2008 Woodie Awards
Hot Topics: Executive experience
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Opinions
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While this might make Democrats cringe, the numbers speak for themselves.
Sarah Palin - eight years (two as governor and six as mayor).
Barack Obama - zero (but has organized communities).
Joe Biden - zero (but has served in the Senate for 35 years managing an office of 50 or so employees).
Supporters of Obama would rather attack the McCain-Palin ticket on superficial issues than talk about real issues that will affect the United States for the next four years.
Marc McAfee's Wednesday column, "Choosing Palin a smart move?" avoided talking about real issues, including the price of oil or our role in Iraq, but instead spoke about how Sarah Palin's husband had a DUI 26 years ago.
Another example of Democrats focusing on moot issues is evident in Bobby Andre's Tuesday column "McCain's running mate less qualified than Democrats'" when he focuses on John McCain's age rather than the struggling economy or reforming government.
Change we can believe in, huh?
Let's look at McCain's pick a little closer: In her two years as governor of Alaska, Palin achieved 80 percent approval rating, according to a poll conducted by Hays Research Group, by keeping her campaign causes to stand up to corruption and waste in Alaska.
She sold the state's private airplane on ebay, vetoed more than 300 spending proposals, and she even stopped the work on the Bridge to nowhere.
Palin brings experience in the area of energy policy and gas development that neither Obama nor Biden can match.
She is in favor making the United States less dependent on foreign oil by pursuing development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
While McCain's military and foreign policy experience is irrefutable, Palin also has more experience in this area than Obama. In her role as Governor of Alaska, she was the commander of the Alaska National Guard.
McCain, who has been known as a reformer and maverick, shored up this image by choosing Palin, who has stood up to corruption both as governor and as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission.
Palin's story should be encouraging to all those throughout the United States.
Unlike Obama, who some say has been running for president his entire life, Palin is just a normal "hockey mom" who got involved in politics because she wanted to do the right thing.
- Greg Wilson is a news writer for The Red & Black.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 23
Andy
posted 9/04/08 @ 8:30 AM EST
"and she even stopped the work on the Bridge to nowhere."
So that was AFTER she had gone to Washington to lobby for it, right? Are you saying she's a "flip-flopper"?
Carol
posted 9/04/08 @ 8:43 AM EST
Greg,
Ever since McCain selected Palin as his running mate, I've heard Republicans often use the phrase "executive experience" and emphasize Palin's place as number two on the ticket whereas Obama is the Dem's number one with no "executive experience". (Continued…)
James
posted 9/04/08 @ 9:15 AM EST
Isn't it just amazing how Republican women can be so tough and feminine at the same time whereas the Democrat women come across as linebackers with PMS?
Governor Palin - in four or eight years, you are looking at the first female President of the United States. (Continued…)
zaid
posted 9/04/08 @ 11:04 AM EST
People who didn't know who Palin was a week ago are declaring her as second coming. These wouldn't happen to be desperate hardline McCain supporters would they?
Payton
posted 9/04/08 @ 11:56 AM EST
Let's make this about issues. I want Palin to discuss foreign policy with Joe Biden and touch on issues like nuclear proliferation, the Russian-Georgia conflict, the eradication of terrorist networks in Afghanistan, the stability of Pakistan, and of course the war in Iraq. (Continued…)
Chase
posted 9/04/08 @ 12:00 PM EST
One of the things I really like about Palin compared to Biden is the fact that for the most part, she is a Washington outsider. I believe that she could be a true vice president without having to worry about her actually calling the shots behind the president's back (cough Cheney). (Continued…)
Limay
posted 9/04/08 @ 12:28 PM EST
Nice job at the selective use of facts. Going by your "logic", Palin has more "executive experience" than McCain, therefore, according to your logic she should be running for President. (Continued…)
hmxb
posted 9/04/08 @ 12:42 PM EST
I like this packaging of Gov. Palin, who directs the Alaska National Guard in times of natural disaster and state emergency (which did not occur under her watch), as if she were some commander of the "Armies of Alaska" making tactical decisions. (Continued…)
James Dustin Baker
posted 9/04/08 @ 1:03 PM EST
Why does executive experience even matter? Do you know who had executive experience; Georgie Bush, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon. Do you know who did not have executive experience; Abe Lincoln. (Continued…)
Durwood
posted 9/04/08 @ 1:33 PM EST
I was going to point out that she was for the "Bridge to Nowhere" until the idea was laughed out of the neighborhood in Washington, but that was already done for me. (Continued…)
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