Stretching the Resume
Gov. Palin doesn’t have to even speak about her political experience; fellow Republicans do it for her. However, some could find themselves with foot-in-mouth syndrome.
In The Weekly Standard, Newt Gingrich explains how Palin’s experience trumps Obama’s:
She has 13 years in elected office
By any practical standard she has done far more in the real world with much more spontaneity and practicality than Barack Obama.
By Gingrich’s standard, the person on top of the ticket, John McCain, isn’t ready to be President, either. If the only position that counts is executive experience, he can’t possibly be ready, right? By the way, if executive experience is all that counts, Palin only has 9 years in elected office, since four of her years as an elected official were only as part of the Wasilla council.
Personally, I find it a little hypocritical how the standards for “experience” have changed for Republicans over the course of the campaign.
Up until Palin was chosen, Republicans completely dismissed and wrote-off Obama’s time in the Illinois Senate, opting to focus on his three and a half years in the U.S. Senate. Yet, now that Palin is the running mate, quantity apparently trumps quality. At the same time, according to people like Gingrich, executive experience is the only thing that matters.
Which is it, Republicans?
True, first (and for the duration) it encompassed HRC’s campaign - going from 15 years experience (for a 6 year senate seat) to 35 years. The only ones you do not see expanded are those who do not need it expanded - McCain & Biden. I suppose she could take HRC’s math though - ask for points because she’s married.
I agree that we shouldn’t pad the resume. There’s just enough there to be impressed with what she’s done with her limited time in (a significant) office, so supporters of this ticket should focus on that and then stand back and let the woman sell herself (she appears to be quite capable of doing that.)
Here’s a good discussion of the relative qualifications- and I think it’s not insignificant that one of the shifts that has occurred since McCain announced his pick is that Obama is now being matched up for qualifications against the bottom part of the GOP ticket. The obvious but unspoken message there is that if you have to justify your POTUS nominee by saying he’s more qualified than the VP pick on the other side, you might have nominated the wrong guy.
She appears quite capable of doing a lot Have not seen any caribou pictures yet, but I’ve seen ones of her commercial fishing, the firing of an automatic weapon, (although I’d say kicking back with the viking helmet’s guys isn’t the most flattering of pictures)
and from one website - of 11 things you outta know about Palin.
I’m not kidding - that’s actually one of the items (and it’s a negative…. how) you can see her with troops, dressed up, in tshirts, whatever, however - she appears to be very hands on.
Guy at work was talking about an article he read where the reporter went to interview her about a year ago - would have been a 20 minute flight. She said nah, the family’s coming - and drove 4 hours with her then 4 kids. Most Washington folks would have demanded 4 first class seats.
The more you look, the more you like.
I’ve been thinking (dangerous, I know
) and I’m starting to wonder if this whole argument about experience is misguided.
I mean, if you have the wrong ideas what does it matter what your "experience" is? All that means is that you’ll more effectively push the wrong ideas and more likely bring about negative consequences.
Perhaps we should be looking at ideas instead.
Interested,
Palin with a caribou: http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/palin.jpg
I’ve been singing that song for months, Tom. Nice to see that someone has joined.
Fact is that there is no "experience" that qualifies one for the Presidency. It is a completely unique job.