Submitted by Debreceni Donald, Sep 3, 2008 13:11

We judge our presidential candidates by their first and gravest decision: who they choose to be vice president. Given Senator McCain's age, this question is hardly academic but vital. The cynical choice of someone totally without foreign policy experience whose chief credentials are being mayor of a small town of about 9,000 people and governor of a state with a population of 670,000 or less than most major US cities should be a cause for real worry.

Surely this person would never be considered for vice president let alone possibly becoming president were it not for her devotion to far right causes. So Senator McCain fails his first big test as a serious candidate for president. To then attempt to fatten the resume by referring to a governor as having control of the state's national guard--as if that were commander in chief training when we all know that no governor but only the US president can order the guard to fight. Governors can and do order the guard to help in case of natural disasters, etc. Governor Palin is undoubtedly a likeable person who holds strong beliefs about guns and abortion, but that is hardly a basis for electing her vice president and president in waiting. This choice made in haste and without enough care and concern for the country will haunt Senator McCain as it should.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.