(Photo by Getty Images/BBC)Was the appointment of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin (AK) a smart move on the part of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, or just a fantastic publicity stunt?
Interestingly, since the news made public McCain's selection of Palin, the most talked-about fodder of the Governor of Alaska hasn't been her track record, or even much about her political bent. In fact, the main focus has been on her as a working mother--to five children--the youngest of which has Down syndrome.
For members of the special needs community (of which I am a proud one), this is a coup! Individuals with special needs of all types comprise a sizable portion of our population and while strides have been made to reverse social stigmas and stereotypes, many still exist.
Palin is also a wife and working mother. Is she a perfect surrogate to Hillary's past profile, or not quite woman enough to fill those shoes?
Regardless of your politics, McCain and his team did something right. They selected a female politician, mother, and parent to a child with special needs. All of those tied together create an incredibly powerful media package for any journalist worth their salt. The potential articles that could be drafted from those components alone seem limitless. Add on her actual stance on abortion and the gun law (she's pro-life and a member of the NRA) and wow, it's fireworks set to explode!
While Obama's text messaging campaign was wrought with foibles and earned his office little more than negative publicity, McCain has started to fire with guns a blazing. From the PR perspective, Palin's appointment will assure the McCain camp a nearly endless opportunity to pitch the Republican party and its campaign for the White House.
It'll be interesting to see if McCain's appointment was strategic or simply lucky, and whether or not it will work for or against him. I remain in waiting on the sidelines like all other Americans to see what will happen next.
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