GOP: Stupidity or Political Genius?

On virtually every website I've visited today, there has been almost as much mention of Alaska governor and Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, as there has been on Hurricane Gustav. So, let me add my two cents to the mix.

I've thought about this candidate selection over the last few days and can't decide whether it was one of pure stupidity or pure genius. The more my musings continue (and maybe the more exhausted I become), I'm beginning to lean toward the latter.

Let's really look at this.

First, when the announcement was made that John McCain had selected his running mate and that it was a young (44), nice-looking woman named Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, I, like most Americans, immediately said, "Who?" I think it was very important for the GOP to counter the sentiment of many moderates and independents who believed that McCain was such a champion of the current administration and, thereby too close to them for comfort. They had to find someone who had at least some leadership experience without the long-standing status as a member of the "good old boy's" club. So, here is this relatively unknown rising star in the Republican party, a governor (albeit a relatively new governor), a former beauty queen (that one is for the guys), and a mother of five (appeals to women). A virtual political trifecta, right?

Second, she brings something to the table that will appeal to most Americans after the dust settles. What is it you ask? Well, let me put it this way: when we ask Americans what is the biggest concern affecting them right now, it is not the war in Iraq or abortion. It is the high cost of gas. Well, Republicans have been looking at exploring for oil offshore of Alaska. Oh, lookie here! Sarah Palin is the governor of (let's say it together now) ALASKA! Hmmm. If you want your gas prices to go down and have us not as dependent upon Saudi oil, then here's the party for you. I can hear it now: A vote for McCain/Palin is a vote for lower gas prices. Most of the portion of Americans I refer to as "sheeple" will eventually look at this and say, as if in a trance, "Must get lower prices. Must get lower prices." Here is where I feel this pick is pure genius.

Now, Palin is not without her own baggage. Immediately, rumors abounded about the youngest of the clan actually belonging to her daughter and that she faked the pregnancy. Although in the photos I could drum up, she did not look pregnant (especially with her fifth child), things looked suspicious, yet doubtful as to the pregnancy being faked. Now, there seems to be an announcement that, despite the daughter, now 17, not being baby Trig's mother, the teen (named Bristol) is actually pregnant out of wedlock and planning to marry the baby's father. Wow. This is getting to be too hard to keep up with. All they need is a tap-dancing monkey, a partridge, and a pear tree.

Now, I hear people pointing and saying things like, "Oh, look at her and all those hypocritical Republicans." First of all, not all Republicans are bible-thumping hypocrites, just as not all liberals are whining welfare recipients waiting for the next round of governmental handouts. Not all black people have bad credit and babies out of wedlock. Not all white people have good credit and are closet racists. Not all Asians are smart. Not all Hispanics have lots of kids and live 14 people to a house. These over-reaching stereotypes are just plain stupid! Wake up, People, and stop being stupid!

Having said all of that, the conspiracy theorist in me can't help but, at least for a moment, toy with the possibility that this recent announcement about Bristol Palin is indeed a cover-up for the girl actually being Baby Trig's mother. Seeing that one recent photo I saw shows Bristol with a pretty full bosom (which could indicate being pregnant or recently giving birth), she could be pretending to be pregnant now (to explain the fuller bosom) and soon, conveniently "lose" the baby she's carrying. In that scenario, speculation would be off of them about Trig since she couldn't possibly be pregnant at the same time she would have delivered baby Trig. Plus, she would not be under the gun, so to speak, about having to get married, and all of this would soon blow over and be seen as simply a teen mistake.

If indeed this is the case, I am so upset at how this is all so unnecessary. They could have just owned up to it from the beginning and been done with it. Teens make mistakes. We can do without all of these lies to cover up lies to cover up even more lies. I'm wondering if the idea to hatch the fake pregnancy plan came about when it was discovered that Palin's name was listed as a potential GOP VP pick. It would completely undermine all she represented if she appeared on the scene with an unmarried and pregnant teenage daughter who obviously did not heed the abstinence lessons her mom so strongly supports.

Of course, this is only me toying with the worst case scenario. I sincerely hope there was no cover-up here and that this family is a victim of a teen making a choice that goes against the family's beliefs. We all struggle with our teens in one way or another, so my heart goes out to them. If not for the grace of God, we might have found ourselves in a similar position, so I'm not one to cast stones at them.