The Swearing in of President Lyndon Johnson
Following the Assination of John F. Kennedey
The selection of Govenor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential candidate highlights a number of disturbing points about McCain and Republicans in general. Since 9-11 Republicans have constantly claimed that national security was their first priority. But there have been a number of indications that this indeed was not the case. The poor response to Hurricane Katrina showed that the Bush administration had not prepared for a major terrorist attack. After all the same resources that where so sorely lacking in response to Katrina would have been just as lacking in the case of a terrorist attacks.
But no decisions have betrayed a flippant disregard of national security than the choices for Vice President made by Bush running for his second term and McCain's choice of Palin for his running mate. Cheney was an exceptionally bad choice for Vice-President given the circumstances. Cheney had by that time had already had several heart attacks.
Imagine if Bush were killed by terrorists today and Cheney had a heart attack and was heavily drugged and unconsious, whould the cabinet do the right thing and let Pelosi ascend to the Presidency, or would they try to run the government without a functioning Comander and Chief.
If Bush were really serious about national security he would have never picked Dick Cheney to be is Vice President for his second term. If Republicans had been serious about national security they surly would have said that this is an inappropiate choice.
The selection of Palin continues this Republican disregard for the national security. To a certain extent the perception of a new President matters as much as the Presidents ability. The fact that Palin has not been able to create the perception of a firm military leader even within her own party presents the potential for a number of disasterous senerios.
Again there is the posibility that McCain could not be killed or die out right but linger in state of partial disability for months. What if the damage to his mental health in the years of torture in a North Vietnamese prison camp started to come to a head. Would Palin be able to gain the support of enough cabinet memebers to assume the Presidency? What if McCain had another instance of skin cancer and required pain medication that left him confused? The same situation would arise.
What if McCain was killed by a nuclear bomb secreted into the United States. Would Palin instill confidence in her assesment of the situation that would allow a nuclear response that would result in the deaths of millions of innocent people? Alternatively would she have the confidence to resist calls for an immediate nuclear response long enough to asertain the true author of the attack?
By picking Palin above many others who would project a sense of military compentence McCain showed that he is willing to put America at risk for politcal gain.
