I almost want to vote for Obama now because of this article that I read about Janet Napolitano. Here's the two scenarios:
1) McCain wins. Then as sitting Governor of Arizona Janet Napolitano gets to pick any Arizona Republican that she wants to serve out McCain's term in the US Senate. This would likely mean that Napolitano would pick a nutt-job liberal Republican supporter of hers to serve out McCain's term - most likely with the unwritten promise that such a Republican would not run for re-election and set up a likely Senate opening for Napolitano. I think that you (Danielle) were the one who mentioned Grant Woods as the likely pick. Under this scenario, life in Arizona sucks. Nationally, things will be better maybe because McCain will get to appoint Conservative justices, but will he be able to get any of his appointments through the Senate? We lose his Senate seat to a lib Republican, then we likely lose his seat to the Dark Lord Napolitano herself.
2) Obama wins. This of course is horrible because Obama will be the President. He will get to appoint replacements to the Supreme Court for John Paul Stevens who is older that dirt, Ruth Bader Ginsberg who has long been suffering from health problems, and maybe one other Justice - probably Kennedy, the swing vote. Thus our recent progress on the Supreme Court will have suffered from a longterm regression.
Now, on the bright side, McCain will retain his Senate seat. We do not know that he will run for re-election, but that might not matter in keeping Napolitano from running to take this seat from him. Napolitano, as an early and prominent Obama supporter, could likely get a high profile Cabinet appointment in an Obama Administration. The position that she covets most is the position of US Attorney General. Napolitano wants this appointment almost even more than being Vice President or (gulp) President someday - neither of which the article's lib author admits is likely for woman with a "nontraditional personal life" who has never been married and has no children. In such a role, Napolitano can do very little to continue to destroy Arizona & can't do much to mess up America either.
Then Napolitano will be replaced by Jan Brewer, who will likely become popular enough to be easily re-elected to two terms of her own! McCain & Kyl have safe Republican Senate seats & as long as we keep Dems in the Senate from getting Veto-Proof majorities or coalitions for Obama, Republicans can look forward with great glee to 2010 - a year in which Dems have to defend way more Senate seats than Republicans do!
Plus, back at home, Russell Pearce should be in the Arizona State Senate by that time. We will pass and get signed bills to ban partial birth abortion and to force 24 hour waiting periods for all other elective abortions. We can also balance the budget and we will all live happily ever after in our Arizona sunshine and home.
And our added bonus will be that once Napolitano goes to Washington, I doubt she'll ever want to come back home. Maybe she'll do the Hillary thing and move to New York to run for Senate some day. Just as long as she doesn't represent me anymore!
So, why should I vote for McCain again? Maybe there's a glass-half-full side to an Obama Presidency after all? ;)
Here's the article that will probably make you gag like it did me:
