Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Brooks on Palin   [Jonah Goldberg]

I've been a bit rough on David of late, so let me say I think this column is very astute. But, I think there's an interesting assumption behind his argument. He says, in brief, that Palin reinforces the best and worst things about McCain, because they are so similar. I'm more or less with him there. He says that a Portman or Bob Gates would have provided a useful check on his crusader-tendencies (they also would have lost him the election). But I think it's interesting how much our assumptions about the vice presidency have change. It's simply the default position that the VP will be partner and teammate in the president's agenda, to the point where the VP is supposed to play the crucial role as  the guy — or gal — who can say no to the Commander-in-Chief. Historically, that was rarely the job description of the Veep. That job fell to boss-handlers like Mark Hanna or Colonel House, or relatives (RFK) or chiefs of staff,  whoever. But the idea that the V.P. is the assumed check on the president's worse instincts is very modern. David sort of nods to this at the end where he says, "The real second fiddle job is still unfilled."

Brooks knows McCainland far better than I do, but I thought McCain had some contenders for that sort of second fiddling already.  

09/02 02:29 PMShare