Sarah Palin’s Experience And Qualifications For The Presidency
Author | joe | Posted on | August 30, 2008 | 77 Comments
Put Sarah Palin at the top of the ticket and she’ll dwarf Barack Obama and Joe Biden, I say, and she has more executive experience than Obama, Biden, and John McCain combined. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine was unapologetically touted as a Democrat VP candidate and Kaine has precisely the same experience as Palin does. So listen to all the mainstream media’s choreographed agonizing over Sarah Palin’s supposed lack of experience with a huge grain of salt – you would not have heard a word of that about Tim Kaine.
But comparisons are not the point.
Bill Clinton had plenty of “experience” and we know how that turned out. George W. Bush had plenty of “experience” and we know how that turned out.
For good reason, Americans are willing to consider a president whose official credentials don’t necessarily reflect White House Prep School material. Americans want to see someone with demonstrated moral authority and common sense leading the country.
I expect we are going to see voluminous discussion of Sarah Palin’s biography in the coming weeks, especially with regard to challenging the political status quo and cutting pork, but for me the sale has already been made. Her unborn child was diagnosed with Down syndrome last year, and she and her husband elected to have the child. If you want to talk about commitment, judgment and decision-making, in the decisions she has made, Sarah Palin has established her record.
Barack Obama has zero accomplishments or decisions to point to as evidence of his capability to lead, and despite having already written two autobiographies on his really thin list of personal accomplishments, has not actually accomplished anything beyond giving some speeches.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, has the intelligence and moral authority to lead the country.
UPDATE: It came up in the comments and is important enough to link here – the full story behind so-called “Troopergate.” (found via Ace)
UPDATE II: Finally, the complete Palin vs Obama Tale of the Tape. End of discussion.
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August 30th, 2008 @ 12:51 am
Just to be clear – Governor Tim Kaine has held office for 20 years incluing Mayor of a city of several hundred thousand, is a Harvard-trained lawyer, served at Lt Gov, and was a missionary to Honduras. It is a bit of a stretch to say that Palin has “precisely the same experience as Palin does.”
August 30th, 2008 @ 1:07 am
Oh yeah? Tim Kaine’s credentials are questionable, but the larger question of competence for higher office is more important. Comparing records, for instance, might not reflect so well on Tim Kaine.
Of course, it is academic now.
August 30th, 2008 @ 1:13 am
I think she has a very impressive resume, certainly more impressive than Obama’s. Geraldine Ferraro pegged this some time ago.
We should certainly take a hard look at what Sarah Palin has done, but not so hard that we overlook,
how well she did it..
August 30th, 2008 @ 1:14 am
Can anyone give me one of Kaine’s signature accomplishments ?
August 30th, 2008 @ 10:16 am
Alaskans really want to like Sarah Palin. In a state where corruption is the rule, and the same faces keep recycling over and over and over again like a bad dream, a new face, with a promise of reform seemed like a breath of fresh air. Palin defeated incumbent governor Frank Murkowski (father of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski who he appointed to his own Senate seat when he was elected governor) because he was such an obnoxious, bloviating, downright BAD politician. This staunchly republican state voted with relief, not having to cross over and vote Democratic, but still able to get Murkowski the hell out of office. In the general election Palin swept into office running against a former Democratic governor, Tony Knowles, who was capable but came with baggage. And he represented to Alaskans more of the same, tired old-style politics, and special interests that we have come to loathe.
So, if McCain had made his selection six months ago, the squeaky-clean governor meme would have made a little more sense. But, Sarah Palin is currently under an ethics investigation by the Alaska state legislature. The details of this investigation read like a trashy novel, and I suspect that the players will soon have newfound celebrity on the national stage. I’ll try to explain for all you non-Alaskans who suddenly have good reason to want to know more about Sarah Palin. For those of you not interested in trashy novels, feel free to skip ahead. Here it is…what we in Alaska call “TrooperGate”.
Sarah Palin’s sister Molly married a guy named Mike Wooten who is an Alaska State Trooper. Mike and Molly had a rocky marriage. When the marriage broke up, there was a bitter custody fight that is still ongoing. During the custody investigation, all sorts of things were brought up about Wooten including the fact that he had illegally shot a moose (yes folks this is Alaska), driven drunk, and used a taser (on the test setting, he reminds us) on his 11-year old stepson, who supposedly had asked to see what it felt like. While Wooten has turned out to be a less than stellar figure, the fact that Palin’s father accompanied him on the infamous moose hunt, and that many of the dozens of charges brought up by the Palin family happened long before they were ever reported smacked of desperate custody fight. Wooten’s story is that he was basically stalked by the family.
After all this, Wooten was investigated and disciplined on two counts and allowed to kept his position with the troopers. Enter Walt Monegan, Palin’s appointed new chief of the Department of Public Safety and head of the troopers. Monegan was beloved by the troopers, did a bang-up job with minimal funding and suddenly got axed. Palin was out of town and Monegan got “offered another job” (aka fired) with no explanation to Alaskans. Pressure was put on the governor to give details, because rumors started to swirl around the fact that the highly respected Monegan was fired because he refused to fire the aforementioned Mike Wooten. Palin vehemently denied ever talking to Monegan or pressuring Monegan in any way to fire Wooten, or that anyone on her staff did. Over the weeks it has come out that not only was pressure applied, there were literally dozens of conversations in which pressure was applied to fire him. Monegan has testified to this fact, spurring an ongoing investigation by the Alaska state legislature. But, before this investigation got underway, Palin sent the Alaska State Attorney General out to do some investigative work of his own so she could find out in advance what the real investigation was going to find. (No, I’m not making this up). The AG interviewed several people, unbeknownst to the actual appointed investigator or the Legislature! Palin’s investigation of herself uncovered a recorded phone call retained by the Alaska State Troopers from Frank Bailey, a Palin underling, putting pressure on a trooper about the Wooten non-firing. Todd Palin (governor’s husband) even talked to Monegan himself in Palin’s office while she was away. Bailey is now on paid administrative leave.
As if this weren’t enough, Monegan’s appointed replacement Chuck Kopp, turns out to have been the center of his own little scandal. He received a letter of reprimand and was reassigned after sexual harrassment allegations by a former coworker who didn’t like all the unwanted kissing and hugging in the office. Was he vetted? Obviously not. When he was questioned about all this, his comment was that no one had asked him and he thought they all knew. Kopp, defiant, still claimed to have done nothing wrong and said to the press that there was no way he was stepping down from his new position. Twenty four hours later, he stepped down. Later it was uncovered that he received a $10,000 severance package for his two weeks on the job from Palin. Monegan got nothing.
After extensive news coverage about all this nasty behind-the-scenes scandal, which is definitely NOT squeaky clean, Palin’s approval ratings fell to 67%, still high, but a far cry from the 90% number that’s being thrown around so glibly by the Republicans today. Alaskans are quickly becoming disillusioned once again.
August 30th, 2008 @ 11:16 am
You used a weird tone. You seem to think that Bill Clinton’s presidency turned out badly. Which country were you living in? I don’t know about you, but I liked it when I had extra money. Thank you Bill Clinton.
August 30th, 2008 @ 11:27 am
Thanks for the update, there are a few things in here most people probably don’t know, and which the McCain camp obviously decided was manageable. Don’t forget, Joe Biden has some recent skeletons in the closet regarding his son and the credit card companies and one of Biden’s committees, but undoubtedly all this will be hashed out publicly in the coming months – and much of it will make most Americans’ eyes glaze over.
I think what is singular about the Palin “Troopergate” scenario is that many people HAVE experience with ex-brothers in law, and they tend to not be good experiences, as a rule, particularly if a custody fight is involved – and this guy sounds like a real bozo.
Consequently, even though there may be insinuations of questionable activity from the executive office, most people are gonna think “eh, sounds like a lousy ex brother in law, probably SHOULDN’T be wearing a uniform.”
Maybe it’s a big deal in Alaska, but no one anywhere else is going to care one way or another beyond the basic facts of the case.
August 30th, 2008 @ 11:30 am
Kevin – I never got those checks from Bill Clinton. Must have changed addresses too often back in the 90s.
Dan – you ask the question that is probably why Kaine was passed over – zero accomplishments since getting elected to executive office, which is where, after all, one might expect to get the measure of the man.
August 30th, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Anyone who shakes up a state political party the way this woman did will have a long list of enemies. Those fully vested in the politics of the past while still smarting over a massive lose of power will have an axe to grind.
This woman took on Sen / Gov. Murkowski and won ! This woman took on Sen Ted Stevens on won!
She is a reformer taking on the corrupt power brokers within her own party. Her enemies will use every tool they can including a receptive media to sink her ascention to the national stage.
Her response to the federal government regarding what they could do with their Bridge to Nowhere is more than symbolic. This illustrates a leader who gets it when it comes to the squandering of Americas tax dollars.
Gov Palin is the real deal !
Those of us trying to repair the Republican brand applaud the selection of Gov Palin. Senator Mccain deserves credit for reaching well beyond the boundries of Washington DC to find a partner who puts government reform at the center of a presidential campaign.
August 30th, 2008 @ 11:50 am
Via Ace of Spades, here is a great chronology of the so-called Alaska Troopergate story:
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/08/29/palins-troopergate-beating-msm-distortions-to-the-truth/#more-7482
August 30th, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
BREAK THE GLASS CEILING !!!
WOW … What a great pick!!! America should elect
McCain & Palin for the Whitehouse in November,
for a return to wholesome American values.
An experienced Governor for V.P. vs. a
community organizer for President … I pick Palin.
No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko,
no mean Michelle, NOBAMA
August 30th, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
I can see that the neo-feudalist bloggers are out in force already. Sarah Palin has 0 qualifications to be President or Vice Preident. Being Mayor is of a tiny town is absolutely nothing like being President of the United States. Being elected Governor wit a grand total of 114, 000 votes) for 2 years of a state that in almost no way resembles the lower 48 does not qualify someone to be President of the United States. Being a Creationist, and hence rejecting rational thought should be an automatic dis qualifier for public office.
August 30th, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
Notice you did not bother to expound on Obama’s qualifications for the office of President. You can’t, of course, because there aren’t any. Sarah Palin is infinitely more qualified to be President than is Barack Obama.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
“infinitely more qualified” than obama? i hope that isn’t serious. she does have beauty contest experience, maybe that puts her ahead. the similarities between the two are pretty interesting, charasmatic young historical candidates that energize the base of their party and much less “experience” than others in the party. both even played basketball in high school and have weird internet rumors circulating. time to drop the experience argument. and with the adoring praise you all are giving her, maybe it’s time for the dems to pick up the messiah stuff.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:28 pm
How well does McCain know his partner, I wonder?
Did they meet at all before she flew in to Dayton, I wonder?
Will they always hug when they meet, I wonder?
Will father be as good at mothering a 4 month old baby as the MOTHER is, I wonder?
If not, will the baby be going with MOTHER to all the corners of the country, I wonder?
If so, will they be riding in McCain’s bus, and will it be equipped with changing table and all the baby equipment needed for a long trip?
So many things to wonder about that so many seem to accept w/o questioning.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
Pretty sexist chain of logic there, Lovisa.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Tim Kaine accomplishments”
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Initiatives/VaLeads/
Virginia One of Five Most Successful States in America for Reducing Poverty
In August, 2008, Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced that The Heartland Institute’s comprehensive study Welfare Reform after Ten Years gave Virginia high marks for the success of anti-poverty and welfare reform policies in the Commonwealth.
“Virginia is committed to extending an economic ladder to anyone with the ability and drive to access it,” Governor Kaine said. “Reducing poverty, providing job training and employment opportunities and nurturing a climate of self-sufficiency are defining qualities of the Commonwealth.”
Read the full news release for more details.
Commonwealth of Virginia Ranked #1 in the Nation by Center for Digital Government’s “Best of the Web” Program
In August, 2008, Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced that Virginia’s official state portal Web site, http://www.virginia.gov, had been named first in the nation among the 50 states in the Center for Digital Government’s annual Best of the Web program. This prestigious honor follows an extensive redesign of the Web portal, which uses colorful imagery to invite participation in online services and features new “Web 2.0″ functionality to enhance the user experience. The new Web site design went live in June of 2008.
Read the full news release for more details.
Commonwealth receives third straight ‘Best State for Business’ ranking by Forbes.com
In July, 2008, Governor Kaine announced that Virginia continues to lead the nation as Forbes.com’s “Best State for Business.” It is the third consecutive year Virginia has been top ranked. The Commonwealth finished in the top 10 in four of the six categories examined in the review, which was published in July.
Read the full news release for more details.
Virginia Gets Top Grade in Performance
Virginia again received the top score in the Government Performance Project’s “Grading the States 2008” report, the nation’s only comprehensive, independent analysis of how well each state performs in serving the public. In the first such rating in three years, Virginia achieved an overall grade of A- for performance. Two other states – Utah and Washington – received an A- grade, and the national average was B-. Virginia also received an A- ranking in the most recent “Grading the States” assessment in 2005.
Read the Governor’s full news release for more details.
View the Government Performance Project’s press release.
Virginia Leading the Way . . . in Business
In May, 2008, Governor Timothy M. Kaine applauded the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Division of International Trade for superior export performance that earned it the coveted President’s “E Star” Award for Export Service.
read more…
VEDP’s International Trade Division receives nation’s most prestigious export award.
In July, 2007, CNBC, the leading financial news cable channel that reaches influential business and financial leaders around the world, designated Virginia as its “Top State for Business.”
Read the full news release for more details.
In March 2007, Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc. ranked Virginia as “Most Business-Friendly State” a second time.
The September 2006 issue of Inc. Magazine shows Virginia with 35 of the “Fastest Growing Companies” in the nation on the Inc. 500 List.
In August 2006, Entrepreneur.com named Virginia the second best state for Entrepreneurs; Fairfax County also placed second in their entrepreneurial county rankings.
. . . in Education
In February, 2008, the College Board’s fourth annual Advanced Placement Report to the Nation stated that Virginia now boasts the nation’s third-highest percentage of high school seniors earning a grade of 3 or better on Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Virginia ranked fourth in the previous College Board report.
Read the full news release for more details.
Education Week says Virginia children are the most likely in the nation to experience success as they move from childhood to adulthood. The journal, in its annual “Quality Counts” report on the progress of the nation’s public schools, says that the typical student in the commonwealth “enjoys higher achievement and is more likely to finish high school and continue on to college than in other states.”
Examine the full Quality Counts 2007 report from Education Week.
Download the full report on Virginia (pdf, 455 k)
In May 2006, Newsweek magazine listed 18 Virginia high schools as among the 150 best high schools in the nation.
In its 2006 Best of the Nation report, U.S. News and World Report ranked the following Virginia institutions:
Top 50 Public Universities – University of Virginia (tied for 2nd); College of William and Mary (6th); Virginia Tech (tied for 34th).
Best Liberal Arts Colleges – Washington & Lee (tied for 17th); University of Richmond (tied for 34th);
Best Master’s Universities, Southern Region – James Madison University (2nd); University of Mary Washington (6th);
Top Master’s Public Universities, Southern Region – James Madison University (1st); University of Mary Washington (2nd); Longwood University (11th).
Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #1 in the disciplines of Fine Arts/Sculpture, and Nursing/Anesthesia.
. . . in Technology
In June 2007, The Virginia Department of Aging was awarded a 2007 Intergovernmental Solutions Award by the American Council for Technology (ACT). The award recognizes outstanding progress made at all levels of government through the innovative use of technology as a tool for more efficient and effective business processes.
In October 2006, Governor Kaine announced that Virginia will be the first state in the nation to participate in an historic project to index and digitize Freedmen’s Bureau records, allowing historians and descendents of emancipated slaves, freed Blacks, and Black Union soldiers to access historical data, much of which was never before available.
Virginia was ranked second in the nation in its use of information technology to benefit citizens in the 2006 Digital States Survey, a prestigious biennial study by the non-profit Center for Digital Government in conjunction with Government Technology magazine.
Other Notable Achievements
In July, 2008, Governor Kaine announced that Virginia has been ranked highest in the nation for job entry rates for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients for federal fiscal years 2005 and 2006, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
read more…
In February, 2008, Virginia ranked first among the 50 states and U.S. territories for the number of historic districts added to the National Register of Historic Places during federal fiscal year 2007. It is the third consecutive year in which Virginia has achieved top ranking for districts listed.
read more…
In September, 2007, the Virginia Housing Development Authority won two national awards recognizing outstanding achievement in affordable housing. VHDA won for its REACH NOVA and VHDA University programs.
read more…
In July, 2007, the Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement was a winner of the 2007 Council of State Governments’ (CSG) Innovations Award for its Cell Phone Initiative. With this cell phone records project, Virginia is the first state to initiate administrative subpoenas to cellular phone companies requesting addresses and phone numbers for delinquent non-custodial parents who owe child support.
Virginia has been ranked Number 1 by the National Register of Historic Places for having the greatest number of historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the second year in a row the Commonwealth has been so honored.
In October 2006 the Virginia Housing Development Authority’s “Find a Lender” program was recognized by the National Council of State Housing Agencies for outstanding achievement in affordable housing.
Virginia’s Division of Child Support Enforcement was recognized by the National Child Support Enforcement Association with their 2006 Outstanding Program Award for exemplifying the best in enforcement practices and services to its constituency.
OH YEAH, AND THAT IS JUST AS GOVERNOR.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
There IS a difference between the sexes, Joe, and it is especially noticeable when it comes to caring for infants IMHO.
Surely, the changing table comment was not sexist, was it? It would have to be put in the bus even if a male VP candidate decided to take his infant along campaigning.
Shucks, this election is about CHANGE. Just thought of that.
August 30th, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
Lovisa, Who cares where the baby is going to be changed, so now we need to know how the poopy diapers are being handled? I trust the Palin’s can take care of an infant on the road, they have raised 5 kids and seem competent.
As for, will Mr. Palin be as good with the baby as Gov Palin? Why not ask is Mrs Obama as good with the kids as BO?
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
Always enjoy your thoughtful comments, Cathymac.
BTW, the Obama girls are not infants, in case you hadn’t noticed.
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Lovisa, Joe was right, your comments were sexist and if you can’t figure it out – I am talking about parenting in general.
I trust parents with their own children, whether it be the Palins or the Obamas.
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
Who is Sarah Palin? Some information….
Much like the residents of 49 of these United States, I know very little about Sarah Palin. So, who is she? What does she stand for? What does she believe? I’m very curious…let’s see what we can find out.
……
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:39 pm
Gee, #17, Tim Kaine’s office is beginning to sound a tad defensive … Give it a rest, you are off the hook for at least four more years.
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:40 pm
This pick represents real CHANGE people. Palin just stole BO’s theme. Who did Obama pick to help him with his CHANGE? Joe Biden, one of the ultimate DC insiders, with deep ties to lobbyists and as partisan as they come. The choice of Palin just demonstrated who the agent of real systematic change is.
August 30th, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
“SARAH PALIN AND THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE”
This country will be a lot better off when people on the FAR-LEFT and the FAR-RIGHT stop being so purposefully delusional. For the primary poster to use Far-Right sources to back up your point is useless. Do you want a real discussion? All these sources told you Bush would be a great president last time. Why are you still listening to that at all?
Now then, let’s remember it was John McCain who first brought up the “Experience Issue” in this campaign; he declared it was crucial, remember?
Now, despite being 72 years old, a survivor of 5 cancer operations, with over 1,000 pages of medical records, McCain seems to have changed his mind about how prepared one must be for Presidential service – the VP’s primary responsibility.
So is Sarah Palin less prepared to be president than Barack Obama? Yes. If you don’t see this immediately, I can answer this for you quick, or slow.
HERE’S QUICK, it could save you some time, but you have to open your mind for a moment:
Let’s say Obama and Palin had to debate, starting tomorrow, on all the key issues a president and vice president have to face. Assuming you were scoring not on ideology (which would be pointless in this discussion) but in some neutral way, based on “preparedness to talk on these subjects”, “thoroughness of the answer”, etc. – do you think this debate would be even close? You really think Palin is adequately prepared to debate these issues with anyone who has run for president this year? If you do, your thinking probably needs work. (Maybe you should rethink your entire belief system?)
Perhaps this will help you: In a recent interview (before asked to join the McCain ticket) Palin genuinely asked a reporter on a national show, “What exactly does the VP do everyday?”
If that’s not enough, let’s compare our contenders MORE SLOWLY:
Palin is 44. Obama 47.
Palin came in second in the Miss Alaska pageant and won a college scholarship and bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho.
Obama graduated from Columbia University, then Harvard Law School (Juris Doctor magna cum laude), where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review.
A few top Palin highlights: She then worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations, and as a commercial fisherwoman.
A few top Obama highlights: He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years. He joined a law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and economic development. He wrote a best-selling book.
Palin was elected to Wasilla City Council where she served from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she was elected to mayor of Wasilla (population 5,500).
Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996, again in 1998, then again in 2002. (Population of Illinois 12,600,620).
In 2004 Obama was elected as a United States Senator.
2006 Palin was elected Govonor of Alaska (the second least populated state in the U.S. – 683,478 total). While there, some in the Republican party heralded her a rising star. In 2007 she scored approval ratings among Alaskans above 90%. Very impressive.
But here’s the biggest thing:
Barrack Obama burst onto the NATIONAL SCENE several years back; some people thought he was the most exceptional politician they’d seen in decades – some did not. He gave the keynote address at the 2004 convention and blew most everyone away. As he served as a senator, people became more and more impressed. By 2006 he was on the cover of Time Magazine, along with the headline “Why Barack Obama Could Be The Next President” When he ran for President of the United States, some thought he was ready – some did not. Then he headed what is considered to be one of the most amazing National campaigns in recent history, beating out the toughest political machine the Dems have had in decades – the Clintons. He’s given incredible speeches on very complicated “presidential” issues across the country, met with men and women in every state, weathered political difficulties (some real, some of his own making, some manufactured) on the national stage (garnering over 17,000,000 primary votes in the process). Then he traveled overseas where almost everyone knew of him (from top leaders to 200,000 citizens of Berlin), wanted to meet him, was amazed by him. He just finished the most attended (highest-rated, TV-wise) convention of all time, giving a speech that even Republican pundits call a “Masterpiece”. (The seated audience during the last night of the convention was FIFTEEN TIMES the size of Wasilla, where Palin served as mayor.)
In summary, Obama’s fought hard, performed well, and earned where he is at this point on the NATIONAL stage. You may not like Obama, you may not agree with him, but even most Right-Wing politicians would concede this point.
Population of our NATION, 305,009,416. Quite simply, it’s a different game, one that Palin has almost no experience in at all.
Palin, while rightly appreciated by Republicans for her charm and ethics (until proven otherwise – her current Ethics Probe makes this a little dicey), got plucked from relative obscurity, from a tiny pond, and splashed down into the ocean of our 2008 Presidential Campaign.
A LAST METAPHOR:
Basketball. Comparing Obama to Palin in terms of preparedness to be President is like comparing LeBron James to a “Jane Doe” three years younger, who looks to have some good skills, but who has yet to play a single big game. Who is more experienced? The answer is that clear.
Well, the game is just starting for Palin, and we’ll see what she and all the other players do. Maybe she’ll amaze. Maybe she won’t.
Hopefully, those in the stands will watch with open eyes.
I saw an article this morning that read “With Pick, McCain Reclaims His Maverick Image”. Perhaps. Or perhaps it underscores his image as an aging politician who, based on imagined political gain, will reverse any position, to make poor choices on important issues that effect us all.
– — –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_palin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
http://wasilla.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/23/nation/na-mccain23
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837514,00.html
August 30th, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
LI,
You just sound pathetic when you talk like that. Now all of the sudden the Repubs are looking towards CHANGE? You just keep on with your reactionary selves. The Dems continue to be the ones defining the game. Ketchup.
August 30th, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
I’m looking for real conservative change – the kind Bush promised and never delivered. That’s what this Republican is looking for. I don’t think we’ll get an awful lot from McCain in this regard, but Palin will be nicely set up to hammer it home when she gets her electoral turn.
August 30th, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
“I don’t know about you, but I liked it when I had extra money. Thank you Bill Clinton”
Kevin must have been in elementary or junior high to not remember the .com bust and recession of Clinton’s final years in office. A real recession, not the virtual one that the MSM and Dems are currently talking about.
There is no change with BO. What we have is Biden, a Washington insider for most of his adult life, and BO, who has a “you can’t touch me, I’m black” attitude. Yea, this is change..
The Dems defining the game ? I heard nothing from BO that I did not hear from McGovern or Dukakis, Gore, or Kerry. SSDD..
August 30th, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
“Can anyone give me one of Kaine’s signature accomplishments ?”
Guess there are none, most if not all of those programs mentioned in #17 are the result of programs and legislation implemented while Kaine was still in Richmond. As an example, the first one, The Heartland Institute award. This award is the direct result of state legislation passed in 1995.
August 31st, 2008 @ 12:13 am
Honestly, does anyone not see that the McCain-Palin ticket is the only agenda for change? All that Obama has promised is Jimmy Carter redux: we will make nice and hope everyone else goes along. McCain has the agenda that turned the tide in Iraq from defeat to victory.
August 31st, 2008 @ 12:58 am
Joe, those whose minds are closed. The issues do not matter to them, only a dogmatic belief in the ever-promising words they hear time and time again, as opposed to critical thinking on the issues.
The phrase Pavlov’s dog comes to mind..
August 31st, 2008 @ 1:45 am
you guy are all crazy
August 31st, 2008 @ 8:55 am
“he’s ignited a wave of elation and emotion that has led some grassroots activists to weep with joy”
ROFL.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080831/pl_politico/13016
August 31st, 2008 @ 10:16 am
I went through a whole box of kleenex, what’s so funny about that?
August 31st, 2008 @ 10:45 am
For all the hysterical hoo-ha the Dems have been accused of, the fainting, the crying, etc., now you get your turn to rejoice and worship. Salvation has finally arrived! I think the quote’s funny cuz on it’s face you’d think it was about Obama.
August 31st, 2008 @ 10:59 am
I need a “I’m a Bitter Gun Owner and I Vote” t- shirt!
August 31st, 2008 @ 11:06 am
This is really about Plutocracy.
What you right-wing nut jobs don’t get is that you’ve all been duped! It’s not about “moral authority”, abortion, gay rights, flag burning, terrorism, patriotism, guns, etc., it’s really about keeping the wealthy elite in power at the expense of 95% of us. And if you’re at the 5% wealthiest level, then fuck you for being a selfish, greedy, self-centered, person who really doesn’t care about the human race and making this a better, more prosperous , healthier, more productive nation headed in the right direction. These are all wedge issues that go right to your emotional core to get you to vote against your own best interest. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
You really are pathological liars who truly believe your own bullshit!
Oh, and by the way, the “left-wing media bias’ is a complete myth. It is a right-wing bias if anything you clowns.
August 31st, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
The economy is tanking, China and Russia are flexing their muscles, Al Qaeda and the Taliban are regrouping in Afghanistan, America is falling behind the rest of the world in terms of quality of life, health care and education and yet none of that is more important to conservatives than the fact that Sarah Palin carried a child with Down’s Syndrome to term. Somehow that qualifies her to be Vice President or even President if the need arises.
If that doesn’t show how seriously misplaced and dangerous the priorities of conservatives are, I don’t know what does. No wonder this country is in so much trouble.
August 31st, 2008 @ 12:24 pm
JOhn Q Public, Nice language.
August 31st, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Bottom line…the left will support Obama because the left supports big government. McCain/Palin are less likely to push a big government agenda. Nobody is perfect. Especially the people in government. I don’t want “Fedzilla” running my life anymore than it already is.
August 31st, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
How do you compare a Harvard trained lawyer who was top of his class and interned at a top law firm but decided to become a community organizer to someone who bounced from average college to average college, lists no employment experience on her governor’s bio and has minimal political experience in a state that has a small population? Anyone who thinks rationally recognizes she’s got some basic management skills but has to acknowledge that she doesn’t have the experience to run anything as complex as the US government and has much to learn about the real world, including the fact that the rest of the world and scientists believe that we are experience human caused global warming. She also needs to learn that the US Supreme Court does not believe that creationism is valid science. More importantly, her myopic view of the world warns us that rather than accept and deal with the serious problems we face, she’ll deny they exist and ignore scientific evidence that contradicts her views.
August 31st, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Um … wouldn’t we be comparing the community organizer to the POW war hero? And the governor of the state with a small population to the (plagiarizing, lying, condescending) senator of the state with a small population?
August 31st, 2008 @ 3:36 pm
Redstate.com on Palin:
Public opinion
Smoking hot in a “naughty librarian” sort of way
Foreign Relations
experience Governor of state that borders two foreign countries (Canada and Russia)
Military Affairs experience
Son is enlisted Infantryman in U.S. Army
Now that is funny! Good luck with the Clinton voters.
And I agree with Linda, somenone who thinks global warming is a politically motivated belief and that creationism is science should have their judgement questioned.
August 31st, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
This I like. We got one lib experiencing Tourettes syndrome. We must be doing something right. Hey John Q., grow up!
The rest are comparing the the Republican VP choice with their Presidential pick. Hilarious! Suddenly experience matters to you guys?
Let me explain something to ya, your VP choice is a small state Senator with way more experience in Washington than our VP choice. In November we will be voting for the top of the ticket, an in that comparison your guy has all of 147 DAYs in office before he went on to campaign for president.
August 31st, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
zimzo,
Wrong as usual …
“The economy is tanking, ”
3.3 growth in GDP is tanking? Try this, with the housing bubble popping it could be better. Tanking is a big reach, you wish it was tanking.
“China and Russia are flexing their muscles, ”
Russia is flexing its muscle, wanna bet they will regret it? China held the Olympics, the stands where empty. Do you know why?
“Al Qaeda and the Taliban are regrouping in Afghanistan”
Because Al Qaeda realised sending people to Iraq was not working maybe? That war is won so lets find something else to bitch about.
“America is falling behind the rest of the world in terms of quality of life”
The worse things get the better it is for Democrats? Britain is seeing the worse slowdown in 60 years. London was the epicenter of the European economic boom the last few years. They are seeing now a bubble of their own popping. Is that Bushes fault too?
“yet none of that is more important to conservatives than the fact that Sarah Palin carried a child with Down’s Syndrome to term.”
Risible, and execrable. This is akin to saying, “Liberals applaud Obama who voted against a bill that would have provided care to children who survived late term abortions”
“Somehow that qualifies her to be Vice President or even President if the need arises.”
So 147 days in the Senate, and a lifetime of rabble rousing a.k.a. ‘community organizing’ trumps actually running a company and being the cheif executive of a state? At least our light weight is at the BOTTOM OF THE TICKET.
August 31st, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
I do find all this “Palin taunting” funny. I think I made fun of Biden’s hair plugs on a website, but didn’t even consider him a big enough addition to the ticket to get into his abysmal record.
That the libs care so much to post and attack is really heart warming, I’m touched.
August 31st, 2008 @ 7:48 pm
Judgment? How can McCain pick a VP that he only met one time back in Feb? Yes, she’s a Gov, but only for 18-months. Sure, everyone can argue that 18-months as a Gov is more experience than Obama, Biden, and McCain put together, but let’s be serious! She has ZERO experience in foreign policy. She just got her US passport last year when she visited Kuwait. Other than her visit in Kuwait, she never traveled anywhere else. After graduating with a Journalism degree, she was offered a job as a sport broadcaster with ESPN, but she turned it down because she didn’t want to relocate from Alaska. She only knows Alaska, that’s it! Alaska in only big in size, but not in population.
Everyone is saying that people vote for the top ticket, but this election is different. The fact is, if Obama ever gets elected to the white house, there’s a very good chance of him to get assassinated (I pray to God that this will never happen, but there are sick people out there who are not ready to have a first black president in the white house!), having Biden as his VP, I’m very comfortable of him taking over. On the other hand, if McCain wins, there’s a very good chance that he could drop dead while in office. He’s 72-years old with history of cancer. I don’t think his VP pick is ready to lead. How can he pick someone with no foreign policy experience, especially when we are at war, that he only met one time, knowing that he may leave millions of family under her care if something ever happens to him? In this election, VP pick is just as important as the candidate that’s running for the top ticket!
August 31st, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
Palin did pull off some political ‘house-cleaning’ but most of her timing was just lucky. Speaking from Anchorage, most people are not all that thrilled at the pick – she hasn’t even been governor long enough for anyone to know if she will show herself as a good governor over the long haul. She didn’t save anyone money by canceling plans for the so-called bridge to nowhere – the money came to the state anyway, just got used elsewhere. See Sunday’s Anchorage Daily News story if you want to read about her flip flop on her campaign promise to make sure the bridge was built. She is not a breath of fresh air – just an unknown.
August 31st, 2008 @ 10:39 pm
“Judgment? How can McCain pick a VP that he only met one time back in Feb? ”
Not only that, but if he is such a “maverick” why pick someone who so intently tows the party line? All anyone is really talking about is the fact that she is a WOMAN! That is the only “maverick” move McCain can make?!? She is lock, step, and barrel with the party line. Even more so than McCain! If he was about reform, or “change”, he would not have picked someone whose only difference was gender. The buzz is hilarious! The only difference is that she is female. He wants to continue doing the same thing they’ve been doing for the past 8 years but just change the gender? Woooo! Shake it up, you maverick! ROFL!!
August 31st, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
I listened to McCain on the Chris Wallace talk show sunday morning and was astounded by what he told about how he decided on Palin. He stated that, yes, the first time he had met her face to face was THURSDAY MORNING, i.e. only a few hours before the announcement.
However, he had been watching her for two three years. Rather amazing to me, since she has been a governor only 18 months. A U.S senator watching the mayor or Wasilla, Alaska!
He had heard her speak at a governors’ conference in February and talked on the phone BUT, and this I found fascinating, his WIFE had been to Alaska to meet with her and was very impressed.
Cindy McCain was interviewed by Bob Shieffer (sp ?) later and said that, indeed, she had visited Palin in Alaska and told her husband that she was impressed.
Another scary thing came out on Wallace’s show. Bill Kristol, yes THE Bill Kristol, one of the neos for the Iraq attack, admitted that he was the one who had pushed for Palin. I guys like Kristol has that much say, then it’s time to worry.
So it seems that Cindy McCain and Bill Kristol were the nominating committee for the vice presidential candidate.
“She is my soul mate, and I’m so happy and proud to have her as my running mate.”
September 1st, 2008 @ 12:58 am
Did McCain really say Palin was his soul mate? I have to see if there is a podcast of the show. Thanks
September 1st, 2008 @ 3:42 am
HERE IS SOME EXPERIENCE, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS REALLY BEING DEBATED.
BARACK OBAMA ACCOMPLISHED:
Since entering the U.S. Senate in January 2005, Senator Obama has written approximately 890 bills and co-sponsored an additional 1096.
Senators Obama and McCain have been running to be the nominee for President for their parties since January 2007.
Therefore the 890 bills written by Senator Obama and the 1096 he co-sponsored all occurred in a 2-year span.
- Obama passed legislation with Republican Senator Jim Talent to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend.
- After a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
- Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years.
- Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.
- As a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.
- In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.
- Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbied the state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.
- Obama worked to pass a number of laws in Illinois and Washington to improve the health of women. His accomplishments include creating a task force on cervical cancer, providing greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helping improve prenatal and premature birth services.
- Obama has introduced and helped pass bipartisan legislation to limit the abuse of no-bid federal contracts.
- Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the “gold standard” for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists’ bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act. Became law
Secure Fence Act. Authorized construction of fencing and other security improvements along the United States–Mexico border. Became law
The Lugar–Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act.
The Bill expanded the Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines – Became Law
The “Coburn–Obama Transparency Act” eliminated gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress and the establishment of USAspending.gov,
a web search engine launched in December 2007 and run by the Office of Management and Budget to require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACS or
political parties for whom they collect or arrange contribution and the combined amount of the contributions – Became law
Amendment to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries – Passed in Senate
Energy Policy Act of 2005 to add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology
by the Department of Energy – Passed in Senate
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (after amendments became the Secure Fence Act which became law) – Passed in Senate
Education Bill. Require that the Director of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education to establish a program to recruit and provide
mentors for women and underrepresented minorities who are interested in careers in mathematics, science and engineering. – Passed in Senate
Summer Term Education Program. Supports summer learning opportunities for low-income students in the early grades to lessen summer
learning losses that contribute to the achievement gaps separating low-income students from their middle-class peers – Passed in Senate
Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 a bill to cap troop levels in Iraq, begin phased redeployment, and remove all combat brigades from Iraq before April 2008. – Republicans voted against
Iran Sanctions Enabling Act supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran’s oil and gas industry – Republicans voted against
Sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges,
and calling for an official review following reports that the procedure had been used inappropriately to reduce government costs – Republicans voted against
Senator Obama sponsored approximately 820 bills in the Senate
- 233 regarding healthcare reform
- 125 on poverty and public assistance
- 112 crime fighting bills
- 97 economic bills
- 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills
- 21 ethics reform bills
- 15 gun control bills
- 6 veterans affairs bills
The April 18, 2005 issue of TIME Magazine listed the 100 most influential people in the world. Obama was included on the list under the section of ‘Leaders and Revolutionaries’ for his high-profile entrance to federal politics and his popularity within the Democratic Party.
Palin: PTA, Mayor, Governor. Actually, flipped flopped on the major accomplishment of standing up to the bridge to nowhere. She argued that she wanted it to get elected and now she says that she was against it. And the state of Alaska still got a huge chunk of the money that was intended for the bridge. If she was so against bad gov’t spending why did she and the state take all that money?
it is not that she is a woman, she is just not qualified. the one thing i fear though is that Biden will demolish her in the debate and then everybody will say that he picked on her or bullied her, and that is sexist. No it is not sexist, it is experence thinking, and any claims things are sexist should not be argued, she is in the big leagues now and she is playing the the big boys, is she cant handle that then how could she handle putin, iran, china, etc.. they are just talking but they back up their actions with force.
go bama.
September 1st, 2008 @ 6:13 am
He did say “soul mate”. About the woman he just met.
September 1st, 2008 @ 7:32 am
Marcus,
several months back went over the legislative record of Obama. While more accomplished than Clintons, it is no where near what you listed. Voting for something does not mean you put your stamp on it. Get real.
September 1st, 2008 @ 8:26 am
Kevin, she totally ticked off the Republican status quo in her state, something McCain likes to do occasionally on a national level and pretty much the reason he is considered a maverick. Makes sense to me.
September 1st, 2008 @ 8:31 am
HAAA! Oh man Marcus, you just made the case that Obama has made his supporters insane.
Holy mackeral, Obama hardly spent any TIME in the Senate before he started running for President, much less “writing” a legendary number of bills. Maybe his staff “reviewed” that many bills written by others. Or maybe you just pulled those numbers out of your rear end.
Marcus, you ought to at least have come prepared with citations if you thought you could get away with unloading a pile of BS like THAT around here. Sheesh.
Go to his Web site and review his self-reported voting record, as a start.
http://obama.senate.gov/votes/
Quite a record, I’ll say!
Next go to thomas.gov and find links to any of those bills he supposedly wrote. Good luck.
September 1st, 2008 @ 9:19 am
[...] is now some dispute going on in this discussion thread over how exactly Barack Obama is qualified to be president, apart from being over 35 years old. One [...]
September 1st, 2008 @ 10:47 am
Joe, yes, I was scratching my head over Marcus’ post as well. I have not been able to find anything near what is claimed after reviewing Thomas and other sites recently in my own quest to see what BHO has done.
Yes, one will find many resolutions akin to “The Senate recognizes Hienz for making the thickest, richest ketchup”.
BHO was sworn in in 2005, and has been campaigning for a year and a half. This equates to very marginal experience as a U.S. Senator.
Very likely this is the same story as Kaine, claim credit for programs initiated by his predecessors ?
September 1st, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
As a resident of Richmond, VA, I can safely say that being a weak mayor of Richmond, a city run by a city council, is not the same a being a real mayor. That said, ol’ Tim-may is a terrible Governor. We have been surprised by a billion dollar shortfall because of his inept planning. The most you can say about his programs are that he has not damaged the successes that Virginia has had. He can’t even get his fellow democrats to agree with him. He’s been an 0bama mouthpiece since the campaign started and has ignored his state. We actually were consoled to a possible 0bama win with a Kaine VP, with the fact that, then our GOP Lt. Gov. would be Governor.
September 1st, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
Wow! From the reactions of Obamaites on this blog, one senses a real panic in their house. That extensive list of Obama’s purported legislative accomplishments made me burst out laughing. He’s snookered even his own supporters, who are apparently ignorant of the long-time political tactic of latching like a leech onto someone else’s bill and then claiming to be a major player.
As for the Palin vs Obama argument, looks to me like old “Iowa Caucus 1%” (otherwise known as Joe Biden) may be in danger of becoming a footnote in this election. I must say, however, that the argument could become an interesting one. As a focus is put on Palin’s readiness to fight corruption in her own party, there will be inevitable comparisons to the guy who launched his political career by playing under-the-table footsy with Tony Rezko and the notoriously corrupt Chicago Democratic machine. Bring on those comparisons. I love it! Also do me the favor of raising the issue of the Dodd and Dorgan sweetheart deals with Countrywide Mortgage and tell me what good old Joe Biden intends to do about that, along with other scandals on the Dem side of the aisle.
September 2nd, 2008 @ 12:18 am
I find a heartless trophy hunter who represents only 8% of our population completely unfit to be Vice President. Palin is also the driving force behind the aerial wolf hunts and lately approved the slaughter of 14 wolves and 14 wolf pups in their den. Palin is a psychopath! I will do all in my power to let everyone know how dangerous this monster is. Obama and Biden have my vote!
September 2nd, 2008 @ 6:29 am
Grossman,
Hunting wolves! KEWEL.
She has my vote! Palin for President forget McCain. “A wolf pelt on every bed” is the 21st century equivalent of “a chicken in every pot”.
Now, considering how only only one pair in a pack of wolves mate, and wolf litters range between 2 and 8, how did this pack get 14? Also, only the Alpha pair is allowed in the den with the pups so how did the the other 12 fit in there? One last thing, how do you shoot from a chopper into a wolf den which is under ground?
The only psycho is you Grossman, because you must be crazy to thing such a pile of bull cookies would pass the smell test.
September 2nd, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
Hey Virginian, All that mumbo jumbo concerns NORTHERN Virginia. None of that benefits SW Virginia. He is like the other stupid democrats. Ignores the “rural, bible clinging, hardworking class Virginias”. There is no growth in our part only plant after plant closing and going to Northern VA? The unemployment rate is up in our part.When funding for these so called schools are given by government. Our schools NEVER get the good stuff. We still have classes at some schools in trailers for Gods sake. Education in OUR area, we dont matter. I could give you many more talking points and debate them. FACT is when you praise VIRGINIA and what Governor Pain has done. Be sure to state which part he takes care of!!!!
Proud Southwest Virginina
For McCain/Palin!!!!!!
September 2nd, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Actually, I’m in Northern Virgina. Fairfax, in fact — supposedly the best school system in the state. My son was in trailers for second grade, and my third-grader this year has her classes in a trailer.
Come to think of it, I had classes in trailers in Virginia Beach public schools, too.
September 2nd, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
I think Loudoun Valley HS (pretty sure it is LVHS, one of the first HS in the county) has had trailers for the better part of 25 years. A friend of mine graduated from there in 1986 and she sat in the trailers then and her son sits in them now.
September 4th, 2008 @ 12:15 am
Good source on your second ‘discussion ending update.’ Lucky for you it’s a blog. None of your writing has to be backed up with reliable non-biased sources (yes your source redplanet.com was very biased).
September 4th, 2008 @ 12:23 am
Yeah, we’re real happy about that.
September 4th, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
Please, how can you people not associate “Gov. George W. Bush’s” so called experience with “Gov. Sarah Palin”??? If I’m correct, Pres. Bill Clinton did not have to give out money to help our economy out. Ok sure, not everything Bill Clinton did was all gravy, but his Pros definitely outweighed his Cons. I see the same thing in Sarah Palin; her experience does nothing for me but promises me another 4 years of George Bush’s experience. Experience has no merit to Common Sense. How can someone not see that common sense says spend $10 Billion/Month for a war and your own country is struggling. That’s what experience gives you instead of common sense, which says take care of home first before you help someone else out.
Relate experience and common sense to when the flight attendant is going through the speech before take-off! When they get to the part of if oxygen is low, the oxygen masks will drop and provide oxygen to everyone. Well “Experience” says, rather than putting my mask on my face first and then help out my partner if needed, I’ll help them out as I struggle for air. Whereas, “Common Sense” says, put my mask on first, and then help out my partner. You’re only as much help to others as you are to yourself. You can never give more to others than you can to yourself. Sarah Palin is probably a wonderful person, but to sit there and ride the “Experience” train, the same train George Bush rode on is totally OUTRAGEOUS!
It is time for the USA to stand up and say, no more GEORGENOMICS! We have to change the way we treat other countries and not have a “MAVERICK and his Pit bull with Lipstick” with a fully loaded gun ready to invade every country that sneezes. Foreign Policy nowadays are more crucial to the success of our country that we have done nothing in the past 8 years but CONTINUALLY DISTANCED ourselves from these other countries that we have to deal with. IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE!
If we cannot accept CHANGE, then why even bother having a Democracy? The reason why no other countries really respect us is because we put on this facade as if we are the KINGS OF THE UNIVERSE! We want every other country to follow us, yet our national debt has increased more than any other administration because your, “Experienced” George Bush put us there. So now, you want other countries to follow our trend of take care of others, before you take care of home???? That’s a mind-boggling affirmation!
CHANGE IN ‘08! Check yourself and what you stand for…
September 25th, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
Let’s just look at qualifications for a second:
Obama
—–
43 years old
Harvard law degree in 1991
Civil rights lawyer – 6 years (1991 – 1998)
Illinois state senator – 8 years (1998 – 2004)
US senator – 3 years (2004 – present)
Palin
—–
44 years old
Journalism degree in 1987
Sports reporter in 1988
City council member – 4 years (1992 – 1996)
Mayor – 6 years (1996 – 2002)
Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission – 1 year (2003 – 2004)
Alaska governor – 2 years (2006 – present)
I fail to see what makes Obama more qualified. His years in the US Senate barely count because he’s been campaigning for president since February 10, 2007! I’ll give him two years in the Senate, for a total of 10 years of political experience, compared to Palin’s 13, much of which was in the executive branch. You may disagree with Palin’s politics, but she is no less qualified than Obama.
September 25th, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Tony B, Why don’t you run the same type of stats for McCain, being as that’s who Obama is actually supposed to be running against. Now, that would be interesting.
September 25th, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
BTW, I realize your post supports Palin, I’m just reenforcing the point.
October 4th, 2008 @ 6:46 pm
Sarah is a heartbeat away from the Presidency, and given the four cancer scares her superior has had, this puts her odds quite high of actually assuming the Presidency. That the Republican party could so shamelessly put forward a candidate so utterly lacking in political stature and so lacking in any understanding of the larger policy issues is shocking enough, but the candidate has subsequently shown herself to be unable to lead policy and instead simply parrots ‘talking points’ of the platform. Her refusal to answer “difficult” questions in the debate, and instead continue with the talking points indicates how much use she would be in a complex political or international negotiation. Such a candidate is absolutely unfit for office, and she should be removed from the Republican Party platform rapidly in order to restore some confidence in the Party’s goals for this great nation. Finally, I suggest all our fears are succinctly summed up by this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abZLjIpHzj8
October 4th, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
O’Bama is far worse. He got nominated for Senator by having the other candidates disqualified. He has done absolutely nothing as a Senator, and as a state senator, he is most famous for voting “present.” Palin has been much more of a leader than O’Bama.
I wouldn’t trust O’Bama to run a fever.
October 4th, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Cancer, gee, wasn’t that a melanoma which was surgically treated in 2000 ? Btw, localized melanoma has a 95% survival rate doesn’t it ?
Lets also talk about sickle cell. Approximately 8%, or one in 12 African Americans have sickle cell trait.
Man, these Obama fools talk the same empty crap, devoid of any substance or original thought.
October 4th, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
And so what? This is not McCain vs. Биден, with Palin and O’Bama as the VP nominees. If elected, O’Bama WILL be President, and right now, he has absolutely nothing, and he IS absolutely nothing. He peddles hope and change like snake oil. He is friends with socialists and terrorists. He has done nothing in the Senate, and he did nothing in the Illinois Senate.
He has done nothing in which we should invest our hopes, and he has changed nothing more significant than his underwear.
October 5th, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
Braintrust takes a mighty whack at Sarah Palin by spitting out cancer, heartbeat, and political stature in one breath. All this aimed at the Republican No. 2, their “rookie” on the bench, so to speak.
Look at it again, Braintrust. Your side is STARTING an unproven rookie whose record is highly suspect, if not a tissue of exaggerations. His pee-wee league coaches were Saul Alinsky and Jeremiah Wright, for pity’s sake! Talk about heartbeats!!
Starting a rookie usually means one of two things: (a) you are so desperate because of a losing streak that you will try absolutely anything to try to reverse the downward spiral; or (b) you think you may have found the political equivalent of Jim Thorpe. Got news for you, Braintrust. From what I can see of Obama’s record all up and down the line, you have NOT found Jim Thorpe. Not even Heath Shuler, for that matter.
February 17th, 2009 @ 5:45 am
There is obviously a lot more to figure out about this issue, but you made some really good points. I will definately be checking here more often. Thank you.