Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is all for having more women in politics, but she thinks John McCain’s choice for vice president is a head-scratcher.

 

I happened to sit across from Denish as we both traveled back to New Mexico from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Just as our plane touched down on Friday morning, she got the news from her Blackberry that McCain had chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

 

"I wonder what the thinking is behind that?" she asked as she mulled over McCain’s pick.

 

First of all, Alaska is already firmly in the red column and picking her wouldn’t change the electoral picture much to help McCain, said Denish.

 

And also, while Denish herself has been a trailblazer for women in state politics, she questioned why McCain would pick a woman from a remote state who has five young children, the littlest of whom is four-months old and has Down’s Syndrome.

 

With the inevitable special needs that come with Down’s Syndrome, that little baby is going to need her mom, said Denish, a mother herself who’s been slugging it out in politics for decades and knows how much time it can consume.

 

Denish also commented on this morning’s word that the Republican National Committee may delay the opening of its national convention due to a possible threat to New Orleans by Hurricane Gustav.

 

"More like Hurricane Obama!" said Denish, who attended the Democratic nominee’s history-making speech last night at Invesco Field.

 

Some Democratic strategists have suggested that Republicans may be looking for extra time to distance themselves from Obama’s widely heralded speech — and may be looking for any reason to keep the unpopular President Bush away from the convention and his scheduled opening-day appearance. In fact, Bush has since canceled his appearance.