VP Candidate Debate and Other Thoughts

Thursday, October 2, 2008
Am I the only one who's looking forward to the Vice-Presidential Candidate Debate in the same way you can't look away from a train wreck?

Based on Governor Palin's apparent inability to conduct herself in a professional and informed manner, and Senator Joe Biden's apparent inability to engage his brain before he opens his mouth, the event should be a real Hoot.

As in "Hoot-n-Holler." With married cousins. I don't envy Gwen Ifill - making this event informative and meaningful will take all her skills.

On a similar note, am I the only one who thinks that a Vice-Presidential candidate being creamed in an interview with Katie Couric is just the funniest thing you've heard this week? Apparently not. The only thing missing from Fareed Zakaria's trenchant condemnation of her ability to do the job of Vice-President was the sarcastic utterance of, "Bitch, please."

When Governor Palin was selected by John McCain to be his running mate, my initial response was, "meh." I didn't really have anything against her. I knew that her social conservatism was a poor match for my own values. I knew she was very inexperienced on the national level. I knew my buddy Jim, who lives near Wasilla, AK, thought she was the cat's pyjamas. After the RNC, I knew she was a decent public speaker.

So I was inclined to continue my support for Barack Obama, and write her off as someone with whom I simply did not agree.

Now? Now I think her social conservatism is more than a bit scary. Now I think her inexperience and lack of knowledge in national matters is so profound that to have her in line for the Big Chair would result in supremely negative consequences for our country. Now I think that Jim's analysis of her may be faulty as it applies to the national stage (though perhaps not to Alaska - I don't live there, so I can't say). Now I think that her ability to speak publicly on an extemporaneous basis is so bad that it's made me ask whether it's experience and knowledge that's the problem, or if she's just dumb.

Please note that none of these thoughts have shit to do with her membership in the NRA, her pregnant daughter, her Downs Syndrome son, her enjoyment of outdoor activities or any foamy rumors or innuendo about her book-banning or ruthlessness to the disloyal. Those issues simply don't matter in this context. What matters is her qualifications and ability to execute the office for which she's running.

Go home, Governor Palin. You were evidently a pretty effective Governor for Alaska, but you're embarrassing yourself on the national stage. You think you're qualified to be the Vice President of the United States? Bitch, please.

16 comments:

Cindi in CO said...

I told you that her resemblance to Peggy Hill was more than skin deep.

God.

The Mechanicky Gal said...

I so agree. Your visit next weekend (YAY!) will be a real treat as whenever I even SEE Gov. Palin I start to steam. I told my Mom that I am a better candidate for V.P. than she is. Mom, bless her heart, thinks she is WONDERFUL. Thank God dad is there to cancel her vote out.
P.S. Frank is all lined up for a dinner at Por Favor! Margaritas! Salsa! MEXICAN FOOD!
I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Janiece said...

Hmmm...Mexican!

Random Michelle K said...

Fb ner lbh tbvat gb cynl Ivapr'f qevaxvat tnzr gbavtug?

Janiece said...

Michelle, you think you're funny, but you're not.

Don't make me break out the Shovel. :-)

Jim Wright said...

Janiece, I don't really think she's the cat's PJ's. I think she's done a better job of Alaskan Governor than her predecessors. But that doesn't mean I think she should move to D.C.

She's a small town girl who made good in Alaska (itself a small town compared to the rest of the US) but on the national stage she is phenomenally out of her depth.

The gist of most of my posts regarding her is that it's not necessary to make shit up, or engage in hysteria, regarding her lack of qualifications or her conservative politics, because every time she opens her mouth she shows just how unqualified she is for the job without an exaggeration (not that you have engaged in exaggeration, but plenty of folks have, just sayin')

As a small town mayor, and as governor of a remote state with a small population, she did ok. As a VP candidate, she's just damned scary - and in fact reminds me GWB in more ways than one, starting with lack of intellect and going on from there (though she is a far better speaker).

I agree, if you're made to look the fool by that little moppet Couric well, then you probably don't have the chops to be talking to, oh say, the Saudi Prince or Vladimir Putin. And I suspect that tonight she's going to get her ass handed to her. I don't care for Biden all that much, but he's a shrewd and savvy politician who knows the issues, Palin emphatically does not.

Frankly I'm looking forward to it.

Jim Wright said...

Ah, simple substitution cyphers, that takes me back, Michelle.

vince said...

Michelle, she says she is. Go take a look.

Janiece said...

Jim, your comments in "The Worst Kept Secret in Ohio" post were: "I think Sarah Palin will make a dandy VP, and an even better President a few years down the line."

To me, that sounds like you thought, at the time, that "she should move to D.C." I'm not saying that you haven't changed your mind since then, but when she was first announced, your good opinion of her was one of the things that encouraged me to keep an open mind about her. Your opinions are typically well-thought out and backed by empirical evidence, and I trust your judgment.

What I'm saying is that my opinion now is that your analysis then was faulty.

But yeah. Fun, fun on the debate tonight. All Joe really has to do is try not to stick his foot in his mouth and watch her implode. Pop the popcorn and pour the drinks for Vince's Drinking Game, cohorts - the Hoot-n-Holler is about to begin!

Jim Wright said...

Janiece, yep.

Based on what I knew of her at the time, I did say I thought she'd make a dandy president somewhere down the line.

And in my estimation she still could be, but I find it increasingly unlikely.

See, I knew about her politics before she was elected, but after she won the governor's seat she never once tried to foist those beliefs on the rest of us - she never once tried to push creationism into the public schools for example. Though she did say that she thought personally it was something she would support. There are a number of other similar examples. I took this, and still do to some extent, to mean that she was able to put her duties above her ideals, and represent all of the people. This is a characteristic I can respect.

And I still think that for the most part she is that person - what happens on the campaign trail is not necessarily representative of what will happen once that person is elected. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that whatever her politics and/or ideals, she lacks the fundamental knowledge and experience to be president. However again, she may very well gain that knowledge and experience as VP if John McCain lives long enough.

Should that happen, and she maintains the ability to separate her beliefs from her duty, I still think she'll make a reasonable decent president - better than the current one anyway - depending on who she surrounds herself with.

However, I'm am starting to suspect that once in the position of ultimate power, she will not be able to separate her beliefs from her duty (just as the current dolt can't), and that her lack of knowledge will default to party lines (just as with the current dolt).

As I said from the very first, I'm not voting for her or McCain. Period.
____________________________

Oh, and have a California Burrito for me at Por Favor with the mechanicky gal, would you?

Janiece said...

I hear you, Jim. I've talked before about how McCain will not receive my vote.

And I'm not huge on Burritos - but I will eat guacamole, rolled tacos, shredded beef tacos and cheese enchiladas, and raise my glass.

I don't expect there's a ton of good Mexican eateries up your way.

MWT said...

Suddenly I want to swing by Moe's and pick up a couple fish tacos...

*is impressionable and suggestible*

Jim Wright said...

Not too many, but more than you'd expect.

California burritos aren't your regular burrito. They're made from carne asada meat, fried potatoes, avocado, sour cream and a red sauce.

the best ones are from the Purple Roof Place (I don't even know if it has an actual name, Beastly and I just call it the Purple Roof Place) on Rosecranz in Point Loma.

The Mechanicky Gal said...

Why Jim, I believe that the Purple Roof Place would be one of our many 'Berto's incarnations.
Any place in SD that has an eye-searing yellow and red striped paint scheme, or a purple roof, and is named any variation of Alberto's (Adelberto's, Hidalberto's to name a few) are THE CAT'S PYJAMAS! (Although in all fairness, have you ever tried to stuff a cat into pyjamas? It ain't pretty, I can tell you.)
And Por Favor makes teh Awesome Margarita's Gigante! (We'll make Frank drive!)

Ilya said...

Based on information from a couple of sources that I have, Biden came out as more seasoned, but Palin comported herself quite well. Any post-debate thoughts?

Janiece said...

Ilya, I think that's a reasonable perspective.

I came away thinking that Palin's handlers did the best they could, but the fact of the matter is that she really doesn't know shit about anything but energy policy, while Biden's knowledge is both deep and broad.