[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Execution

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Execution
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1220061249.shtml


   I think most of us were surprised by Senator McCain's pick of Alaska
   Governor Sarah Palin. I'll let others weigh the pluses and minuses and
   focus on how the announcement was made as compared to last week's
   Democratic Party announcement of Senator Joe Biden.
   It was literally night and day. Biden's name was leaked around
   midnight in advance of promised "first to know" text messages sent out
   starting at 3 AM. McCain's pick was kept secret practically to the
   end; even the airport watchers weren't sure. And, it was done at noon,
   timed beautifully to let the press hear McCain before the bottom of
   the hour break and Palin after.
   This is why I put so much stock in executive ability, something
   neither Obama nor Biden have. Obama surrounds himself with inept
   leakers, to the point where Biden looks like a second or third choice
   behind others who turned Obama down. McCain's people keep their mouth
   shut, perhaps even engage in a little media misdirection in framing it
   as either Pawlenty or Romney. (Hugh Hewitt, call your office.)
   Joe Biden's announcement and acceptance speeches have talk show host
   (1:00 AM KTLK-FM) Phil Hendie wondering if Joe was drunk. Hendrie is a
   registered Democrat and says he plans to vote for Obama. Regardless,
   neither was memorable, or rather, indicative of why he came in fifth
   in Iowa and had to drop out. And then there are all those sound bites
   of him dismissing Obama, praising McCain, praising himself, abusing
   others, plagiarism, and his three state Iraq plan.
   Palin is just the opposite, giving a terrific account of herself
   today. Frankly, she was better than Pawlenty could have been and
   that's a high bar. She also seems to have boundless energy, like all
   the moose hunters I've met over the years.
   As August closes out, what have we seen? Biden is named and the
   Republicans celebrate! Christmas, some called it. Palin is named and
   again, the Republicans are very pleased, some joyful in fact.
   Meanwhile, Captain Ed looks across the road tonight at the DFL State
   Fair booth and even nearly a week later, no Biden signs are in sight.
   Biden's and Palin's abilities and electability aside, what you see
   here is a clear difference between Obama and McCain. That difference
   is executive ability, skill number one being hiring the best people.
   As Leo Rosten says, "first-rate people hire first-rate people;
   second-rate people hire third-rate people."
   Score August for McCain, big.