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McCain's running mate less qualified than Democrats'

Abstract:
I can understand if Republicans just want to cover their eyes and say, "let me know when it's over." The Republicans' convention following-act started off with a bang - a happy birthday celebration for Mr. John McCain, who toasted the beginning of his 72nd year....

Alumna 06

posted 9/02/08 @ 8:30 AM EST

I always vote Democrat, but this time around I was seriously considering voting for McCain, because he is a moderate Republican and has a wealth of experience when compared to Obama. His VP choice concerns me however, and Bobby, I totally agree with you. In this election, the Obama-Biden ticket will be the best choice for our country.
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sportsman2889

posted 9/02/08 @ 5:27 PM EST

Originally posted by

Alumna 06

 I always vote Democrat, but this time around I was seriously considering voting for McCain, because he is a moderate Republican and has a wealth of experience when compared to Obama. His VP choice concerns me however, and Bobby, I totally agree with you. In this election, the Obama-Biden ticket will be the best choice for our country.


I'm a life long Republican who was all about voting for McCain until the choice of Sarah Palin as his VP. Palin is a nut who totally falls short of McCain's notion of "country first" by being a member of the secessionist Alaska Independence Party. Who the hell was vetting her? What a stupid and reckless choice. How can we trust McCain if his judgment on a critical choice like VP is so terrible?

Obama-Biden all the way for me, it's clear that my party has totally lost its grip on competence and it's time for a change.
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Joan Homsher

posted 10/04/08 @ 2:33 AM EST

Originally posted by

Alumna 06

 I always vote Democrat, but this time around I was seriously considering voting for McCain, because he is a moderate Republican and has a wealth of experience when compared to Obama. His VP choice concerns me however, and Bobby, I totally agree with you. In this election, the Obama-Biden ticket will be the best choice for our country.


I am outraged at your comment. Biden has a lot of experience and should be on the ticket as President, not Obama. The poor choice of Obama as President over Biden makes me want to choose the other ticket. I wonder if age is a big factor for Biden and McCain and that is even more outrageous.
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James

posted 9/02/08 @ 9:20 AM EST

Palin is not qualified right now to be President ....... but in one or two years on the job as V.P. she would be.

Obama is not qualified right now to be President ....... but we don't have the time in a dangerous world to give him on the job training.
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Name

posted 9/03/08 @ 10:44 AM EST

Originally posted by

James

 Palin is not qualified right now to be President ....... but in one or two years on the job as V.P. she would be.

Obama is not qualified right now to be President ....... but we don't have the time in a dangerous world to give him on the job training.


Bush has had 7.5 years of OTJ training and still blows goats when it comes to job performance. Did you see his phoned-in prerecorded speech to the RNC last night? Max Headroo came off as more human than him.
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Joan Homsher

posted 10/04/08 @ 1:46 AM EST

Originally posted by

James

 Palin is not qualified right now to be President ....... but in one or two years on the job as V.P. she would be.

Obama is not qualified right now to be President ....... but we don't have the time in a dangerous world to give him on the job training.


I agree with you. It amazes me that people start looking at age as a liability.

Since Biden has all the qualifications, I wonder why he wasn't chosen to be the one running for the presidental canidate instead of Obama. An elections shouldn't be about how smooth a talker you are. it likewise amazes me that people think all the changes Obama says he is going to make will not cost the tax payers money. Where do they think the money is coming from.
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Kyle

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:13 AM EST

Palin is the only person on either ticket with any kind of executive experience. Being a Senator for 30 something odd years and saying we should split Iraq into three separate countries and then run away is not good advice even if you are the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. Obama has yet to do anything meaningful in the Senate. He is the one on the ticket to RUN the county. Not Palin.
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RRB

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:28 AM EST

Mr. Andres: If experience is your issue, then how is the man you so willingly praise possibly prepared to enter the White House? Barack Obama boasts fewer than 150 actual days in the United States Senate, whereas Senator McCain began his career in 1987. In this context, there is no doubt that Senator McCain is far more capable and prepared to lead.
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Ben

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:34 AM EST

Why do we care if someone has executive experience? The President is a leader, not they guy who write the paychecks or makes every decision to get the job done. He charts the course, and the guys/gals below deck make it happen. Neither Obama or McCain are executives, they are leaders.

Why is Obama more ready to lead than Palin? Well for starters he has spent the last 4 or so years letting us know where he plans to lead the country. He has a vision, he has inspired millions and millions of follower to get on board. He has put together a campaign, as the chief executive of his campaign I might add, that has included more people than any previous campaign. This gives me some insight into how he'll run his administration. Palin on the other hand, has been in the national spotlight for less than a week. I know she is a pro-life, pro-NRA, global climate change critic that is capable of running a government with a population less than the size of Fulton or DeKalb Counties (though with a territory substantially larger). She hasn't voiced her positions on foreign matters or most domestic matters. People say she is a maverick because she stands up to corruption in her party??? Does common sense now equate to being a maverick? That is a pretty low bar. We don't need any more low bars, no what we need now is leadership and that isn't a quality of experience it is a quality inherent in a person. Palin may have, I just don't know. McCain and Obama obviously have it, and Biden to some extent. The biggest problem with Palin is she is an unknown commodity. We have enough unknown commodities in our world right now, I don't want it in my VP.
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CoastalDawg

posted 9/02/08 @ 12:48 PM EST

Originally posted by

Ben

 Why do we care if someone has executive experience? The President is a leader, not they guy who write the paychecks or makes every decision to get the job done. He charts the course, and the guys/gals below deck make it happen. Neither Obama or McCain are executives, they are leaders.

Why is Obama more ready to lead than Palin? Well for starters he has spent the last 4 or so years letting us know where he plans to lead the country. He has a vision, he has inspired millions and millions of follower to get on board. He has put together a campaign, as the chief executive of his campaign I might add, that has included more people than any previous campaign. This gives me some insight into how he'll run his administration. Palin on the other hand, has been in the national spotlight for less than a week. I know she is a pro-life, pro-NRA, global climate change critic that is capable of running a government with a population less than the size of Fulton or DeKalb Counties (though with a territory substantially larger). She hasn't voiced her positions on foreign matters or most domestic matters. People say she is a maverick because she stands up to corruption in her party??? Does common sense now equate to being a maverick? That is a pretty low bar. We don't need any more low bars, no what we need now is leadership and that isn't a quality of experience it is a quality inherent in a person. Palin may have, I just don't know. McCain and Obama obviously have it, and Biden to some extent. The biggest problem with Palin is she is an unknown commodity. We have enough unknown commodities in our world right now, I don't want it in my VP.



Why should the president have executive experience? Wow, that question is loaded in so many ways. There is a far cry from serving on a board or a committee (remember that congressmen are SUPPOSED to be a board or committee that represents their constituents) to being the head of the corporation. If you can point to even ONE accomplishment of Barak Hussein Obama within the confines of community, national, or world politics please step forward. I've only been a passenger on an airplane once within the last twenty-five years. My last flight last year was fine, I enjoyed it but next time I want to be the pilot - what a cool job. Will YOU get on that plane and fly with me? If not, WHY not? I know what planes are supposed to do, take off, fly safely, and land safely but I've never flown one. I really WANT to be the pilot and I've read some stuff on being a pilot. I want to fly that ship safely through whatever storms come up - isn't that what Barak Obama is asking of us, to trust him to "fly the ship"even though he has never piloted ANYTHING, hasn't even attended all the "classes", dropping out after only 143 sessions to campaign to become the "pilot"...Would you fly on my plane?
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James

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:50 AM EST

You liberals are forgetting that if Obama was trying to get just a plain old Federal job (or contract) he could not even get a "top secret" clearance due to his current/past association with "former" domestic terrorists. And you want him to be President?

Sad and pathetic.
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Joan Homsher

posted 10/04/08 @ 2:13 AM EST

Originally posted by

James

 You liberals are forgetting that if Obama was trying to get just a plain old Federal job (or contract) he could not even get a "top secret" clearance due to his current/past association with "former" domestic terrorists. And you want him to be President?

Sad and pathetic.


I agree with you James. People say he will be a good leader, yet he disassociates himself from the church leader known for domestic terrorists comments, only after the news media brought this issue to the attention of the public. That doesn't strike me as a independent leader but more a follower. He wasn't willing to make a change until he was concerned that it could affect his chances of running for U. S. President. If he can be that easily influenced, I wonder what else he could be swayed to do.

I looked over the list of all the things he plans to change and am astounded that voters don't see though him. Why can't people see that a number of these changes must be paid for by someone and that someone certainly won't be Obama.
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sherry

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:58 AM EST

I would rather have the 2nd in command have little experience than the 1st in command. And let's look at the facts, Palin has done more in her two years than Obama has done in his two years...voting "present" isn't getting it done. Getting your state's budget in balance AND getting tax rebates for your citizens....that's getting your job done!!
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Joan Homsher

posted 10/04/08 @ 2:23 AM EST

Originally posted by

sherry

 I would rather have the 2nd in command have little experience than the 1st in command. And let's look at the facts, Palin has done more in her two years than Obama has done in his two years...voting "present" isn't getting it done. Getting your state's budget in balance AND getting tax rebates for your citizens....that's getting your job done!!


I agree with you Sherry. Obama is a very smooth talking individual who makes too many promises. His lack of experience is reflected in the many promises he is making without any care how it will affect the American people. As long as it sounds good and the people are naive enough to fall for it and buy him that additional vote.

I hope he misjudges the American people and they can see though him and will vote intelligently instead of the pie in the sky.
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Evan

posted 9/02/08 @ 11:22 AM EST

Wow, I know this article is in the opinions section, but this is easily the most biased writing I have ever seen. Usually, editorial writers will at least throw a couple of bones to the other side of the argument while still making their point. That is just good opinion writing. To be able to acknowledge the strong points of the other side's argument while rebutting them with your own. This is just endless liberal drivel that makes Obama look like the return of the Messiah while making McCain and Palin look like...well he doesn't really make any points as to what he thinks of McCain and Palin except that he seems to be making fun of McCain's age (72 years old, which happen to include 30 plus years in politics) while attacking Palin's inexperience. It's funny how you managed to nullify your own argument without the mention that inexperience is the main criticism of your PRESIDENTIAL candidate. Go back to the high school debate team and learn how to argue.
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Carol

posted 9/02/08 @ 12:46 PM EST

Originally posted by

Evan

 Wow, I know this article is in the opinions section, but this is easily the most biased writing I have ever seen. Usually, editorial writers will at least throw a couple of bones to the other side of the argument while still making their point. That is just good opinion writing. To be able to acknowledge the strong points of the other side's argument while rebutting them with your own. This is just endless liberal drivel that makes Obama look like the return of the Messiah while making McCain and Palin look like...well he doesn't really make any points as to what he thinks of McCain and Palin except that he seems to be making fun of McCain's age (72 years old, which happen to include 30 plus years in politics) while attacking Palin's inexperience. It's funny how you managed to nullify your own argument without the mention that inexperience is the main criticism of your PRESIDENTIAL candidate. Go back to the high school debate team and learn how to argue.


Let's talk about this as one concerned American citizen to the other and leave out the tired references to Obama as "The Messiah" and other divisive labels like "liberal drivel." Let's get to some fresh ideas and language. I can turn on the radio or go online to hear and see that kind of worn-out yet dangerous discourse. This is really important, Evan, because McCain and the Republican party have made Obama's lack of experience the issue, even going so far as to recycle Hillary Clinton's comments from the primaries in ads aired before Palin's selection. So for the sake of argument, let's go with what you're saying. Let's take experience off the table if, as you imply, Palin's and Obama's cancel each other out. What do we have left as we consider Palin? One role of the VP is presiding, even if often ceremonially, over the senate. I am looking forward to hearing more about how prepared for that role Palin is. What does she know? What does she not know? How familiar is she with the workings of the senate? Other roles include advising the president, the importance of which we have seen in the last several administrations, and communicating with world leaders. How versed is she in the Constitution? How knowledgeable is she about world affairs, world leaders and the historical context in which these are all situated? She herself has stated she has not kept up with the Iraq war and isn't sure what the role of VPOTUS is, so I think these are fair questions, not necessarily as much about experience as knowledge and understanding. I will be watching the remainder of the RNC this week hoping to get some answers.
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Joan Homsher

posted 10/04/08 @ 2:47 AM EST

Originally posted by

Evan

 Wow, I know this article is in the opinions section, but this is easily the most biased writing I have ever seen. Usually, editorial writers will at least throw a couple of bones to the other side of the argument while still making their point. That is just good opinion writing. To be able to acknowledge the strong points of the other side's argument while rebutting them with your own. This is just endless liberal drivel that makes Obama look like the return of the Messiah while making McCain and Palin look like...well he doesn't really make any points as to what he thinks of McCain and Palin except that he seems to be making fun of McCain's age (72 years old, which happen to include 30 plus years in politics) while attacking Palin's inexperience. It's funny how you managed to nullify your own argument without the mention that inexperience is the main criticism of your PRESIDENTIAL candidate. Go back to the high school debate team and learn how to argue.


I remember Reagen not having experience in politics and he did extremely well. I see no reason why Palin can't be given a chance as well except if you are against her because she is a woman. Obama is a smooth talker and may be able to debate better but they said that of many of the extremists though out history but that didn't make them an effective or better leader.
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CoastalDawg

posted 9/02/08 @ 12:32 PM EST

One of the more frightening things about this election is the viewpoint of the author of this article. He seems so concerned about the "qualifications" of John McCain's yet he totally overlooks the TOTAL lack of qualifications of Barak Hussein Obama who wants to be elected to the most important political position in the world. Tell me exactly what he has accomplished that qualifies him to be president: I'm waiting and listening. He headed a "community action" group back in his home state: big whoop. If you talk to people who know they can't point to any great strides there. When the republican incumbent in his district had a moral failure and withdrew, Obama was swept into office with the same sort of fervor that is happening now. In the senate, the committee which HE chairs has never been called to meet because he has been campaigning for president after being in the senate for only 143 days - check his voting record and you will find that when he has bothered to vote on an issue he has been the most left wing liberal in the congress but the most of his votes have been "present" only, meaning that he either didn't take the time to know and understand the legislation or he just can't make decisions, a deadly situation for the president of the United States and for our country. What experiences at foreign policy does he have? Tell me, I'm waiting. His attempt to speak at the Brandenburg gate was turned back - apparently he didn't realize that spot is reserved for heads of state and his address in the football stadium was a grand standing effort as if he had already become emperor. THAT is the person you want for president of this country? You worry about Sarah Palin's "lack of experience" with that total lack on his part. Just for the record though (and I'm no particular fan of McCain either but believe he is much more capable of running the oval office), Sarah Palin is the governor of a state (remember Bill Clinton's prepresidential "experience", seems to me he was a governor) and she also served as a mayor of a small town. As governor she was basically commander in chief of her state's national guard and she obviously has dealt with budgets and is known for her attacks on corruption within her own party. Her failings, if you wish to call them that, within her family are public and not hidden. Unfortuntately Leave it to Beaver's family is sadly lacking in America today because of liberals like Barak Hussein Obama who has already promised higher taxes (oh, but isn't he waffling on that now?), and he would not have appointed any of the judges on the Supreme Court who actually try to INTERPRET the constitution rather than making laws on their own. He has no idea when life begins - it's above his pay grade. So you would want an indecisive man whose senatorial district has gone lacking for representation all this time while he courts voters? The author of the article also states that Obama wants to look beyond race: oh really? He's being touted as the first "black" president already (didn't Bill Clinton already claim that title), so does that mean that Obama's mother, who is white, gets no credit for being there when his father abandoned the family? And what about his brother in Africa who lives on approximately $100 per YEAR? Is THAT being one's brother's keeper? Pay attention to EVERYTHING young Mr. Andres; don't be swayed by the hype and hoorahs of Hollywood, a group that itself was touting Hillary until she began to lose steam. I could go on but you get my drift if you're bothering to pay attention. EVERYTHING that you say Obama wants to do is basically what he's heard as he travels around, not what his original plan was in almost no respect. It's YOUR future more than mine Mr. Andres - I've already seen what left wing liberals can do to a country and it's not a pretty sight.
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Steph

posted 9/02/08 @ 12:37 PM EST

Bobby:

Palin's years of executive-branch experience: 8.
Obama and Biden's combined years of executive-branch experience: 0.

Palin's explicit and confirmed public lies: 0.
Obama's explicit and confirmed public lies: one I have time to mention right now ("I will accept public financing for my campaign" - there are more).
Biden's explict and confirmed public lies: multiple (reference all his lies about his qualifications for president during his '88 run).

By the way, you and Biden have something in common: you both appear to be plagiarists.

Biden plagiarized a speech in 1987, as well as a paper while in law school.

You appear to have plagiarized Paul Begala in this very article:

You: "This is the woman who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency. That heartbeat belongs to a 72-year-old man . . . who has had four serious bouts of skin cancer."

Paul Begala: "(She is) a heartbeat away from the presidency . . . (McCain) is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer . . ." (from "Commentary: Is McCain out of his Mind?", August 29, 2008, on cnn.com's website).
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Ben

posted 9/02/08 @ 3:26 PM EST

Originally posted by

Steph

 Bobby:

Palin's explicit and confirmed public lies: 2.


She was for the bridge to nowhere.
She sought earmarks...
She lied twice in her opening speech. What does that say about your candidate?
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Carol

posted 9/02/08 @ 1:22 PM EST

Hello, Coastal Dawg,
Would you define a few of the terms that you're using so I can make sure I know what you mean when you use them? For example, what do you mean when you say "executive experience"? What counts as executive experience? Also, in your earlier post you referred to a "Leave It to Beaver" family. For those of us who might not be familiar with that allusion, could you explain what that is and why you bemoan its loss? Finally, I'd like to hear you expound on your airplane metaphor. You talk at great length about the pilot's role. What do you see as the role of the crew, especially the co-pilot? What kind of training should they also have?
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Evan

posted 9/02/08 @ 1:26 PM EST

Carol,

#1: I can't help but get the feeling from your words that you assume that I am a conservative minded individual who is bent on using "divisive labels." Just because I use the term "liberal drivel" does not automatically make me a Republican. The fact is that I label myself a moderate who finds faults with both presidential candidates. I just happen to find less with McCain at this point.

#2: Nowhere in my post did I refer to my political standing at all. I was simply commenting on the writer's poor attempt to write an opinion article. All he does is poke fun at McCain's age with a couple of vague references to his and Palin's policies. Then he goes on to spend half of the article listing one "promise" after another that Obama has made in his campaign, citing them like they are absolute truths which will occur should Obama win the presidency. In other words "LIBERAL DRIVEL!"

#3: I never said that Palin's and Obama's experience "cancel each other out." How could they? Obama is the PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. Palin is the VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. Huge difference.

#4: I never said that Palin was perfect. I think she was a good choice for McCain when it comes to campaign strategy. However, there are several policies on which I would like to know where she stands as well.

#5: When older arguments still hold true, there is no need to bring about "fresh ideas and language." Sounds like an attempt to sidestep valid points against Obama which many know are true.

#6: Lastly, the real "worn out yet dangerous discourse" is the type that is occuring in this very article.

-"Hell yeah, dude! Vote for Obama! Change!"
-"Cool dude! What exactly are we going to change?"
-"I don't know man, it's just.....change"
-"Cool. He's got my vote."
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missing the point.

posted 9/02/08 @ 2:25 PM EST

i think the author is missing the point and that point is that palin is really hot.
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Dan

posted 9/02/08 @ 2:49 PM EST

I have been thinking for a while that I wanted to see Sarah Palin on the national ticket in 2012, but she wasn't my first choice for VP - my long list of "don'ts" included a few strikes against her, and in the days before the rollout, I backed Eric Cantor and viewed Palin as too much of a rookie for the national ticket. Had Palin run in the GOP primaries, I would certainly have opposed her on grounds of being insufficiently experienced to head the national ticket, as I did with 1-term Governor Mitt Romney. So, what to make of her as McCain's running mate?

I won't say that I'm unconcerned by her inexperience on national security matters; we really do know precious little of her views on those issues. Her main national security responsibility is commanding the Alaska National Guard troops tasked with important functions in the missile defense system, and it's a bit of a stretch to make that out as more than it is.

Palin will be inevitably compared to Barack Obama, given that so many of the criticisms leveled against Obama not only by Republicans but by fellow Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden have focused on his inexperience. There are certainly some similarities between Palin and Obama (and more between Palin and Tim Kaine, one of the finalists for Obama's running mate). But there are two very important distinctions between Palin and Obama.

Their #1 = Our #2

The first one is obvious: Obama is running for President, not Vice President. Given the vast gulf between McCain's and Obama's resumes, it's clear that the issue of experience, accomplishment and qualification requires Obama to change the subject at every possible opportunity. And now he is changing it to compare himself to Sarah Palin.

Obama has now gotten himself sucked in to comparing the Democrats' #1 to the Republicans' #2:

"My understanding is that Gov. Palin's town, Wassilla, has I think 50 employees. We've got 2500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe 12 million dollars a year – we have a budget of about three times that just for the month," Obama responded.

In so doing, he is comparing apples to oranges comparing his campaign in 2008 to Palin's record as Mayor of Wasilla in 1996-2002 back when Obama was just a State Senator, while completely ignoring her job as Governor. He is also, amusingly, claiming that he is qualified to be president based on...running for president. But even aside from that, the #1 vs #2 dynamic is precisely where McCain wants Obama:

"When they're comparing our vice presidential candidate's experience to their presidential candidate's experience and John McCain is just flying above it all," says one senior McCain adviser, "that's a good place for us to be."
The old saying we have heard in many a campaign is that the presidency is no place for on the job training; the vice presidency, by contrast, consists of little else. None of that is a reason to gamble on a complete cipher for the job. But that brings us to the second point: Palin's qualifications are clearly superior to Obama's because she is an executive.


"I'm In Charge Here"

The presidency is fundamentally an executive job - this is a major part of why I originally backed Rudy, and only by invoking both a very long (25 year) career in Congress and an equally long (27 year) career in the Navy was McCain able to overcome the usual presumption that the GOP would pick an executive like Romney, Rudy or Huckabee. Obama, by contrast, was blessed to run almost entirely against a field of other Senators - only Bill Richardson among the Democratic field had ever been a chief executive.

As I have explained before at length, there are five types of experience that are particularly useful in preparing for the presidency: executive experience, national security experience, political (especially political leadership) experience, military service, and private sector business experience. No one of these is essential, but national security and executive experience are the two most important, and if you can't have anyone on the ticket who has done both, the next best thing is a ticket that combines an executive with a veteran national security hand - exactly what the GOP is running.

While Palin's resume in major public office is, like Obama's, relatively short, and her national security experience negligible at best, her experience is as a chief executive, the person to whom an entire state government reports, the person who gets the call when things go wrong, the person on whose desk the buck stops. The buck has never stopped with Barack Obama, or with Joe Biden for that matter. Obama has various bills he tries to take credit for (sometimes accurately), but he does not have the kind of record to run on that every governor has. We have had presidents before who were relatively short-tenured governors. Woodrow Wilson, for example, was elected with effectively the same resume as Palin - small-scale executive experience (his tenure as president of turn-of-the-century Princeton University is comparable to being mayor of a town of a few thousand people) followed by two years as a reformist, anti-machine governor. Wilson's presidency may not be the best role model (I have noted before that the public had no way of knowing what kind of Commander-in-Chief Wilson would be) but he did turn out to be a highly effective leader both in domestic legislative battles and in commanding American troops; Wilson's failings were more about his impractical ideas.

Obama's lack of any of the kinds of relevant experience is really staggering, and not at all like Palin. Nobody with a resume like Obama's has ever been elected president (Abe Lincoln, who had a relatively short resume as a legislator and to whom Al Gore audaciously compared Obama, had a good deal more private sector responsibility than Obama and had served in the military as a captain in the Black Hawk War. And Obama's no Abe Lincoln).


That's the difference between Palin as Governor and Obama as Senator. And the pattern repeats in their prior job experience. I regard Palin's two three-year terms as Mayor of Wasilla, like Obama's four two-year terms as State Senator from Hyde Park, as useful life experience (it helps to see how government interacts with the people at ground level) but not really a substitute for the necessary step of serving in major public office like being a Member of Congress or elected statewide as a Governor or Senator. But even then, Obama wasn't the guy responsible for Hyde Park (he has since tried to make a point of his not having "clout" in the State Senate); he was never in a leadership position in his party and until his last term in the State Senate he was (just as in the first two years in the US Senate before he stopped showing up so he could run for President) a member of the minority party. If anything, Obama's worked hard at avoiding being the guy who could be held responsible for anything that's happened around him his entire career (his presidential campaign has involved a seemingly endless series events, up to and including this weekend's barrage of attacks on Palin, in which Obama claims to have no responsibility for what his own subordinates do). Wasilla may be a small suburban town, but for two terms Sarah Palin was in charge of it. You would look long and hard for anything Barack Obama has been in charge of.
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Chelsea Cook

posted 9/02/08 @ 3:29 PM EST

For Your Consideration:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/us/politics/02palin.html?ref=politics
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M

posted 9/02/08 @ 4:30 PM EST

Obama will bring us Socialism and Communism. You can't find much about him that isn't extremely left, elitist, Politics as usual. No change-
Biden does tell it all, but he tells a little too much... His past is littered with comments that show his true colors.

Obama wants to take all from the rich, or anyone making over $100,000, give most to the poor and take the rest for the government. What incentive do you as a college student have to try to make a lot of money, when you know it will be taxed away. You might as well go work at McDonalds and apply for public assistance... you will get it if Obama goes in.

For you kids who haven't checked it out, we already had that with Jimmy Carter... and we as a country are lucky we made it through it.

We already have too much government in every aspect of our lives, if Obama has the chance, it is going to be a lot worse.

McCain, with all his faults, has real life experience. He was a leader while in the military, and has continued his leadership while in Washington for many more years than Obama has even been in politics.
Palin worked her way up through her friends pushing her. She didn't start with this as her ultimate goal. She has improved on everything she has led, whether it be a small town in Alaska, or the state of Alaska. She will show us what she has on her mind when the debates come around.

I just hope this country has the brains left to make a genuine decision, and not be blinded by the party they are associated with.

As for the article, you should buy a soap box and preach beside the road while cars are driving by... nobody is listening, and you look like an idiot standing there.
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Dave

posted 9/02/08 @ 4:32 PM EST

Palin is more qualified than Obama.
Biden is more qualified than Palin.
McCain is more qualified than Biden.
Obama is more qualified than NO ONE.

At least the Republicans put their less qualified person as No. 2, instead of filling the No. 1 spot with an unqualified, untested celebrity.
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Anon

posted 9/02/08 @ 5:01 PM EST

Obama is the Anti-Christ.
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Yes!

posted 9/03/08 @ 1:38 PM EST

Originally posted by

Anon

 Obama is the Anti-Christ.


Finally somebody else sees it. I thought it was GWB, but even his own followers finally started to let go. The Obamites though, it's like a religion! Wake up people, he's not that special...
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Laura

posted 9/02/08 @ 5:46 PM EST

Young Bobby, you have so much to learn in your young years. Did you actually read about Palin or was it all from word of mouth? Do your research. She was appointed ethics commissioner and chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, found corruption and fought it hard and held the offenders to account. She's stood up to the old politics as usual, to the special interests, to the lobbyists, the Big Oil companies and the 'good old boy' network. She was also the youngest and the first woman to serve in office for Alaska. If you just read about her, she has done so much for Alaska. I'd rather have a vice president who has done less, than an actual president who has done less (like Obama).
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Blindlyfollowobama

posted 9/02/08 @ 6:38 PM EST

I can understand if Democrats just want to cover their eyes and say, "wake me when it's over."

Sometimes I almost feel bad for the newbie senator from Illinois.

I can picture him now, struggling as his campaign staff attempts to teach him the ins and outs of how to run a government.

Maybe while he was asking Tony Rezko and Jeremiah Wright on help to pick his running mate - 67-year-old Senator from Delaware Joe Biden- they could have warned Barack that it was Biden who criticized him as not being ready for being president of the US, stating "The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."

Hell, Obama might've wanted to ask what the "minimum qualifications to be vice president of the United States" are.

He has been US Senator for fewer than four full years and has no experience running even a state government.

This is the man who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

He doesn't quite stack up to McCain, let alone McCain's running mate, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin who has been running the state of Alaska.

Oh Well.

The Democratic convention figures to be a parade of hypocrites, big government and the omnipresent taxes and socialist policies - using the city's gas pumps to fill up and avoid paying state and federal fuel taxes.

Barack Obama wants to court the populace by giving an annual $1,000 tax rebate to the middle class - a purely socialist move.

He wants to provide jobs to blue collar workers on the government dole because he wants to tax corporations more, thus forcing American companies to move offshore to remain competitive. He believes that company profits are the property of the American government not for the companies to invest in capital and grow and add jobs.

He wants to placate the world leaders around the globe - reasserting America's liberal impotence.

He wants to end the partisan bickering and bring a tone of liberal groupthink and a heavy helping of American taxpayer dollars to the halls of Congress.

He aims to inspire a new generation of Jeremiah Wrights and divide the U.S. of KKKA racially.

For, as he said Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, "That's the promise of America - the idea Government is responsible for creating equality by bringing people down instead of bringing people up, that we rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; and that my brother lives in a shanty town in Kenya on $1 a day while I live in luxury."

There's a choice this fall, and it's not a difficult one. Vote Obama if you want the government to give you money!
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mike sandy

posted 9/02/08 @ 7:27 PM EST

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

hahahahahaha

`obama/biden 08! suckers!
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JUST FOR YOU COASTAL DAWG!

posted 9/02/08 @ 10:21 PM EST

First of all it's is spelled B-A-R-A-C-K. There's a C. He's been a public figure for over four years now so you have no excuse for not being able to spell it. I mean, if you were unsure about how you saw it spelled on TV or in the newspaper then just take a second to ask jeeves, yahoo or google? You're commenting online, so it can't be too out of your way. Or do you really not know? No, people... the internet is not just about facebook and email. It is a treasure chest of information too!

For instance, let's be a brave person and see if we can help Coastal Dawg. Earlier in the discussions, he stated:

"If you can point to even ONE accomplishment of Barak (sic) Hussein Obama within the confines of community, national or world politics please step forward."

Well, let's "step forward" to find "even ONE accomplishment of Barak (sic) Hussein Obama" the II. Better yet, let's be non-biased bad asses and see if we can find "even ONE accomplishment" for each P and VP pick. For your information, I will be using Google. Additionally, I only trusted the candidate's senate sites or other sites ending in .edu, .gov or .org. Feel free to duplicate my research. Here we go!

**Community Accomplishment:

Barack & Biden (B&B): As a state legislator, Barack sponsored the 2003 Health Care Justice Act which passed, giving reportedly 150,000 people health care.

McCain & Palin (McP): McCain has an extensive background in fighting for this country. Not only is he a Vietnam veteran but also a P.O.W., being captured and held from 1967-1973.

**National Accomplishment:

B&B: In 2006, the Coburn (R-OK)-Obama (D-IL) bill was passed. Titled the "Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act", the bill aimed to hold the Federal Government more accountable for its spending. During the presidency of Clinton, Biden co-authored the ""Helms-Biden" bill which would have authorized the repayment of one billion dollars in loans to the U.N. in exchange for U.N. reformations.

McP: McCain is a sole sponsor of the May 2007 "Defense Acquisition Reform Act" which aims to place more checks and balances on the spending of the military department. Under this, the Secretary of Defense would have to okay additional expenditures or changes in budgeting. The majority of McCain's political accomplishments reside here with his political past showing a passion for the proper care, education and respect for active soldiers and veterans alike.

**World Politics:

B&B: In 2005, Barack supported Cooperative Proliferation Detection, and Interdiction Assistance and Conventional Threat Reduction bill which aimed to "do more to eliminate conventional weapons stockpiles and assist other nations in detecting and interdicting weapons of mass destruction."

McP: McCain was for the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Act" which would have tightened up the border between Mexico and America, allowed for illegal immigrants to return to their former country to be eligible for a special working visa. However, it would end impose a $2,000 fee for applying, end family reunification and labor certification.

So there we go. It might be important to note that I found it difficult to find information on McCain's political past before 2007. Additionally, I found NOTHING on Palin's political accomplishments aside from a wiki page, which is no good for research.

To conclude, I am not trying to persuade any person one way or another. I am trying to persuade people to take the time to do the research. It's interesting and informative and when you type on your University's website, you will look educated and rather than a blithering idiot that can't even spell the name of the history making presidential nominee.
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Barak

posted 9/03/08 @ 9:09 AM EST

Still nothing Barack has actually done...

yeah he supported a few bills, along with a lot of others.

He hasn't really done anything except for talk a good line!
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YOU MISS THE POINT!

posted 9/03/08 @ 7:02 PM EST

Barak
"Still nothing Barack has actually done...

yeah he supported a few bills, along with a lot of others.

He hasn't really done anything except for talk a good line!"


First, I think you are not giving the man enough credit. Do you know how hard it is to graduate from Harvard law, become a politician and write laws? Have you ever read a law? Laws are not very easy to break which means not very easily worded.

Second, the majority of McCain's work in the senate has been primarily focused on the Military. The bills he has pushed for the better treatment of soldiers are numerous and needed. However, his lack of expertise for any other area of politics is startling.
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Losing Weight

posted 9/03/08 @ 4:12 AM EST

When Obama talked about Palin, he said that it was a step in the right direction and he looked worried. I guess he learned that palin took on corruption in Alaska and won.
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Jason

posted 9/03/08 @ 11:22 AM EST

Executive experience? JFK and Lincoln didn't have any executive experience either, and I think most historians agree they did just fine.
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Really

posted 9/03/08 @ 2:23 PM EST

Originally posted by

Jason

 Executive experience? JFK and Lincoln didn't have any executive experience either, and I think most historians agree they did just fine.


Great point. I mean Lincoln put the country into the Civil War and JFK took us to the brink of World War 3.

Guess what will happen if Obama is elected and starts being best friends with everybody and decreasing our military? Somebody will attack us... again.

Regardless of anything that anybody can say... Go Obama, bring change, we don't know what you will change or exactly how you will change it... but you say that one word so well, lets see what a radical liberal man that is against the free market that has brought this country to where it is today can do for us.

Get real folks - Vote McCain!
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Well...

posted 9/03/08 @ 1:33 PM EST

I'd rather have an under-qualified vice president than an under-qualified president.
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Keb

posted 9/03/08 @ 2:37 PM EST

Originally posted by

Well...

 I'd rather have an under-qualified vice president than an under-qualified president.


Well, when McCain dies in office (which is inevitable) you'll get both.
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Joan

posted 10/04/08 @ 3:14 AM EST

Originally posted by

Well...

 I'd rather have an under-qualified vice president than an under-qualified president.


In response to the answer you received.
I feel the same about Obama and Biden. The one with experience is older and if he died, we would have an under-qualified president Obama.
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Zell Miller

posted 9/03/08 @ 4:01 PM EST

Obama's experience redistributing wealth on a local scale (Community Organizer) - while heart warming, means "jack" when it comes to the experience needed to run a country. This total lack of real experience is punctuated by his insistence that by merely "running a campaign" he is gaining experience! Laughable!
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McCain told me he was picking Janet Jackson

posted 9/03/08 @ 6:51 PM EST

A lot of people forget that Obama went to the most prestigous universities this country has to offer and based on his top rank in his class, I would say that he not only studied for tests but understood what he was studying. So shouldn't the best education in America, in addition to his experience as a community activist, state legislator and senator qualify him for the Presidency? I mean, does the US Naval Academy and University of Idaho education REALLY stack up to Harvard law (and before that Columbia University) and Syracuse law? I mean, really?!


Fun Fact: Guess which Presidential nominee graduated at the bottom of his class...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbX26vp57c
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Are you kidding

posted 9/04/08 @ 10:16 AM EST

Originally posted by

McCain told me he was picking Janet Jackson

 A lot of people forget that Obama went to the most prestigous universities this country has to offer and based on his top rank in his class, I would say that he not only studied for tests but understood what he was studying. So shouldn't the best education in America, in addition to his experience as a community activist, state legislator and senator qualify him for the Presidency? I mean, does the US Naval Academy and University of Idaho education REALLY stack up to Harvard law (and before that Columbia University) and Syracuse law? I mean, really?!


Fun Fact: Guess which Presidential nominee graduated at the bottom of his class...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbX26vp57c




I really hope you are kidding! There are a lot of esteemed people with good grades at numerous Universities, many of which become community organizers of some sort in their life. Are you telling me you would be willing to make a blind draw, pull one out based on his grades at a liberal college and limited community experience, and make him president???

You people are really starting to scare me here! You are impacting the USA, the world, and most importantly my kids future. Grow up and be serious.

So many people in Congress are idiots! The Senate seems to have an affinity for attracting idiots and having them elected.

Another important thing to remember is that Barack was elected to the Senate in November 2004. He started campaigning for President before the end of 2006. He probably can't even remember where he sits or where his office is at the Senate house. What that means is that he hasn't even really acted as a Senator during his term, for the votes he was there for he voted present well over 100 times. I would be willing to bet that the ones he voted for went along party lines most of the time. check out congressmerge.com and look into it.

I don't know why I am even talking about this, Obama can't win. If he does all of you who vote for him can take responsibility for what you are doing. At least when he bankrupts the small business sector or our country he will raise the rest of your taxes to pay them welfare and provide them health care.
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STOP BELIEVING WHAT YOU HEAR and do the research your damn self!

posted 9/04/08 @ 4:50 PM EST

Are you kidding,
I hope YOU are kidding! If you are serious about looking out for the future of your children and the economic well being of this country then you must CERTAINLY better be kidding!

I DO NOT want the next President to be a man with no community experience, no presidential experience, no economic policy experience, no civil rights experience and no idea how to operate a basic computer program. Yes, McCain has decades of experience in the Senate but the MAJORITY of his work has been focused on bills and laws that deal strictly with the treatment of soldiers and veterans. Lastly, McCain has been out of school for so long now if you think Obama can't remember his seating in the senate, then you must KNOW that McCain doesn't remember any of his schooling (not that he studied or payed attention in the first place).

So in this case, yes I would choose a man with the best grades and the best education in America. Not to mention plenty of actual community service, community experience, civil rights experience and economic experience. I mean, did you not learn anything from electing Bush? I guess not since you obvious want another out-of-date idiot in the white house.

Oh, and don't you worry. Obama supporters will take all the responsibility...for putting your foot in your mouth.
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Geezer and assassination victim

posted 9/03/08 @ 7:45 PM EST

I don't know if someone has pointed this out or not, but both candidates are not likely to make it past their first year of presidency. McCain will most likely die of natural causes and Obama will most likely get assassinated. I mean if people assassinated a president forty years ago who fought for civil rights, how will a black man as president survive? (not racist at all... I am an Obama supporter) We then must look to the VP since there is a low chance of survival for either presidential candidate. Do you want Biden or Palin?
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someones being way too paranoid

posted 9/04/08 @ 11:11 AM EST

Originally posted by

Geezer and assassination victim

 I don't know if someone has pointed this out or not, but both candidates are not likely to make it past their first year of presidency. McCain will most likely die of natural causes and Obama will most likely get assassinated. I mean if people assassinated a president forty years ago who fought for civil rights, how will a black man as president survive? (not racist at all... I am an Obama supporter) We then must look to the VP since there is a low chance of survival for either presidential candidate. Do you want Biden or Palin?


First off, I would imagine that the Secret Service, The Presidential Guard, and all of the other people and services designed to protect the president have progressed a little bit in 40 years. Second, why does everyone think it is inevitable that McCain is going to die? Would he really be running for president if he thought there was a good chance of passing away in the next couple of years? I'm sure someone (a doctor perhaps) might have told him it's a bad idea.
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Zell Miller

posted 9/04/08 @ 12:05 PM EST

Originally posted by

Geezer and assassination victim

 I don't know if someone has pointed this out or not, but both candidates are not likely to make it past their first year of presidency. McCain will most likely die of natural causes and Obama will most likely get assassinated. I mean if people assassinated a president forty years ago who fought for civil rights, how will a black man as president survive? (not racist at all... I am an Obama supporter) We then must look to the VP since there is a low chance of survival for either presidential candidate. Do you want Biden or Palin?



PALIN HANDS DOWN....
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roxy

posted 9/07/08 @ 9:41 AM EST

Originally posted by

Geezer and assassination victim

 I don't know if someone has pointed this out or not, but both candidates are not likely to make it past their first year of presidency. McCain will most likely die of natural causes and Obama will most likely get assassinated. I mean if people assassinated a president forty years ago who fought for civil rights, how will a black man as president survive? (not racist at all... I am an Obama supporter) We then must look to the VP since there is a low chance of survival for either presidential candidate. Do you want Biden or Palin?

Palin No Contest
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Joan

posted 10/04/08 @ 4:26 AM EST

Originally posted by

Geezer and assassination victim

 I don't know if someone has pointed this out or not, but both candidates are not likely to make it past their first year of presidency. McCain will most likely die of natural causes and Obama will most likely get assassinated. I mean if people assassinated a president forty years ago who fought for civil rights, how will a black man as president survive? (not racist at all... I am an Obama supporter) We then must look to the VP since there is a low chance of survival for either presidential candidate. Do you want Biden or Palin?


I like the experience that Biden has. However, when he was in the running he was against Obama and didn't like a number of his programs. Now since Obama selected him as Vice President he has forgotten about their difference. The message I acquired from this turncoat situation tells me he does what is best for him and may not be what is best for the rest of us.
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