I came to really dislike John McCain during this campaign. I thought he was cruel, sloppy, angry, etc—and I thought I would hold it against him.
Well, last night his concession speech was as good as any I’ve ever heard. And, once again, I’m willing to like him.
Also, a final thought on Sarah Palin—from Newsweek:
NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin’s shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain’s top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent “tens of thousands” more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as “Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast,” and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.
Put simply, the Palin VP choice will go down as McCain’s greatest gaffe. Had he chosen Romney or Giuliani or Hutchinson, we’re talking about a significantly different election. Would McCain have won? Perhaps, perhaps not. But he wouldn’t have been tied to the nut from Alaska.
