THE SARAH PALIN PICK

“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33)

I was eating lunch at the Star House Chinese Restaurant on Route 135 in Framingham when I was drawn to watch “Breaking News” on channel 7 over the restaurant’s television set.  It was McCain announcing his running mate.  Along with millions of others, I was very surprised.  I would never have guessed McCain would pick Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, and along with most Americans, I knew almost nothing about her.  I will say I e-mailed my friend The Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, pastor of First Baptist Church of Framingham who is originally from Alaska.  I wanted to get Mindi’s “take” on Sarah Palin.  Mindi e-mailed me back a fairly positive report about Sarah Palin saying she’s been a good governor. (Mindi is an independent and quite a bit more liberal politically than I am, so she may not actually vote for Palin. I do think Mindi’s thumbs up, from someone who KNOWS something about Palin and who is not a conservative or a Republican is interesting.)

 One more thing about my friend the Rev. Mindi Welton-MItchell:  MAYBE Mindi will have something to say on her own blog about this, considering Sarah Palin and Mindi Welton-Mitchell are from the SAME hometown of Wasilla, Alaska!  I'd be checking Mindi's blog at

http://rev-o-lution.blogspot.com

Commentators and political pundits like Jay Severin on Boston’s WTKK will be furious about the Sarah Palin pick.  They consider this the kiss of death and believe it guarantees a huge Barack Obama win in November.  Most conservatives believed McCain HAD to pick Mitt Romney or his campaign would be doomed.   I admit I’d have probably advised McCain to choose Romney, but with that out of the way, I DON’T think Governor Palin is a bad choice.  In fact, I think this will turn out to have been a good choice!  

It’s no secret that many women are angry and disappointed that Hillary Clinton is not the Democrat nominee for President.   Many believe the nomination was “stolen” away from her.  That may or may not be true, but I think a woman on the G.O.P. ticket will attract quite a number of these women to vote for McCain.  Hard-line conservatives see McCain as “disloyal”, “not a true Republican” and “not a real conservative”.  Honestly, those are the exact factors that  make McCain very likable to millions of independent voters and to the old Reagan Democrats, as well.  McCain’s pick absolutely flies in the face of the Republican establishment.  McCain is either a very foolish man or a brilliant strategist.  Had he been a very foolish man, I don’t think he’d have ever survived his captivity and torture in North Vietnam so many years ago.

There are issues on which John McCain and I disagree.  That said, he has been a hero to me for years.  I will proudly vote for McCain’s ticket in the Fall.

The political pundits will laugh, but I’m going out on a limb and predicting that McCain wins in November and that McCain carries 41 states to Obama’s 9 states and the District of Columbia.  It’s right here in print.  I will take the credit in November if this turns out to be correct, and I will accept the criticism if it does not turn out to be correct!