There is now hope for small-town mayors

Small-town mayors across the nation who harbor strong political ambition now have hope.

A person who just a few years ago was the mayor of a town of less than 8,000 now potentially will be a "heartbeat away" from holding the most powerful position in the world.

"Stunned" is the only word we can use to describe our feelings last week when we learned that Sarah Palin (like all of you -- had never heard of her) was being selected by John McCain as his running mate in the November presidential election.

And that is how we remain several days later, as we still don't understand the rationale for this choice, considering the tried and true concept that the main criterion for the position is the qualification to be elevated to President of the United States of America.

We are certain many GOP supporters also share that same concern, but in today's partisan world one must not "flinch" in the face of questioning. One must keep a "stiff upper lip" and move on with the platitudes and "talking points" even in a situation of near-absurdity.

We are certain of this -- the selection had a lot more to do with political maneuvering than the eventual governing of the nation.

Consider this comment by McCain adviser Howard Opinsky, who was discussing the fact that many observers believe there was not enough checking into Palin's background before making the selection:

"Had her name been played out in the press for months and months, she wouldn't have been seen as so bold…you either get freshness and you have to live with what you get in your vetting or you lose freshness."

So how does that make you feel? The selection for the second most important office-holder in the free world is being considered for how much "freshness" it brings to the scene.

We maintain the selection does indeed relate to the now-apparent Republican problem of being far more concerned with winning elections than governing the nation, as described succinctly in a column last week by Gene Lyons in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

"Contemporary Republicanism isn't a governing philosophy so much as a rationalized series of talking points useful in winning elections since the Reagan presidency, Lyon writes. "Yes, it was foolish and self-deluded of Republicans to imagine somebody of Bush's limited abilities capable of handling the presidency. But the failure's more than personal. So-called conservative ideology has lost contact with reality. The GOP has become the party of illusion, incapable of seeing the world as it is, infuriated by anybody who does."

There is no question the "vetting" of this candidate was miniscule. Alaskan leaders, from both political parties, are saying today that no one from the McCain campaign contacted them concerning Sarah Palin. That is shocking.

John McCain had met her one time before the selection, making both of these comments by the GOP standard-bearer quite strange:

"And I've watched her record, and I've watched her for many, many years." We are to believe that John McCain was watching Sarah Palin and her record when she was the mayor of a town of 8,000 people up in the state of Alaska? Does that make any sense at all?

"She's a partner and a soulmate." We are not even sure how to respond to that weird comment he made a few days ago to Chris Wallace in an interview on Fox News.

Wallace was quite adamant in his questioning of McCain on the apparent lack of qualifications of his VP choice.

McCain quickly shot back that Palin is also a member of the PTA. That opens up an entire new world of possibilities and gives hope to those PTA members out there who also think they may be on a fast track in the world of politics and government.

This entire episode would almost seem to be a dream if we weren't continuing to see the reality of it on a day-to-day basis.

--REK