McCain Comes Out Swinging; Palin as Rorschach Test

Today’s show is likely to engender a good deal of discussion because we get into the question of the liberal media and how Republicans have been able to use that accusation so successfully for so long. Tony says it’s been extraordinary week, and an election campaign without precedent, but “we don’t know yet whether Palin will be gold dust or Kryptonite to McCain. Assuming that there is nothing completely shocking in her background, it’s clear a new star was born.” Before her selection, “maybe 80% of the base was going to vote for McCain – now it’s at least 92%...but independents will still be a battleground.” And, says Tony, now the NRA is planning to put a lot of dollar firepower into the campaign. Bob says she’s a successful speaker but she never even got a passport till 18 months ago, and Alaska is dependent on windfall oil profits; he calls it “The People’s Republic of Alaska.” She still differs from McCain on sharing oil profit revenues with the rest of America. Arianna says the Democrats will lose if they focus on Palin’s experience or the soap opera, “As Bristol and Levi Turn,” but should focus instead on Palin’s belief in creationism, her book banning at a local library--“she’s antediluvian but a compelling antediluvian character.” And Matt’s hoping that the Dems will focus on the issues, not personalities: “The Republicans genius is that they have been able to make elections about the personal and personalities, detached from the effect of the party’s policies on average Americans.”