Can they bump Palin from the ticket at this point?

[youthere]

This might be a stupid question but can they even do that?

[Bucky]

1. Not technically. If forced to, she could choose to resign & the RNC then elects a replacement

But that won't happen. GOPers love to elect fuck ups.

[renate]

3. they couldn't dump her, but she could be persuaded to drop out to spend more time with her family

She doesn't seem to be having fun any more--she might not be that hard to persuade.

And then McCain would be free to pick someone else without having to admit his mistake.

I would love to be talked down... because I worry that if he picks somebody competent next time, he might have a shot at winning the election. It's ridiculous how close it is right now, even with this giant Palin-shaped albatross around his neck.

[H2O Man]

6. McCain can dump her

at any time before the election. (After being elected, a president can't "fire" a VP.) But it is far too late, and there is zero chance of his dropping her.

[onenote]

7. no he can't . all anyone can do is try to persuade her to withdraw

If she doesn't want to, no one can force her to.

[H2O Man]

10. I disagree.

The most obvious example is McGovern in '72. At first, McGovern was told to dump Eagleton. He refused, and instead tried to gently pressure him into stepping aside. When Eagleton refused, then McGovern had to force him off. And this happened after the ticket was confirmed at the convention.

[nsd]

12. Eagleton resisted the initial pressure, but when McGovern flatly demanded he withrdraw, he did so.

Legally, it was Eagleton who took action. Possibly the DNC might have been able to force him out if he didn't agree, but McGovern by himself couldn't.

[H2O Man]

15. That is partly accurate,

but not the full story. I'd suggest the pages 697-703 of Rick Perlstein's book "Nixonland" for a fuller, more accurate source.

Eagleton in fact did resist McGovern's attempts to get him to step aside. He privately send word that he would fight any effort to drop him from the ticket, then did some interviews with the press. Noting the similarity to what took place with Nixon and Ike, Eagleton told reporters, "We have a dog, too, called Pumpkin." (The Nixon example should answer any question about what the candidate for president can do: their convention was in July '52; the NY Post article nailing Nixon was in September; and Ike was considering replacing him when Nixon gave his Checkers speech on 9-23. Had Nixon been elected, Ike could not have replaced him, but before election, he could.)

McGovern gave some conflicting statements to the press, indicating he was fine with Eagleton, but would leave the decision up to "the people." The polls taken at the time showed that 78% of democrats said that Eagleton's past was not going to decide how they would vote. Then McGovern did his "off-the-record" interview with Jules Witcover of the LA Times. Soon after that, the media turned on McGovern.

Eagleton resisted dropping out, until McGovern told him he was off the ticket. He had, in fact, told reporters that McGovern was being pressured to drop him, but was still backing him "1000%," just before McGovern dropped him. He agreed to go without making a scene when McGovern agreed to make the announcement with Eagleton at his side on network tv. All three networks refused McGovern's request for time to explain his decision.

[onenote]

16. exactly. all anyone can do is apply pressure.

The rules of the repub party discuss how to fill a vacancy that occurs by reason of death, declination or otherwise, but nowhere does it give the RNC power to force a vacancy of a candidate duly nominated by the party under the nominating rules.

[FatDave]

14. You are correct.

He could surely force her to resign, but that's an admission that he made a huge mistake and it would damage the campaign beyond repair. No matter what excuse they gave fro her leaving, nobody would buy it.

[calimary]

19. I would have ruled it out flatly except for this week with the stunt that asshole

pulled. He does like stunts. He likes "Hail Mary" plays. He likes the rollercoaster effect, the drama, the sturm und drang, the hyperventilation and hysterics and histrionics. Is THAT any way to run a country? Have everybody on pins and needles all the time? One stunt after another? What is this? A four-year-long date with Evel Kneivel? What our country needs at the moment, desperately, is not more desperation and dramatics and stunts. We need strength and coolness under fire, stability, sanity, and rationality. Someone who can maintain an even keel when everybody else is throwing up and having apoplexy.

[Va Lefty]

2. They're stuck with her

The fundies would have a shit fit if she was dumped

[Retrograde]

4. my county's absentee ballots are going out on the 6th

which means they're already at the printers. I believe most states have a ballot deadline much, much earlier.

Now, of course, the people don't actually elect the vp, the Electoral College does, so the Republican electors can always vote for whom the party says. If they want to: they're not legally bound to.

Clear? I thought not.

[youthere]

22. I just came back from running errands and first on my list was to vote.

All done. Chalk one more in the Obama/Biden column.

[Starlight]

5. Nooooooooo. I really enjoy having her on the ticket.

:silly:

[WeDidIt]

8. The only way she's off the ticket is if she quits

and even then, she'll still be on the ballot in several states.

[winga222]

9. I love her on the ticket but a small scared part of me

is so terrified that she might make it into the Oval Office that I'm almost (not quite) hoping they put someone at least nominally competent on the ticket. I know - bad electorially, though thankfully most Repugs can't tell the difference anymore - but as a citizen I can't fathom the other. Dilemma.:dilemma:

[freestyle]

11. They would need another convention, similar to Eagleton.

[stopbush]

13. Best scenario for Mc: Palin steps aside but will continue to campaign

for Mc.

Mc names Colin Powell as new running mate.

[terrya]

17. Nope. This soon before the election?

No way.

[secondwind]

18. I doubt it.......unless McCain wants to round up Huckabee,who I am sure will not accept.

We are dealing with "fundies" here, and they all love Sarah Palin.


:puke:

[yardwork]

20. Drop her? They love her! The plan is for her to be president.

Palin is the perfect candidate for the corporatist-religious extremist coalition that is running the country into the ground.

[Sodan]

21. Well, some conservatives are having 2nd thoughts...

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

Not the only one.