Gov. Sarah Palin and “experience”
I am completely baffled by Democrats, like Sen. Schumer, criticizing Sen. McCain’s pick of Gov. Sarah Palin to be the Vice Presidential nominee for the GOP. Schumer said, “Certainly the choice of Palin puts to rest any argument about inexperience on the Democratic team and while Palin is a fine person, her lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling. I particularly look forward to the Biden-Palin debate in Missouri.” In another amazing demonstration of elitism by the Obama camp, Obama’s campaign released a statement this morning saying, “Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.” I realize Democrats may be still a bit loopy from their Obama-gasm last night - it was an incredible display and a historic moment. However, the attacks on Gov. Palin are both unwarranted and demonstrate the sheer arrogance of both Democrats and the Obama campaign.
I find it amusing what the Obama campaign said. In one sentence they criticize her experience (which is greater than Obama), belittle her from being from a small town (of which there are thousands across the country clinging to their “guns and bibles”), and having zero foreign policy experience (govenors rarely do - and Sen. Obama’s own foreign policy experience is about equal to that of Palin if a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan make up the bulk of that experience). I wonder, quite frankly, how Sen. Obama would compare if the Obama-standard was applied to him… and he’s at the TOP of the ticket - not the heartbeat away from being President.
Obama’s criticisms are just beyond comprehension. Gov. Palin is a mother of five, one of her children having Down’s syndrome. She was elected Govenor of a State of the United States - a state wide office (just as Obama was). She has a record of being an honest, ethical, and faithful servant of the public trust, having been “proven right” in exposing political misconduct on more than one occasion. She is bright, energetic, and a solid Republican.
Just as Republicans looked at Biden (myself perhaps before many) and said, “Okay - yeah, I can see that. Biden is a worthwhile adversary and he has his strengths and weaknesses,” apparently Democrats can’t do that. Instead, they attack McCain and Palin suggesting Palin isn’t even worthy of the votes of the small-minded morons that apparently (in the minds of people like Schumer and Obama) live in Alaska.
While Gov. Palin was perhaps an unlikely pick - she’s not, as Schumer states, “a roll of the dice.” Sen. Obama is a role of the dice - a man elected potentially to President of the United States who’s only demonstration of “judgment” is that he was against the outcome of a decision that he never had to make. Obama of course - in normal Obamaism - tried to walk away from his attacks as soon as he made them… but the fact remains, the Obama-Biden ticket is an incredibly elitist campaign that apparently just doesn’t acknowledge (or care) about people who aren’t at the elite level. It’s a sad state of affairs when on the Obama-Biden ticket, it’s BIDEN who knows to keep quiet and says, “I look forward to meeting her at the debates.”
Besides - I thought it was JUDGMENT - and not experience - that mattered. Wasn’t that the case Obama made in saying voters should choose him over Hillary (or Biden, or Dodd, or Edwards, or Richardson - all of whom had longer and more distinguished resume’s than the community organizer?) Palin’s judgment has been one of being honest, ethical, and a public servant. It is unusually rare for a govenor to have any foreign policy experience - but she has more executive experience and policy experience than Obama.
It is estimated that 24% of female voters have not made up their minds on who to vote for in this Presidential race. Obama might do well to remember that.
Personally, I think Gov. Palin is a good pick and hopefully the media will recognize that - versus continuing to just be the Obama hit machine in criticizing her.
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Two quick observation.
First, the democrats say that this election is about understanding people in small town america. Yet their criticism of Palin is that she was the Mayor of a small town and this counts as 0 experience. So why do they disparage small town Americans as unqualified?
Second, it is interesting to watch as the media savages another women and throws Palin under the buss as a VP candidate while it celebrates a man with equal or less experience as a qualified presidential candidate.
Joe Millers last blog post..Blind Foxes and Rorschach Statistics at http://www.morethancake.org.
The Republicans have been criticizing Obama for lack of experience. Then they appoint Sarah Palin. From a purely practical standpoint the age of their presidential candidate means that it is highly likely that, if the ticket is elected, their vice president is going to see a lot of action. You can spin Palin’s CV anyway you like but lets face it, it does not say candidate for leader of the free world.
The Democrats must be happy at this appointment. Sure Palin will shore up the Republican core vote and with this they are always hard to beat but on the other hand the Republicans have strayed right into the territory on which the Democrats are more than happy to fight.
polybores last blog post..How to use an animal’s brain to control a robot. at polybore.blogspot.com.
I am appalled at McCain’s VP pick. Obama is not saying she in inexperienced because of where she was a mayor, although it doesn’t help, he and the rest of the intelligent world(does not include any Republicans because they are stupid) are saying this because 1. she has a B.S. in journalism, not law or political science. 2. She has only been in public service for 13 years in a place that has close to no population anyways….Obama has been in public service since he moved to Illinois in the 80’s and worked in city government being a city organizer which adds up to over 20 years of being in the public service where he saw a large spectrum of classes ranging from wealthy fat cats down to the homeless. 3. She may be a quote on quote “maverick” but she has never, and does not presently, offer any plan for real change in healthcare, job security, or the housing crisis, or anything that MATTERS in this country or the world. She has no clue what to think about the war in Iraq and has never even been to Iraq, she visited Kuwait where the Alaskan National Guard was stationed at the time, but she never visited them while they were in Iraq. 4. She has been indicted on criminal charges that are being arraigned in September invovling improper use of power in the firing of a state safety commisioner. 5. She has five kids to look after compared to Barack’s two, and all of them are at a point where they need attention, especially the one with down’s, I know because I have a sibling with Down’s and he is a handful(but I love him very, very much!!!) and I just do not think that being vice president and being so close to being president is good for her or this country right now. She is not qualified and is as clueless about the world as John McCain is. OBAMA ‘08!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! (I loved that line!!!)
And to anyone that would like to respond to my comment, please note that all of my information came from accredited sources such as CNN, MSNBC, ABC, and some not so accredited sites such as FOX(or FAUX)News. So don’t go bickering about anything Obama does or anything about his patriotism or that he is a muslim because first off that is very racist to say in the first place and only perpetuates a Republican image of a man dressed in Klan uniform and second of all all candidates should be viewed on both judgement they have had in the past such as Obama’s first call to not invade Iraq in 2002 and on policy issues, no one cares about the clothes he wears, and no one cares about the music he listens to, and no one cares about John McCain’s military experience anyways because everyone knows that he can’t raise his arms above his head because of the torture he endured so sorry, can’t pull that kind of fast one by me because I already know about it and accept it as a physical limitation, and it has no weight whatsoever in his policies so it doesn’t matter.
Great post Bryan
Of course the Dems don’t like her because she has a track record of cutting govt spending, lowering property taxes, and actually fought a campaign instead of using legal loopholes to get easy wins in a state senate like Obama did. (Not saying it is wrong to use loopholes, just that you don’t learn how to beat tough opponents if you don’t ever actually face them.)
It is a good thing the Dems picked Biden because Obama doesn’t know how to win a tough election. His US Senate opponent was Alan Keyes for crying out loud. How hard do you have to try to beat that guy?
@Dash: What exactly is a city organizer and how do positions like that prepare you for the Presidency?
Unbelievable pick. If I were a Republican I would be pissed.
Sarah Palin: The Real Dope (pun intended)
Emperors last blog post..Sarah Palin: The Real Dope (pun intended) at allalaskans.com/emperor.
This is a terrible pick! It shows McCain’s lack of judgment and his inability to choose someone that would actually be ready to be president if God forbid something should happen to him. This is a weak ticket!
What I find amazing is the lack of touch Mc Cain has with the American people, just another Bush but nothing else. I will tell you what my concerns are; I have a family and a small business to take care of and the current economy is not helping at all, I feel like my future is not only uncertain but in the hands of others like Obama and Mc Cain and for that reason I take their judgment very serious, I can’t afford to gamble my family and business future in someone Like Mc Cain when his choice for VP goes to the Alaska’s Governor, I was expecting a serious decision and I still can’t believe he’s serious about this. President Bush was already pushing the envelope with his last 8 years of mismanagement and my hopes were once again over the shoulder of whom I used to believed it was the hero of our party “Mc Cain”.
I’m confused, upset, angry but mostly disappointed with Mc Cain’s Pick for VP. I don’t know who this lady is and I don’t like what I hear so far, I must remember Mc Cain that we Republicans are also a mix pot, not all of us are pro-life, not all of us are pro guns and definitely not all of us are evangelical either and that doesn’t make us less republicans.
I will not Vote for his Ticket and my principles will not allow me to vote democrat either so I will take the punishment vote and I won’t vote at all. I don’t think my party is in touch with some of us and I just found myself in a nobodies land
A SAD REPUBLICAN
Dear Sad Republican:
In the hopes that perhaps you’ll come back and read this (and come back to the party for that matter) I wanted to reply/respond.
First - let me say that I do understand your frustration with the Republican Party. Having served as a political appointee - I must say that on more than one occasion I seriously wondered if both the Party and the President had not become completely insane given the policies that were being pursued. With the exception of defeating the Taliban in Afghanistan and the trial/execution of Saddam Hussein, what do Republicans (and the President) have to show for the last 8 years? A doubling of the deficit from 4.5 to 9 trillion dollars. Social and welfare spending at levels that even Lyndon Johnson would pass out over. A military that is significant crisis being under-resourced and over-stretched. The list goes on - and I’ve been very honest in writing that I believe the “compact” between the Republican Party and the voters has been broken - and that the breach of that compact lead to the 2006 voter revolt in Congress… and it is likely that the breach of that compact will lead to a voter revolt again in 2008. (See http://www.rightcommentary.com/2008/05/18/the-gop-a-national-party-no-more-and-what-i-hope-we-will-do-about-it/ for the article).
That said, Sad Republican, you have to decide for yourself what you are - are you a partisan or a Presidential-loyalist. If you’re more interested in ‘the man’ - then you’re not a Republican partisan (which is okay - but you should understand then where you fall in the political spectrum so you’re not feeling this frustration). In the end, I decided I was a partisan and not a presidential loyalist - so for me - it’s about the advancement of the ideals of the party. While our party is suffering some significant difficulties, and has been lead by some underskilled and timid leadership, the ideals of the Republican party are still those of the majority of Americans. It is because of this fact that I believe we have to work hard to bring back into focus what it means to be a Republican.
Put very simply - if the Republican party get’s shellacked in two months… that process of rebuilding the party will be nearly impossible as we will return to the 1980’s in the Congress… with Pelosi rivaling “Tip O’Neil’s” legacy… and the 1970’s with a Carter-like President in the White House who will attempt to follow nonsensical national policies guided by some moral framework that seems seriously at odds with reality. The next “four” years could be among the worst for the Party ever…
Second - given all of the above - you have to ask yourself what choice you believe is going to be less detrimental. Clinton’s “Candidate X and Candidate Y” speech was actually pretty telling (not to mention hysterical as he knifes Obama with a smile). Essentially, if Obama get’s elected - your concerns over McCain will seem pale in comparison to the burdens of new taxes he will impose, and the social spending that will occur, and Obama will find out that the foreign policy of “do what we need to do while everyone loves us,” isn’t possible. Do you want a President who will veto spending in Congress? Obama won’t - he and Pelosi may disagree about timing and degree, but they won’t disagree about result.
I don’t see how you can sit this one out. I really don’t. Deciding not to vote is a bad idea for you, if, as you say, you think that the national leadership controls the outcome of your family’s situation. (I’d suggest perhaps a less fatalistic view, by the way, about that - you control your destiny, not the leadership of the government).
Third - Palin is a strategic pick, and a fine pick. I think McCain did take this process seriously - but as I wrote in another piece - most people can’t see what his logic is because they were not part of the process. I think McCain has made some strategic assessments about his own candidacy, the political landscape, and what needs to be done in terms of party growth. The fact is that the Republican party has very few “young” leaders at the forefront. Choosing Palin brings one of them to the forefront in a dramatic way.
Also - don’t discount this woman’s abilities. She is bright and energetic - but also listen to her story about how she got to be governor. She’s fought some serious adversaries along the way. She has a toughness about her that I think people will start to recognize. While she is not as experienced at the national level as I would like - let me share with you the reality of national governance… the guys at the top need to know quite little in order to do a good job. What you really want in a leadership team in the White House is someone who is willing to listen and calmly evaluate options. This focus on “experience” is quite silly. The reality is - you can’t be experienced about everything… and foreign policy knowledge rarely is directly useful to the President because in the end, he/she going to have the assessments of the BEST in the field at issue. Where Bush failed in the last 8 years was he relied mostly on his own intuition and beliefs (many of which were totally backwards) about issues versus listening to staff…
But back to Palin. I think she will - by November - have changed attitudes about her. She fought Ted Stevens (a corrupt idiotic Senator in my view) before anyone else did. She has bucked her own party process. I see her as a woman guided by determination and values. I don’t agree with all of her positions (for example, I think she’s nuts on the creationism), but in terms of someone whom I think can advance the Republican platform, and bring new blood into the party… Palin is an excellent pick.
Something to think about I hope “Sad Republican”….
Look forward to any reply you may have.
Palin’s fifth child, Trig Paxson Van Palin, may not be her son, but her grandson. Photos and school records suggest that Sarah Palin’s sixteen year old daughter, Bristol Palin, is the mother of Trig Paxson.
Other than specious allegations - do you have any evidence of that?
Bryan,
Do you think Sarah Palin is more or less qualified than Harriet Myers was? I understand the Palins are pro-life; what do they have against contraception?
Seth
Sarah Palin is Reaganesque. She is a rising star and much more accomplished than Obama who has done nothing but organize community groups and run for POTUS all three years he spent in the senate and could not even vote in Illinois 130 times on anything - except to say present during roll call. He is pathetic.
To those that do not agree with McCain’s pick-it won’t matter - so many do that you are out numbered and also out numbered by dems that will now vote for McCain.
Yep - the only differnce between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick. Thats the truth - I am a pit bull and a mom of a special needs child that was/is a football mom.
You nay sayers look out! We bite too!
Laylas last blog post..Sarah Palin Sank Obama’s Ship at http://thehillchronicles.com.