The Palin/experience thing, part II

I'm surprised that there is so little discussion of ability and excellence rather than just experience. Academic excellence, as demonstrated by Bill Clinton and Obama for example, sends a signal that the person in question has qualities that make him likely to succeed in a wide range of fields including politics and business. The tendency of McCain to wing it, of course, demonstrates his apparent disdain for excellence,not to mention his readiness to gamble with the future of the nation.

The main issue for voters shouldn't be experience as listed on a CV. More important is demonstrated thoughtful understanding of the main issues of the day that can show where the candidate, once in office, would take the country. Abraham Lincoln's CV, for example, was among the thinnest of anyone elected President. But on the major issues--the moral status of slavery and the question of its further territorial expansion--his position was clear, so much so that several Southern states left his name off the ballot entirely. When voters chose Lincoln, they knew what they were getting.

In this election, Obama and Biden have clearly met that requirement. McCain, because of his impulsiveness and major position shifts over time, has met it less well. Sarah Palin hasn't remotely done so--on all but a very few issues she's a complete cipher. That makes a vote for her a leap in the dark, and her selection by McCain a deeply irresponsible act.

Is McCain really impulsive? Or does he buck the Republican party norm, albeit not too often with his 90% Republican voting record (compared to Obama's 97% Democrat party voting record).
Your correct that a hard core Republican could probably not work with a Democratic controlled congress, except if they are McCain. Who has worked more closely with Democrats on more projects and bills then any other Republican senator.

I don't know what's worse, The fact that Mccain, Who had taken into question Obama's judgement,experience,And claimed Obama's stance on several issues were politically motivated just weeks before he selected Sarah Palin as his running mate - Or the triumphant public response to his selection from several GOP polititions and pundits in the days following who were Apparently so impressed by what they had learned about her on Wikipedia that day that the only question that remained was how this Alaskan Governor was left off everyone's short list. Back here on Earth, I not only consider this pick to be hypocritical and desperate, But insulting to the intelligence of undecided Hillary Clinton supporters.And upon reasearching Governor Palin's record,she is without a doubt an amazing woman both politically and personally,with a solid conservative voting record and a tireless work ethic that will quickly make her a key player in the Republican party.Presently, however she has been thrust into a major league game with little league experience. And while there are those whom will vote Republican based solely on the gender of the VP,Is that not in itself an example of the very gender descrimination that we as a nation have come so far to end?

This is what I wrote recently to a member of my Fox Y-DNA Project who had sent me some really nasty stuff about Obama.

"While I respect the family ties you have to McCain, I distrust the man completely.

McCain is too quick on the trigger and is likely to get us into another Iraq situation. Just the initial reaction they both had to the situation in the republic of Georgia should give you some idea of how Obama and McCain would handle foreign relations. McCain was ready to go in and start another war without talking to anyone whereas Obama consulted Condoleezza Rice and other experts, including our allies. Obama gives me a much better feeling when it comes to foreign affairs.

As to domestic policy, I like the Democrat's approach much better than the Republican policy of the last 8 years, which has led to greater and greater economic discrepancies between rich people and the common man.

We certainly don't need a Republican appointing more Supreme Court justices who can't interpret the constitution correctly.

Finally, who will find the better people to build his cabinet? Certainly Obama's choice of Biden for Vice-President gives me much more confidence in his judgment than does McCain's choice of Palin. This seems to me to be a desperation move on the part of McCain and certainly not the result of rational consultation with others."