Genii Weblog

John McCain's VP

Fri 29 Aug 2008, 11:03 AM



by Ben Langhinrichs
Heck, since I seem to have trouble doing anything else but politics, I'll comment quickly.  It appears that John McCain has selected Sarah Palin, first term governor of Alaska, and widely popular up there from what I hear.  While she is not the first woman vice-presidential candidate of a major party (that would be Geraldine Ferraro), it is exciting to see more diversity on both major tickets this year.  No matter who wins, we will have a first, and fathers and mothers across America will have more reason to tell all of their children that the sky is the limit.  Congratulations to Governor Sarah Palin!

I hope that we can also put two different issues to rest now.  The issue of John McCain's age is diffused by Joe Biden's selection (seven years younger, but still in the same ballpark), and the issue of Barack Obama's experience is diffused by Sarah Palin (signficantly less than Barack Obama's).  We can now focus on issues (I hope) such as policy, character and ability to motivate and lead our country through the difficult years ahead.

Update: At any rate, it is very entertaining reading some of the more conservative bloggers and commentators who risk whiplash over their sudden declaration that foreign policy experience doesn't really matter, and how this person who two years ago was mayor of a town of 7000 people has more "executive" experience than Barack Obama.  I'm not saying liberal bloggers wouldn't do the same thing, but it is funny to watch.

Update II: Well, Sarah Palin is certainly going to liven up John McCain's campaign.  She seems fun and free wheeling, even if I probably don't agree with a single position on the policy front.  Still, she'll be more interesting that watching John McCain.

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What has been said:


706.1. Mark Hughes
(08/29/2008 11:57 AM)

Her two years as Governor count as more days than Obama has been "actually working" in the senate, not campaigning for president. My view is if they are qualified then they are qualified, no one can have Presidential experience unless they are the President, right?


706.2. Ben Langhinrichs
(08/29/2008 12:18 PM)

@Mark - I'm not really sure what your point is. Barack Obama served in the Illinois State Senate for eight years, followed by 3.5 years in the U.S. Senate. Sarah Palin has served for 1.5 years as the governor of Alaska. I am not claiming either is "too inexperienced", but do you really think that her 1.5 years beats his experience, especially in the area of foreign policy? Let's face it, she is less experienced. Again, I don't think that disqualifies her, but I would imagine that anyone seriously worried about Barack Obama's experience would have to be concerned about hers as well. Of course, anyone who simply reflexively argues against a Democrat and for a Republican will see it differently, but I doubt we have anybody like that around here.


706.3. Richard Schwartz
(08/29/2008 02:42 PM)

I've heard from Repunditcans today that it's because she has more _executive_ experience than either Obama or Biden. ROFLMAO! By that standard, why the heck isn't she the candidate for President? Because she has more experience than McCain, too.

What Barack Obama lacks in executive experience, he has more than made up for in organizing a national campaign that came out of nowhere and achieved an incredibly unlikely win.

But as far as I'm concerned, what matters far more then experience is being right. On issue after issue, McCain and Palin can claim more experience... at being wrong.