CNN's Begala: McCain out of his mind

Early signs of panic and confusion on the Obama camp as CNN contributing commentator ponders McCain upcoming death and think that a VP's lack of experience is worse than his own candidate's. Now - who lost his mind?

CNN: Commentary: Is McCain out of his mind?

ohn McCain needs what Kinky Friedman calls "a checkup from the neck up."

In choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, he is not thinking "outside the box," as some have said. More like out of his mind.

Palin a first-term governor of a state with more reindeer than people, will have to put on a few pounds just to be a lightweight. Her personal story is impressive: former fisherman, mother of five. But that hardly qualifies her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

For a man who is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer to have chosen someone so completely unqualified to become president is shockingly irresponsible. Suddenly, McCain's age and health become central issues in the campaign, as does his judgment.

In choosing this featherweight, McCain passed over Tom Ridge, a decorated combat hero, a Cabinet secretary and the former two-term governor of the large, complex state of Pennsylvania. iReport.com: 'McCain pick might be a gimmick'

He passed over Mitt Romney, who ran a big state, Massachusetts; a big company, Bain Capital; and a big event, the Olympics.

He passed over Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas senator who is knowledgeable about the military, good on television and -- obviously -- a woman.

Thanks CNN, again, for giving front and center stage to such classy "opinion". To the more rational of us, this choice seems to make perfect sense. It brings out Democrats' venom against an inexperienced woman. Which obviously would backfire Obama's campaign both for having no experience, as well as selecting - not electing - by color of a skin and not gender. Non of those should be a valid reason to vote by. Still it does attract enough identity voters. I personally believe that values and integrity combined with experience should drive one's vote. Crazy talk by people like Begala only give McCain's campaign more strength. Keep it coming.

Who is Begala? From CNN:

Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, was a political consultant for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House.