"Looney Tunes"

The "looney tunes" quote is from a friend in Arizona--one who voted for John McCain in his most recent run as U.S. Senator but who now is aghast at his pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as vice presidential running mate.

I haven't yet, but I shall reply to my Arizona friend: "Sorry, my dear, but I think you're wrong about its being a looney decision--if, that is, we're talking about election year politics." And with the General Election only two months away, why WOULDN'T we be talking about election year politics?

Discussing the race as a matter of what it takes to govern would be sober and wise, perhaps, but not sufficiently on point as to what it takes to win the White House. To me, it's the political savvy in McCain's bold stance that makes the decision so interesting. To wit:

Gov. Palin, who will NOT get this Hillary supporter's vote, almost immediately set out to get disaffected Hillary voters over to the McCain-Palin column by paying homage to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. That's smart. Her nod to the Demo trailblazers might be viewed as cynical by older feminists, but to younger ones--to soccer or "hockey moms"--the appeal could be strong.

Be honest: McCain, who's 72 and a cancer survivor, clearly needed a fresh face and youthful exuberance to try to outdistance Obama and his legions of under-40 fans. With the Palin appointment, no matter how novice the woman is, McCain has instantly dialed up the race a few notches. Here's how:

Joe Biden, whose white hair and 36 years in the U.S. Senate say "experience" to those of us who love and support him, now can be seen as "old" in almost any side-by-side with the governor from Alaska. That's no easy hill to climb--especially in formal debates when an "experienced" man must not be seen as intimidating or overbearing with a "novice" female competitor.

For 72-year-old McCain, this all must be rejuvenating as hell. No longer is HE the primary "oldster;" he's cleverly passed it to Biden, whose experience advantages may now seem less appealing to America's younger, mostly visual voters and/or to hurt Hillary fans.

No matter which side you're on, it's hard to miss the cleverness in McCain's political and election strategy.

But for governing and heartbeat-away considerations? My Arizona friend's concerns are spot-on. I join him in hoping voters will see through election year cleverness and take serious note of the "looney tunes" factor lest "that's all folks" become a reality!