Top 5 Political Blunders in the 2008 Presidential Election

As we close in on the end of 2008, many of us are thankful that the presidential campaign is over. No more campaign commercials, no more robocalls, no more political leaflets. Oh, and no more breathless coverage of campaign gaffes-well, at least not as much. But now that we can look back on the election, which blunders stand out the most? Five in particular stick out to me. In no specific order, here they are:

1. John McCain's Pick of Sarah Palin

Bold. Risky. Courageous. These words were bandied about when news first broke that McCain chose Sarah Palin, the relatively unknown Alaskan governor. Would she rake in disenchanted Hillary voters or would she be the next Dan Quayle? When she gave her fiery speech at the RNC, her role in the campaign became apparent: Palin would revitalize the languid Republican base.

But then something went wrong. Very wrong. First, in her interview with Charlie Gibson, she stumbled her way through the Bush Doctrine. But overall, the interview wasn't that bad. But then came her interview with Katie Couric. Her answers ranged from random buzz words stringed together to the downright bizarre ("When Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska"). And in the vice presidential debate, she couldn't help but throw in some winks.

Palin also wholly embraced her role as attack pit bull-er, dog. So much so that she raced ahead to attack Obama's supposed connection to William Ayers without McCain's approval. And who can forget her remarks about how only some places in the United States are the "real America?" Toward the end, she seemed to be campaigning more for herself than McCain.

In all, Palin may not have saved McCain's campaign, but she did save Saturday Night Live-at least for a few months.

2. Barack Obama's "bitter" comment

All candidates love to portray the other one as an out-of-touch elitist. So when Obama said, "They [working-class voters] get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them," he was giving his critics some potent material. "Cling" is just not a good verb choice. And of all places, he said it at a private San Francisco fundraiser-a place seen as an ultra-liberal bastion.

His then-rival Hillary Clinton jumped on the statement, and when Obama won the nomination, it was McCain and Palin's turn. Touting it as a lack of respect for Americans, they recited it again and again at rallies and in speeches.

3. John McCain's suspension of his campaign

In an effort to strengthen his flagging economic credentials, McCain suspended his campaign to help with negotiations in Congress on the proposed bailout. He wanted to be seen as a leader who would put "America first" and his campaign second. Unfortunately for McCain, when all hell broke loose, he was blamed. His proposed suspension of the first presidential debate also seemed self-serving. Another one of his risky moves failed.

4. Joe Biden's long-awaited gaffe

Pundits were vigilantly watching for Biden gaffes ever since he was announced as Obama's running mate, and they got one weeks before the election. Biden asserted: "Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of [Obama]." Guaranteeing that an international crisis will happen because your candidate is elected? Yeah, that's not a good move, Biden.

Luckily for Biden, Palin was keeping the news media plenty busy, and his gaffe-while it received some news coverage-escaped being played over and over again.

5. Joe Lieberman's fervent backing of McCain

Hmm. So far I've got two Democratic and two Republican blunders. How do I keep this list relatively bipartisan? I know! Poor Joe Lieberman, the independent senator who caucuses with the Democrats. Albeit a liberal, Lieberman is right of center on the Iraq War. That position caused him not only to endorse McCain, but also to campaign for him and give a speech at the Republican National Convention.

And Lieberman was rewarded by McCain for his switch, how? Well, he really didn't get anything. Rumored to have been McCain's preferred vice presidential candidate, he got shunted aside for Palin, a strong conservative. Lucky for Lieberman, the Democrats allowed him to keep his chairmanship for Homeland Security. But still, can you imagine the room when he's with his Democratic colleagues? Awkward.