The Candidates
I’ve thought alot about a potential Palin pick; now that it’s finally here, I want to hit upon what strike me as the best talking points for the McCain campaign.
1. Palin has 8 years of executive experience. The Vice Presidency is an executive position. This almost inherently makes her more qualified then a someone with a similar level of legislative experience (Obama anyone?).
2. Charlie Crist and Tim Kaine were floated as potential running mates, and almost no one asked “are they qualified”, despite the fact that neither has completed as Governor. Double standard anyone?
3. Alaska borders two countries including Russia; Alaskan Governors are among the only Governors who have continual foreign interactions. Most presidents are Governors.
4. Governing a state is as much about geographic size as population size. The complexities of Governing a state as large as Alaska are not insignificant.
5. Palin is running for Vice President, not President. Obama, with a comparable level of experience, on the other hand, is running for President. You folks think that’s just hunky-dory. Double standard anyone?
6. By attacking Palin on inexperience, Democrats are really attacking the heartland; they’re saying Alaska just isn’t important enough to produce a Vice President. It’s not a glitzy industrial state; it’s not on either coast where all the cultural elites reside (this tactic worked to great effect for Clinton in 92′).
7. Use all of the above points to reinforce the “Obama is an arrogant elitist disdainful of the folks in Middle America” meme.
Get on the ball folks. Palin’s an excellent pick if the GOP is attentive, and provided she can avoid any major blunders. But, if they’re grasping, and don’t find a consistent message, she could easily be pigeonholed.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
These are ridiculous.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
1. Executive experience? I count year and a half as governor. Don’t try to pass the Wasilla stuff off as “executive experience” - small town residents know how stupid small town politics (and politicians) usually are.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
2. Neither Crist nor Kaine were picked. Palin was. This is a non-issue.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hey! Jerk. Don’t steal my post idea!
August 29th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
3. Geographic proximity is not equivalent to foreign policy experience. People are not dumb, and will be able to make that distinction. The “I haven’t thought too much about Eye-Rack” comment will kill here on this one.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Good point about Tim Kaine.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Apparently my comments are not going through.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Neither are mine.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
#2 - Yeah, I unfortunately agree on this one. Counting her mayoralty of Wasila (pop. 9,000) as executive experience is just asking for it big-time.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Excellent points, Matthew.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Charlie Crist was Attorney General of Florida for 4 years, and Sec of Education for 4 years before that, appointed by Jeb Bush as Deputy of DBPR, and a state senator for several years before that. He also ran against Bob Graham for US Senate in 1998. There’s no need to diss him.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I have to say the main difference is #5. In fairness, neither Palin nor Obama have the experience to lead on day one. The difference is that Obama will have to; Palin does not. Remember what Biden said of Obama — I think he might be a great President in the future, but not today.
Come to think of it, that’s the other difference — Obama’s OWN VP says he isn’t qualified. Hell, Obama said he wasn’t qualified himself. Can anyone point to anything similar Palin said?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I have to say the main difference is #5. In fairness, neither Palin nor Obama have the experience to lead on day one. The difference is that Obama will have to; Palin does not. Remember what Biden said of Obama — I think he might be a great President in the future, but not today.
Come to think of it, that’s the other difference — Obama’s OWN VP says he isn’t qualified. Hell, Obama said he wasn’t qualified himself. Can anyone point to anything similar Palin said?
August 30th, 2008 at 7:07 am
I think it bears repeating that although her resume is thin, she’s already done a lot more for the people she serves than Obama has, and has been proven to do the right thing even when it’s an uphill struggle.
Already the media are falling into the “she’s no more experienced than Obama” trap- people do know there’s a difference between the requirements of VP and President- thus the media is simply emphasizing to people how inexperienced Obama is. So, to everyone who says the experience issue is off the table- far from it!!! The media are simply doing what McCain’s ads were doing before- pointing out the weakness of their top man.
Actually, it’s a brilliant play by McCain. It keeps the experience issue front and center where HE clearly is the winner. And, I have no doubt that Palin can take care of herself as far as the media are concerned. She used to be one of them, after all.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Big S and Obama don’t like rural America. Rave on.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Am I being moderated? My post evaporated, too. So I’ll rewrite it and hope it doesn’t show up later.
Anyway, I think it bears repeating that despite her thin resume, Sarah Palin has actually done something for the people she serves, at times waging an uphill battle to do it, too. She’s made many more decisions and taken full responsibility for her all of her actions, as governors have to do.
Already the media are falling into the “she’s no more experienced than Obama” trap, thereby pointing out Obama’s faults . And it isn’t lost on people that he’s running for the Presidency, and Palin is not. So, far from “taking experience off the table,” it is front and center and hurts Obama/Biden much more than it hurts McCain/Palin. The media is doing what McCain’s ads were doing before- pointing out the weakness of their TOP man.
Actually, for McCain, it’s a brilliant move. Every time the media says Palin’s is as inexperienced as Obama, it drives home the fact that McCain has experience in spades.