ST. PAUL -- Former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove predicted that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin "gives [John McCain] the ability to add 3 or 4 points nationally" to his vote total, a margin that could make a significant difference in what is expected to be a very close general election contest with Barack Obama.

Those points , according to Rove, who sat for an extended interview with The Fix and Newsweek executive editor Jon Meacham as part of the ongoing live web video coverage, will largely come from women but could also be the result of gains among blue collar, older men who "like the idea of a gun-toting woman."

Rove also argued that Democrats have already "over played" their hand on Palin by putting out a statement -- from the Obama campaign -- that cast her as an inexperienced, small town mayor. (Obama distanced himself from that statement and has been entirely praiseworthy of the governor in his comments since then.)

"They run a real risk of looking condescending," warned Rove. "The same crowd played these cards against Clinton and it was a mistake."

Rove cast each of the vice presidential picks this year as "not a governing decision but a campaign decision."

He added:

"Both of them principally said I'm going to get someone that I think, in the case of Obama covers my weakness, and in the case of McCain, plays to his strength. And both of them said I'm going to do something because I need to do something politically. It's Obama part to shore up working class Catholics and it's McCain part to make inroads among soft Republicans and those Hillary supporters -- male or female -- that can be gotten by somebody who's a gun-toting, hockey-playing woman."

Of Obama's acceptance speech, Rove said he thought it was underwhelming given the venue. (A perspective shared by Post columnist David Broder.)

"I think that this was a speech that was not worthy of the venue, and an eminently memorable venue with an eminently forgettable speech," said Rove.

Tigershere wrote:

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texsinger wrote:

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borules wrote:

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xtinad wrote:

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"Is carrie a republican??? I read that she will be performing at the rnc next week." She is a republican??? now I really can't stand her. YES WE CAN!!!!!!!

If Carrie performs at the RNC I buy both her albums the next day !!!

That's why it is a touchy subject to show your affiliation to any political group. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

but what I don't get it how come all of the artists that sang at the DNC are not getting any 'pro dem' stance and Carrie might for a rumor of Carrie being at the RNC ?

So only Dems can have music at their conventions without the musician being targetted.........that's what I do not get

CanIBreathe wrote:

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I see the past couple pages has turned into a semi-political forum. For the people supporting Palin----what are your thoughts on her daughter being a pregnant teen mother? I am particulary interested in one post in particular.

*awaits their answer*