In the first two weeks after the RNC, the Palin pick for VP looked not only like the best option that the Republicans had, but a shrewd political move. She was sharp at the RNC. She was a woman. A pretty woman. Her religious beliefs and lifetime membership of the NRA soothed the doubts far right-wingers had of a McCain known to battle his own party. White women everywhere were remarking how much they just plain liked her. The media's coverage of the 2 tandems practically portrayed the election as a race between Obama and Palin.
All this before we'd ever heard Palin interviewed as a potential Vice President. And then, on Sept 11, ABC's Charles Gibson interviewed Palin.Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Yikes. I don't blame Palin. It's not her fault that she lacks the experience expected of a Vice President. But that the Republicans go through this charade... trying to flip her inexperience into claims that since she's not a Washington insider. Look out! She's coming to shake things up! Putting forth this notion that she has Foreign Policy experience because you can see Russia from Alaska...
Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, said it so well - "That kind of thing is insulting to the American people." Thank you, Chuck. It's good to hear that not all Republicans are crazy.
On the lighter side, Saturday Night Live opened its season this week with a Palin / Clinton press conference. I had been waiting for this for so long. So many times over the last few months I've wished SNL wasn't in reruns, just to see them mock the campaigns (the Jesse Jackson goof up, especially). When Tina Fey was nominated for VP, I knew SNL would have some good material. SNL may not be nearly as funny as it used to be, but they do political humor well. Anyway... here's that opening...
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3 comments:
True dat. In spite of all this, I do like Palin. She seems to offer at least a glimpse of hope of reform. There seems to be an intrinsic relationship between "change" and "inexperience." I don't know if there is any way around this. The same accusations were levelled at Obama as well.
Although I will say I have never seen this much scrutiny paid to the credentials of a VP candidate. I guess Stockdale would be an exception, but why so much fuss?
Oh yeah, because if we don't talk about that, we might have to talk about issues! And that would suck, since both candidates are pretty weak.
As for the "Bush Doctrine", that's such a joke. I had never heard of the Bush doctrine before, and Bush has changed his own foreign policy several times during his administration. It was a semantic, sniper attack that the lazy press is so fond of.
Besides, Palin was immediately briefed by AIPAC to make sure she understood her position on foreign policy, so there is no hope for change there.
Nice post roller. Although I'm more a fan of MadTV myself.
Hi. Ryan, I'm glad to hear you say that about the Bush Doctrine. I thought I was not paying attention and this was something 5th graders were learning about across the country.
It's difficult to guess what types of life experiences give you the training to become the president. There have certainly been all kinds of backgrounds leading up to the job. On TV, there are only two types of politicians - those who are inexperienced and those who are "Washington insiders." Both are depicted as a bad thing.
I don't think she is either. She is a joke. It shouldn't take long for everyone to know it.
I have never heard it referred to as "The Bush Doctrine" but the policy to which Gibson referred matches that described in The One Percent Doctrine, although it is attributed to Cheney in the book. Great book, by the way - a summary of U.S. Foreign Policy since 9/11.
It was a loaded question, to be sure, but it looked like she dodged the question mostly out of ignorance.
And there were other questions that weren't tricky at all, but she just stuck to a couple rehearsed points that were more non sequiturs than answers.
As sick as I am of it being discussed, McCain's age and health history do make her credentials a relevant discussion.
I don't blame Palin. And it may in fact be the choice that wins the election. But Palin makes Dan Quayle look like John McCain.
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