But the story is more complicated than just the recycling of a Bush staffer into John McCain’s fold … Scully started working on the vice-presidential speech a week ago, before he or anyone else knew who the nominee would be[.]
TIME then goes on to explain how the two met and worked together on the speech.
Scully unspooled two centrist themes via Palin that have been key to the McCain message: the idea that the Republican nominee puts service to country ahead of career and the notion that he’s the true representative of Middle America. […] Once Palin was chosen, Scully tailored the speech to the Alaska governor, highlighting her biography and using her PTA background and local political experience (contrasted so memorably with Obama’s work as a community organizer) to bolster his two themes.
TIME then goes on to comment that this dynamic duo is “anything but a guaranteed fit” …
Palin is known as an avid hunter; Scully is best known for his vigorous defense of animal rights. A vegetarian who is regularly critical of the NRA and much of the hunting community, he is a passionate advocate for doing away with the more brutal versions of blood-sport, including aerial hunting, which Palin supports.
… but goes on to speculate that the terrible twosome will continue.
If Palin was viewed as the most likely right winger to sell in the swing states, Scully is the right pick to help repackage her from a base pleaser into a bridge builder.
So, where does this leave us?
With Palin bunkered down for the foreseeable future learning about the world and the world of politics and diplomacy, we can only speculate that when she’s launched as a new product to buy for the vice presidency the words that come out of her mouth may have been scripted by Scully.
Wouldn’t it be a turn up for the books if she denounced hunting and fishing?
I wouldn’t hold your breath, though.
