Government Dirt

Maybe the most remarkable thing about John McCain's (R) choice of the woefully inexperienced Sarah Palin (R) to be a heartbeat away from the oldest man who would ever be elected to the presidency, and a three-time cancer survivor, is the truly shameless hypocrisy of Republicans over this pick.

It might be instructive to recall what many of these GOP leaders -- who are now praising Palin's complete lack of national and foreign policy experience -- said in 2004 when they blasted John Kerry (D) for picking John Edwards (D) as his running mate.

Despite nearly six years in the United States Senate, these same Republicans ridiculed Edwards as being "too inexperienced" to be a heartbeat away (even as the number two to a very fit and healthy Kerry).

Here are some examples.

Mitt Romney (Washington Times, July 15, 2004):

He doesn't personally dislike Mr. Kerry: "I find him to be a personable fellow," Mr. Romney told me in a recent interview. But Mr. Kerry is too liberal, he says, as is his boyish-looking running mate, John Edwards. Mr. Romney says the North Carolina freshman senator is too inexperienced to be vice president - let alone only an incident away from the presidency.

President Bush (Washington Times, July 8, 2004):

President Bush yesterday criticized Sen. John Edwards for blocking his judicial nominations and bluntly dismissed the one-term North Carolina Democrat as too inexperienced to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Asked by a reporter how the 51-year-old senator would "stack up" against Vice President Dick Cheney - a five-term congressman who served under three presidents and was secretary of defense during the 1991 Persian Gulf War - Mr. Bush replied: "Dick Cheney can be president. Next."

Republican National Committee (AP, July 7, 2004):

The Republican National Committee (RNC) dispensed with niceties and unveiled a lengthy report on Senator Edwards highlighting his lack of political and national security experience.

Here's what each said about the Palin pick:

• President Bush says Palin a great choice for V.P.
• Mitt Romney lauds McCain’s Sarah Palin pick
• RNC Chairman Applauds Selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential Nominee

How about that for hypocrisy?

And Republicans wonder why the public despises its brand these days...