My Sigg

I have started to use a Sigg water bottle and I must say they are great. The water taste much better than from a plastic bottle and it is also better for the environment.

The water in it is tap water cleaned by my britta filter.

Saving the planet one drop at a time. And it is not much of a sacrifice.

A little more Bristol, but this is it…

Ok, I really do not want to Blogg about this Bristol thing because it has nothing to do with politics really, but since the main purpose of this Blogg really is to explain, in a fun way, U.S. politict for Swedish people I feel like I have to address it one more time. So two more points:

1. I do not think this will reflect poorly on Palin or McCain alone. On the contrary it will raise the abortion issue and show that the family is really pro-life not just say they are. It also brings the abortion question front and center which is always good for conservatives since 12% of the country will not vote for a pro-choice candidate and only 8% will not vote for a pro-life candidate (and yes I hate those terms that might be a later blogg post)
   
   The problem with the pregnancy is that it looks like McCain vetted Palin poorly and that it was a last minute panic decision. That raises at least two questions: One, are there more skeletons in her closet and more importantly two, what it McCain’s judgment when it comes to filling his future cabinet and appointing people to the courts? If anything this could be an issue. The McCain Campaign has of course said they vetted Sarah Palin extensively by giving her a 70 question questionnaire. I am not sure a multiple choice test is the best way to get to know the person who is a heartbeat away from the Presidency?
   
2. My other main point is how classy Obama was when he made sure right away that this would not be an issue in the campaign by saying it would not be talked about and even compared it to his own mother’s situation. This could lead to immense popularity among people who do not think this should be an issue, but chances are they would vote for him anyways. It is of course also a smart political move from the issue about abortion already addressed.

Now we are done with Bristol lets focus on the issues.

McCain staying put this time

It looks like John McCain will not go down to New Orleans and pretend to help with the hurricane this time which is great. One thing I think is important in a President is that they can learn from their mistakes and as the Federal Government prepares to do a better job with Gustav than Katrina, so is John McCain doing a better job with not creating a media circus in New Orleans as he did in Iowa when he created a media circus which the Governor begged Obama and McCain not to come to score cheap political points. Obama did as asked McCain didn't. Very disrespectful. Who said you can't teach an old dog to sit.

Bristol is pregnant

So Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter is pregnant. What will this mean for her rallying the conservative base to McCain? I do not necessarily think it has to be awful news for McCain. It is not like they will have to convince social conservatives very hard to vote McCain instead of Obama. And they can tilt it to that she did not go the easy way out and have an abortion. The question is why wait to now to start planing the wedding? That makes it look like they react to the news coming out.

It also raises the question whether the McCain camp new about this if they didn't is this just the first of many skeletons in a big closet of Sarah Palin?

In Response to Angela and some more thoughts...

I agree with you Angela, I really do, but only in the short term. Yes they look great together and yes she will inspire some Obama voters who want to vote for a historic candidate, but do not want to vote for Barack. However, two months from now I do believe much about what is new and fresh about her in Hillary voters eyes will have been replaced by looking at her record. Yes, I know only 8% of women will absolutely not vote for a candidate who is pro life, but the more people get used to Obama the more Hillary voters will come over. I might be wrong and all Hillary voters might come over to the McCain Palin camp and come November the election wont be close, but I have more fth in the women in this country that they will vote somewhat on what issues are important to them instead of just voting for a woman. But, I might be wrong and being from Europe I am spoiled with voters caring about issues not candidates. At least I think it is being spoiled, but that is of course debatable.

What is exciting is that if by appointing a republican outsider, maybe McCain wants to go back to his Maverick times of the past, times I for one admired. Of Course Lieberman would have been a choice that would have done this as well. A choice McCain said he would have preferred, so who convinced him someone he did not know was better? Karl Rove?

I will agree with you that it is kind of cool he announced it in your hometown of Dayton, OH.

Why not Mitt Romney

Many reasons to why Mitt Rmney was not chosen to be the VP pick I am sure, but one of the things that made it impossible is the advertisements the McCain campaign have been airing where they show what Biden or Hillary said about Obama in the campaign and used it to show that the Democratic Party is today not in unity. Romney said some much worse things about McCain and vice versa than what Hillary and Biden said about Obama.

Palin? Really, Palin?

Ok, So Mcain picked Sarah Palin for the VP spot and all hopes I had this morning that McCain was going back to the centrist maverick he once was in the Senate went away with her. Reports started trickling out this morning saying that it would neither be Romney nor Pawlenty. This opened a small hope for Lieberman I thought, but no he picked Palin. Still I am pretty excited over this since I believe it almost guarantees a Democratic victory on November 4th.

Seriously if McCain picked a woman in the thought that he would win over Hillary women he is seriously mistaking and he has a pretty degrading view on women. They supported Hillary because she was a woman yes, but also for what she stood for. Palin is first of all pro-life something most Hillary backers do not support.

It will also be fun to watch Palin with her 1.5 years of Alaska politics experience debate Joe Biden on foreign policy. I know who I will have my money on in that debate. Palin is compared to Obama very inexperienced and considering McCain’s age I think that might be an issue.

Palin was also very supportive of fellow Alaskan politician Ted Stevens something that might put attention to Senator McCain old corruption scandal with Senator Stevens.

I am sure McCain had some thought about this appointment at least I hope so. Palin might be effective talking about energy, which will be an important issue. I do not agree with her on her views, but at least she has worked with that issue.

More thoughts to follow….