresh approach, but learn at the master's knee.
COLMES: Don't you need somebody who's ready day one to be president of the United States?
MORRIS: Yeah, it would be nice if the Democrats nominated somebody like that, but they didn't.
COLMES: They did.
MORRIS: But it's OK if the Republicans nominated somebody for vice president who needs a little warm-up time 'til they become president. The thing about Sarah Palin -- and it's the key thing to remember -- is this woman challenged the corrupt Republican establishment of Alaska. Frank Murkowski, the governor of Alaska, was corrupt as anything. And his daughter, Lisa Murkowski, isn't corrupt; she just is dumb. And --
COLMES: That was a kind word, Dick.
MORRIS: Yeah. And you have Ted Stevens, the other senator, who is certifiably corrupt. He's under indictment, and he deserves to go to jail for a long time, as does his son, by the way. Sarah Palin took that establishment on, challenged Murkowski in a primary fight, got the attorney general fired. She's probably the only governor in America that beat the incumbent governor of her own party in a primary fight over corruption. This woman is a heroine. And to have someone like that coming to Washington to clean up Washington is extraordinary. And we're not talking about she went after Democrats in a partisan way. She went after Republicans.
Really? Dick Morris shills for the Republican Party?
Astounding.
One thing I've noticed that no one has pointed out yet.
For two months, McCain pounded Obama on his so-called lack of experience. But then he turns around and picks someone with no experience.
So-- besides removing that as an issue against Obama-- doesn't that make him a phony, insincere hypocrite?
How come no one in the MSM has pointed out M's inconsistency here? All they talk about is how M might not be able to use this in the future-- but how about his use in the recent past?
What somebody really NEEDS to point out is how unwise it is to put "Morris" and "flip flops" in the same sentence.
I was expecting a completely different story.
BRAB,
While I agree that the issue has been covered by MMfA...... and then some.....
As far as I'm concerned.... MMfA IS the MSM..... but thats just my opinion.
I don't think that it counts toward the MSM covering it?
This is something we've been emphasizing on ever since she got the nom.
(Yes, I know VPOTUS is different from POTUS, but not by much)
MMFA +1.
State Senate President Lyda Green said she thought it was a joke when someone called her at 6 a.m. to give her the news. "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"
Presidential scholars say she appears to be the least experienced, least credentialed person to join a major-party ticket in the modern era.
LOL
I don't think the whole experience thing is much of an issue though. I'll give Palin and Obama the benefit of the doubt in terms of experience. What gets me is the double-standard being promoted by the Republicans and their media spokespeople! I don't know why Sean Hannity didn't grill Dick Morris over his earlier comments, and I think Alan Colmes could have been a little more assertive in his objections regarding Obama-Palin.
... I know - some time next year I'll be a liberal in agreement with 90% of the things liberals say...
Eventually experience certainly must matter. Remember before W. got in he couldn't name world leaders when asked and look what a disaster he has been. I mean the job does require some skill and knowledge or can we dumn that one down too.
In fact, Obama's lack of experience was always in my mind his main weakness but obviously the Republicans never were too worried about experience (first W and now this!). Too bad they didn't tell Dick Morris, sean H., Rush and all their buddies.
I think George W Bush has proven what happens when you treat the Presidency of the United States as an on-the-job training opportunity.
Especially when it is clear he hasn't learned a thing.
Vitriole to be expected from a political rival, when Palin shakes the status quo including the Republicans in her state.
No Repub here. Registered Libertarian.
But thanks for reinforcing my point.
Open was refering to Palin and the majority of Alask as being republican.
Not you
"It is one of the all-time great speeches. It ranks up there with Lincoln's second inaugural, with John Kennedy's only inaugural."
... but if someone said that about Obama the conservatives cry hubris...
"She's probably the only governor in America that beat the incumbent governor of her own party in a primary fight over corruption."
OMG. American history is littered with such victories. Alfred E. Newman could have beaten the incumbent there.
Let the media whores twist like pretzels to get around this one!
Oh and all the "outstanding strategy" talk from these guys contradicts all the "democrats just want to get elected" BS.
Next week, to further show how stupid this move is, McCain will announce that he has hired Dick Cheney to be the Assistant VP candidate. To be sure, Elaine (Seinfeld) will be Dick Cheneys' boss, but the Dick will remain in the White House if McCain is elected. ***This will be announced from the balcony of house #5.
***Dick Cheney actually conducted the search for this VP race and suggested he become the Asst. VP. Honest, no lie.
It would have been nice for John McCain to pick someone who knew what a VP's job is a month ago.
That will get lottsa play, as will the statements (televised) of ALL the Dem Pres hopefuls who pointed out Obama's dirth of experience coming up to the primary.
Your memory's kinda short.
Face it folks, picking Sarah was a damn fine chess move, whether ya like it or not.
It was a gamble that could possibly pay off hugely, but it's still too early to tell. Unless McCain's campaign is a rabble of imbeciles, then they presumably vetted her properly. It's essential that she come across as more than window-dressing, and hold her own in the debates and in interviews. I do think it was risky though. If she comes off as a moron, or a mere rightwing toady, then she won't inspire much confidence in McCain's decision-making for putting her in line as potential commander-in-chief.
Of course the dems and the liberal media will ignore their own hypocrisy and harangue about how she's inexperienced and has a thin resume, while continuing to ignore BO's similar deficiencies, but that's to be expected. It will be interesting to see how she does in the spotlight.
I largely agree with your take, Steve. I would add that Obama has had the chance to answer questions about his relative inexperience over the past year, and, for Democrats at least, he has. As you said, it remains to be seen if Palin can do the same.
Even if she pulls it off however, I think her selection reveals some problems with McCain's judgment. He has attacked Obama for lack of experience, but he chose a running mate with less experience. And he was reportedly talked out of selecting Lieberman by his campaign, who wanted to appease the far right.
McCain has falsely accused Obama of putting political ambition over the well-being of the nation, but now the same is fairly being said of McCain. Like you said, he took a gamble.
I generally agree with what you said as well. Obama has proven himself quite capable of answering the charge of inexperience, having performed successfully in debates and campaigns against experienced opponents like HC, Biden, Dodd and Biden. He's obviously a smart fella . ..
I, like so many others, have never seen Palin in the hot seat and haven't a clue how she'll perform. Her coming from Alaska and whatnot leaves open the question of whether she'll appear comfortable under intense media scrutiny. I don't think people outside that state pay too much attention to their gubernatorial races. If she peforms poorly, it could really cause some damage
If she's capable, and can articulate her positions well, then I think she may be an attractive VP. I'm not one who really believes that she'll win over any significant Hillary-voters, but she may be alluring to more middle of the road women, and at the same time energize McCain's campaign a little, which it desperately is in need of.
You're also correct that McCain's experience argument against Obama is now gone. That obviously was a calculated risk, and requires a pretty major shift in his message.
My memory isn't short at all. First, there's a difference between inexperienced and ignorant. Second, McCain's going to look like an idiot attacking Obama's level of experience after picking Palin. Good luck with that ad campaign.
Before I sign off for the night, let me address something about "chess".
There are at least two levels to politics. You have the maneuvering, the strategizing, the "chess" game, as you say. That's the top level. Some people know why people vote this way or that on a bill, or use specific phrasing in their comments, etc, and they know that's just how the game is played.
But you would never hear McCain say that he picked Palin because she appeals to the religious right and would hopefully pick off some Hillary supporters at the same time. That's because most people don't want our politicians to be cynical opportunists. Part of playing the game well is creating at least some sense of plausible deniability that you're not playing the game, that you're really acting in the best interests of the country. That's the bottom level, the public perception, while the actual game is going on over those people's heads.
The (political) problem with this choice is that there's no subtlety to it whatsoever. There's no plausible deniability. Does any sane and rational person genuinely believe that if Hillary was Obama's VP that McCain would pick Palin? She undercuts his message about Obama's experience and brings nothing to the table that couldn't have been provided by dozens upon dozens of other candidates. There's no way for McCain to say with any credibility that he thinks she's the best choice to lead the country should she be needed to.
Now, evangelicals don't really care. They pretty much demand to be pandered to. Women are a different matter. They don't like to be manipulated or have their intelligence insulted by such obviously cynical tactics. So how this passes as some sort of brilliance is a complete mystery.
Naturally, Dick Morris is impressed with Palin.
As tall as she is, just imagine the size of her toes!
The line that I had to stare at for a few moments and not allow myself to laugh out loud so as not to wake the neighbors was........
"But it's OK if the Republicans nominated somebody for vice president who needs a little warm-up time 'til they become president"
Of course, this little tidbit is coming from the prostitute toe sucker..... and it was said on Hannity's pukefest of a show.... so its not all that suprising that these ass-clowns would believe that its ok if the Republicans do it.... but bad if the Dems do it!
Shocking
This experience schtick is way overblown...on both Obama and Palin.
Heck, there are dozens of posters that are here every day that are qualified to run the country or be second in command.
They prove it every day...showing up with all the answers to all the issues. The field of qualified candidates is nearly unlimited...and that's just counting the mmfa legions.
Thanks Wesley, I'll take the job..It is a demotion from my princely status but for my country, I'll do it.
I guess I am more qualified the Palin only because of 20 years executive experience and almost 2 years of military service. (actually 140 days short of 2years)
Atta boy...there's a lot to be said for the early bird and the worm.
Now where's that darn sword?
I know your post was made in jest, but you make a good point.
There's executive experience and then there's executive experience.
Her executive experience, in a small town where she was so inept she left them in dire financial straits (can you say Geo Bush with his huge deficits?), and in 20 months in the 47th smallest state by population gives her the requisite experience necessary to run a country of 300 million?
As President, it's not like you have any role in the day to day running of the government. You lead with ideas, and visions, and direction.
The very reasons that Geo Bush has been such a terrible President - he has crappy ideas like nation building in a contrived country like Iraq is a winner of an idea, a vision that government is bad and profits are good, and with direction that tells you that you should go to a birthday party on the day that Katrina hits New Orleans and then tell Brownie what a great job he's doing!
Her resume is not a good one for a President to have. The Republican pundits are trying to say that it's good to have executive experience. Not her kind. Leading a state that has 1/5th the number of residents that live in our 3rd largest city, Chicago? It's a small, homogeneous state, and governing it for 20 months is nothing like the role and responsibilities associated with being President.
Anyone can die at any time. But there's a greater chance of McCain dying soon because of his age and his 4 cancers. Fully 1/3 of our VP's have had to become President! Can we take a 33% chance that Palin would become President with so little necessary experience in things that matter, like foreign affairs?
-- Fully 1/3 of our VP's have had to become President! -- bottleblond
That means at least 14...name them.
BottleBlonde poorly worded it. He/She should have said, "Fourteen Vice Presidents have went on to be President." Five of them served terms as VP before being elected on their own. That makes 9 (a fifth) who have had to assume office without being elected specifically for the office of President.
"Fourteen U. S. Vice Presidents became President. Five were elected in their own right; four inherited the office through the natural death of the incumbent, four by assassination, and one by resignation."
Elected:
John Adams, GHW Bush, Jefferson, Van Buren, Nixon
Natural Death of incumbant:
Tyler, Fillmore, Coolidge, Truman
Assassination:
Andrew Johnson, Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson
Resignation:
Gerald R. Ford
-- BottleBlonde poorly worded it -- OM
No, it was not worded poorly...it was an obvious attempt to spread false information...pure and simple...and incorrect.
First she sets the stage that "there's a greater chance of McCain dying soon because of his age"...then the real funny stuff begins...claiming incorrectly that 14 veeps "have had to become President"...when in fact, as you pointed out, only 4 veeps have been elevated to president because of a natural death...less than 10%.
So bottleblond's laughably incorrect number of 33% is actually less than 10%...when the truth is told.
She asserts a bogus fact to prop up a bogus question...no it wasn't poorly worded...it was an obvious attempt at chicanery.
I read the post a little differently than you did. I did not connect the two statements by bottleblonde as you did above. The chance that this what's-her-name has to become President is really about 1 in 5 as far as the history is concerned. It has been about 5 or 6 Presidents since the last one. We are statistically due to have this happen again. It should be a consideration. I don't think what's-her-name is anywhere near ready. I also think this choice shows that McCain may have lost his mind.
The statement to Morris that should have been made was:
"Dick; which of your two statements is full of sh*t.. The one you just made or the previous one. You get to choose."