Just a though after reading the Halperin book review in the NYT...

[NRaleighLiberal]

How could it be possible that a candidate as utterly unqualified/unable as McCain could even get within a galaxy of the presidency? And how could someone as even more unqualified and inappropriate as Palin end up as the running mate?

To me, this is not only a complete failure of our political system, but a complete damnation of the Republican party and their total disregard for the country.

And yet they continue to wield an inordinate amount of power - either through intimidation, ineffective media, or people who are so disconnected from reality and ability to think that they want to return them to power.

It is incomprehensible!

[Captain Hilts]

1. I'm still stunned. Romney was the obvious choice. He's a Rockefeller Republican that

actually has a brain and knows how to govern.

It was a no shitter to me. And Romney would have been able to discuss the financial crisis with some knowledge.

Just as well Republicans didn't figure that out.

[blondeatlast]

9. I think the powers that be in the RNC withheld support for Romney, who

I agreed would have been a stronger candidate--and I think it's because he was Mormon, and would not have been abole to garner the fundie donations on which they rely.

[roguevalley]

14. they take turns, they wait for their turn. that is how they do it. go

back and check out their history.

[shraby]

2. Go back even a bit farther..how did Bush get to be president?

He was as qualified as Palin.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Bush was never elected. He was "put" there by the Supreme court

and who knows what other riff raff and crimes.

[hlthe2b]

11. the point (NRLiberal) is that Bush* won the nomination....

Which goes to show that the REPUGS do not vote on qualifications, intelligence, relevant experience--

[abluelady]

4. The Answer is "The People"

I don't mean to generalize but it seems there has been a long campaign going on to dumb down America. We see very little cognitive thinking. How many of us have a conversation with someone who spouts off their emotional thoughts but when asked a concrete question can't give an answer. In my humble opinion, we are in deep dog doo. It seems to me the people are getting what the people want. It is very sad and scary for those of us who look more broadly at a picture.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Agree totally. Very little critical thinking and actual intellectual dialog

going on any more....

[KG]

6. because, like 2000 Bushco decided to sit this one out. they'd stolen everything there was to steal.

[nenagh]

7. I think the media is very effective..

in propagandizing for the GOP..

Always a subtle insult towards the Dems.. and reality has little to do with the message...

They sell better, I think.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. A combination of factors.

1. The RNC gave its approval for McCain to advance, steered the money his way for primaries.

2. He wasn't Giuliani, Huckabee, or Romney. And a "war hero" to boot.

3. The media. Can you recall one hit piece on McCain?

4. McCain ran a cautious campaign, meaning he didn't promise a whole lot but what he did promise was sufficient for republican voters.

5. There was an attitude, "it's his time". McCain tried and failed against * twice, and this time, with no * in sight, it was assumed he could prevail.

[hlthe2b]

10. You need to ask that, after 8 years of GWBush*?

[edhopper]

12. You last sentence is the important one.

After being wrong about everything the last 8 years, McCain is treated as the voice of authority on all matters (much like Lieberman).
And after it is obvious Palin is an idiot she still commands the spotlight as a political star.

[dragonlady]

13. Republicans may have seen both winning and losing as favorable positions

The country was in a terrible position economically and involved in two wars, and the voters were finally beginning to realize who created that mess. By nominating two people unlikely to win the election, they could pass the problems off to the Democrats for four years. (I think the fact that they didn't try a last-minute "October surprise" of cooked-up scandal is significant. In addition, I don't recall many reports of voter harassment in the minority community or sneaky business with voting machines.) Then after obstructing and criticizing their way through Obama's first term, spinning everything as his fault, they thought they'd be in a good position to take over again in 2012.

If by some chance McCain and Palin had happened to win anyway, Republicans would have remained in control (probably with Cheney wielding a lot of power behind the scenes).

[XemaSab]

15. Colbert articulated this very well

the night he made the word "LOSE."