Here is what I wrote the morning McCain announced Sarah Palin,
I saw her about a month ago on Larry Kudlow’s TV show and I thought she did ok, not great, just ok. If that was my impression watching her in friendly territory, how will she do when really pressed?…
…The most overlooked question in all of this is “does the VP nominee have the media relations skills to be a forceful advocate?†Pawlenty has demonstrated that he does. I don’t think you can underestimate how important this single point is, the media relations skills. Ultimately, I believe they are even more important than the conservative positions or resume…
I’m flummoxed by the choice honestly. Sure, its Mavericky alright. Yes, it shows McCain is an independent thinker. However, I wonder if he’s beeing too cute and losing sight of the basic ingredients that make a good running mate. I hope I am proven wrong.
Let’s just say that I haven’t been proven wrong.
I have sharper conversations with my friends, and none of them are in line to be a heartbeat away from leading the free world. I want to believe. But I have seen nothing to date to make me believe. If Barack Obama has proven anything, it’s that good speeches don’t count for anything. When she has done these interviews, even the hard hitting Sean Hannity interview, she seems to have only a superficial understanding of the issues.
My biggest fear, which I mentioned in a different post, still rings true,
I used a baseball analogy last weekend on the radio to describe Palin. She reminds me of a highly talented young pitcher, like Craig Hanson or Clay Buchholz, who is brought up to the big leagues too soon, has a terrible experience and regresses, perhaps never again being able to live up to the initial promise. Palin has potential to be a long term asset for Republicans. However, if she was brought up too soon, and is hammered or exposed as not ready, her brand will be damaged and her long term effectiveness muted. That would be a shame.
UPDATE: Conservative writer Kathleen Parker, writing at National Review,
Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.
No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.