Choice of Palin was McCain desperation

It was fourth and 15 with just two minutes to go in the game. John McCain had two choices: Punt and hope his defense could get the ball back or go for the Hail Mary and hope for a miracle.

Instead, McCain decided to try an 80-plus yard field goal using a rookie hockey mom to save the game.

He has selected Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate and the person who is a heartbeat away from succeeding a president who would begin his term at the age of 72 with a history of having cancer four times.

I have been especially amused by the Republican talking heads who have been trying to justify this outrageous selection.

They tout her "executive experience" having been the mayor of her hometown and governor of Alaska. They avoid the fact that her hometown is smaller than Burr Ridge and her 18 months experience as governor is of a state whose population is less than Memphis, Tenn.

They also point out her record of cutting taxes. A slam-dunk when your state of 670,000 people has $8.6 billion in oil revenues this year (that's $15,100 per person, folks).

These same talking heads claim she will learn all the rest of what it takes to be a heartbeat from the presidency in the days between the convention and the election.

That will be quite an accomplishment for someone who apparently had no outstanding record of achievement in college since none of her instructors remember her.

And this is the person who McCain believes would be able to stand nose to nose with Vladimir Putin or those nuts, Kim Jon-il and Mahmoud Ahmadinajod.

With all of the highly qualified and respected Republican men and women who would have made excellent VPs, McCain selects the only one who fulfills the most important role in his judgment. That's the role of woman to lure Hillary voters and the rest to satisfy the extreme right wing of the party.

Len Brauer

Palatine