I don't blame Sarah Palin for accepting the vice-presidential slot. It's true that she's not ready for the charge, but the appeal of imagining yourself a great man or women of history runs deep. The burden cannot be on the prospective vice-presidential candidate to reject that opportunity if offered. Human nature cuts against it. The burden is on the presidential nominee to be wise in whom he offers the vice-presidency to. And that's the immediate problem with Palin. The specter of her presidency is chilling, but remote. John McCain's presidency is a rather more immediate possibility. And this was a big choice. Most presidents are elected, their legitimacy derived from the will of the voters. But vice presidents are appointed. They can become the president, with all the power and danger that implies, largely on the say-so of a single human being. As such, it's an awesome authority we give to the presidential nominees, and a humbling responsibility. Few are as reckless with the burden as McCain was. At the end of the day, I don't blame Palin for accepting the appointment. But I blame McCain for offering it. What her candidacy says about him is far worse than what it says about her. Watching her tonight, a lot of folks will ask themselves what would happen if our lives were in her hands during a crisis. But the more relevant and immediate question is what if they were in the hands of the man who, with full information and an endless list of possible choices, settled on her for this position and that potential responsibility? What does it say about his attitude towards the country he seeks to lead, and his concern for its inhabitants?
