As a political nominee, Sarah Palin is another Harriet Miers — but worse
August 29th, 2008 at 08:12pm Pat Cunningham
When President Bush chose White House attorney Harriet Miers for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court a few years ago, the nomination was quickly laughed into withdrawal.
Miers, who by all accounts is a fine person, was rightly seen as a mediocrity who lacked any serious qualifications for so important a job.
John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his party’s nominee for the vice-presidency of the United States is even more laughable.
Republicans like to characterize Barack Obama as too inexperienced to serve as the nation’s chief executive. But the Democratic nominee has a veritable wealth of experience compared with Palin.
Never mind Palin’s extreme right-wing views. Let’s just consider her lack of readiness for the post McCain wants her to fill, no matter her ideology.
Here’s a woman who took office only 635 days ago as governor of a state with a population roughly equal to that of Austin, Tex. Before that, she was mayor of a town with a populace less than one-third as large as that of the Rockford suburb of Loves Park. Before that, she was on the City Council.
That’s it. That’s the whole of Sarah Palin’s political resume.
This is the person who would serve as vice president to a man who would be 76 years old at the end of his first term, if he lasted that long. (God forbid that he wouldn’t last, especially with Palin waiting in the wings.)
Until recent days and weeks, Palin was unknown to virtually every major political player in this country, not to mention other countries. If she’s ever even traveled abroad, I can find no record of it. If she’s ever traveled much in America, I’ve yet to read any mention of it. She has no record suggesting that she has anything approaching a sophisticated grasp of the sometimes arcane issues of federal governance.
In short, despite her decidedly conservative opinions on certain matters, Sarah Palin is an empty pantsuit.
She might be a fine mother, a wonderful wife, a woman of great energy and determination and a popular governor.  The news that she likes mooseburgers and is an outdoorswoman, a former beauty queen and the wife of a blue-collar worker might enhance her appeal to some voters. The fact that she’s a woman might make her an important symbol in some people’s minds. But where’s the evidence that she’s even remotely qualified to be vice president?
I think this choice is a desperate gimmick that will blow up in John McCain’s face and doom whatever chance he had to be elected president.
If I’m proven wrong, I’m sure some of you will be more than glad to point it out in highly disparaging terms. That’s OK.
POSTSCRIPT: I wonder what Karl Rove thinks of McCain’s veep choice.
A couple of weeks ago, Rove had a few pointed remarks about the possibility that Obama would pick Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as his running mate. Kaine also is the former mayor of Richmond, Va.
Here’s what Rove said:
“With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he’s been a governor for three years, he’s been able but undistinguished. I don’t think people could really name a big, important thing that he’s done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America. And again, with all due respect to Richmond, Virginia, it’s smaller than Chula Vista, California; Aurora, Colorado; Mesa or Gilbert, Arizona; north Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada. It’s not a big town. So if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, `You know what? I’m really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States?’”
Hmmm. How does Sarah Palin stack up against Tim Kaine in terms of qualifications?
UPDATE: Palin has, in fact, traveled abroad. Last summer, she visited Alaska National Guard troops in Kuwait. The passport she obtained for the trip apparently was her first.Â
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22 Comments Add your own
1. Henry | August 29th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Some women are going to be turned off by the fact she has 5 kids, one of whom has special needs, and is going to be running around the country trying to get elected to a job that will take her around the world. Picking Palin is very poor judgment on McCain’s part, on many levels. I remember the first time he ran, he was asked what he would do to be a better person, and his response was to be a better father and spend more time with his kids. From the party that gave us ‘family values’.
2. Leatherneck | August 29th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I don’t remember that you have ever called Obama a “gimmick” in either his Senate campaign or in this one, although one could easily make that argument.
What you need to point out is that any experience as a governor, even in a small state like Alaska or Vermont, is “executive experience”. She has 2 years as an executive. Yes, I wish it were a little more. But that is 2 years more than what Obama has as an executive.
Of course you are not familiar with Sarah Palin. But anybody who astutely follows politics is familiar with her. They know she is a reformer and a rising star. Her record as a governor for the last 2 years probably trumps Obama’s 4 years in the Senate where he has done absolutely nothing.
Really now- is there ANYBODY whom McCain could have picked for VP that you would have actually liked or praised as a good choice? I think not. You would have found fault with any Republican whom he chose.
3. Pat Cunningham | August 29th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Leatherneck: Tell me about McCain’s executive experience. (Cue the crickets.)
4. Henry | August 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Tom Ridge would have been a better choice and possibly put Pennsylvania into play (except for that pesky Roe v Wade issue).
5. Pat Cunningham | August 29th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
One other thing, Leatherneck. Apparently, you’re not one of those people who, as you put it, “astutely follows politics.” Else, you wouldn’t spout the erroneous Republican talking point that Obama has done “absolutely nothing” in the Senate. Actually, he’s done a lot for a back-bench freshman. Check it out:
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/obamas-senate-accomplishments/#more-6370
Tell me what McCain did during his first term, and then tell me what he’s accomplished in 26 years in the Senate.
6. Bu-wife | August 29th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Thank you, Pat Cunningham! God help us all of the zealous religious right votes Grandpa McCain into the White House with that choice of a back up. In addition to gratuitously being placed a heartbeat away from the presidency without any distinguishable national record, how will her family life be affected by the duties a national executive? I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL SHE DEBATES JOE BIDEN . . . will you pop the popcorn or shall I?
7. Orlando Clay | August 29th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I’m sitting here in Central Florida tonight in total astonishment and bewilderment. All this week, the wingnuts on local AM radio were lamenting about how McCain’s candidacy was doomed if he didn’t select Mitt “Can I sell you a used car?” Romney as his running mate. Today, after El Rushbo declared McCain’s pick of Palin as “inspiring” and “we got the babe on our ticket,” the local wingnuts quickly fell into step and said they’ll now support McCain’s “bold choice for disenchanted Hillary supporters.” Huh? IT IS TRUE….the wingnuts DO indeed take their marching orders from the Maharushie.
8. SpeckleMe | August 29th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Experience? Wasn’t Obama in the IL Senate for 8 years? Why do people forget that? I’m a former Hillary supporter who is now going to support Obama happily. McCain is hoping to pull in disgruntled Hillary supporters and I don’t think it will work. It’s an insult to women. How can someone support Hillary and change their vote to someone who is 180 degrees different? Never made sense to me.
9. Leatherneck | August 29th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Well Pat, I am going to commend you, seriously, for all these Senate accomplishments of Obama have NOT been communicated to voters thus far. And it needs to be out there. All these bills and all these achievements should have been in his speech last night and in all the speeches at the DNC. But instead, here we are hearing about it in an obscure blog.
10. Wobby | August 30th, 2008 at 12:19 am
SpeckleMe - people forget that Obama was in the IL Senate for 8 years because he wasn’t. He was sworn into office in January, 2005, giving him just 3 years, 7 months of experience.
11. Juice | August 30th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Good grief, Pat. She could mop the floor with Obama with experience. But she isn’t runningfor Prez. Obama might be ready if/when he ever achieved anything beyond voting “present” 130 times. How gutless can one be? 130 times? The dems and repubs would be much more equal if the dems would flip the ticket: the experienced guy on top (duh). She blew me away with her speach today. Wow! what a REAL woman!
12. Peter Gunn | August 30th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Another reason NOT to vote McCain
If elected she will be a heartbeat away
from the presidency.
He’s 73 years old and has had the worst
form of skin cancer.
What we have here is a religious fanatic
who will have her finger on the button,
Talk about experience , What a joke !
Biden will have fun with this one.
13. RickA | August 30th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Nice interview on the AK gov in Business Week. She’s right smack dab in the middle of our energy crisis and has fought corruption. i have hope in her. Vote McCain/Palin for change.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/aug2008/db20080829_272692.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_news+%2B+analysis
14. Art | August 30th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Palin has way more executive experience than even Obama. This looks like a landslide victory for McCain to me. Hillary must be livid seeing Palin getting the VP nomination. McCain may only serve one term, then Palin could serve two, and Hitlery Rotten Clintoon will never get her chance!
15. Pat Cunningham | August 30th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Hey, Art. Tell me about McCain’s executive experience.
16. Peter Gunn | August 30th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Quote Pat
“Hey, Art. Tell me about McCain’s executive experience.”
Cue Up The Crickets
17. Optimistic1 | August 30th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Dems seem to be overlooking McCain has to die for Palin to take the reigns, Obama need only take office and lack of experience will rule the country. Tis a pretty short list of POTUS who have died in office one must admit. Reagan was pretty old and got more done than an awful lot of guys his junior. I think McCain would be wise to wear a coat and give a short accepatnce speech if he does give an accepatance speech outdoors!
18. Pat Cunningham | August 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Wobby: You disputed SpeckleMe’s claim that Obama was in the Illinois Senate for eight years. You say “he wasn’t.” You say: “He was sworn into office in January, 2005, giving him just 3 years, 7 months of experience.” But you don’t know what you’re talking about. Obama did, in fact, serve in the Illinois Senate for almost eight years. The timetable to which you refer is his service in the U.S. Senate, not the Illinois Senate. Wake up.
19. SpeckleMe | August 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Wobby said…>
You are wrong. He was in the IL senate from 1997-2004 before his current stint as a US Senator.
20. SpeckleMe | August 30th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
and Hitlery Rotten Clintoon >>
This really negates the whole post. Sounds like something a kid in grade school would say.
21. Disappointed Indy | August 30th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Art, the mayor of Rockford has about the same amount of executive experience of Sarah Palin, but I wouldn’t want him a heartbeat away from the Presidency. It would be nice if we had more to judge Palin on other than the crash course we’re going to get these coming weeks before the general election, but VP choices can sometimes be out of left field and it is presumptive candidate’s prerogative. Perhaps I am being too cynical, but I am not sure that McCain would have made this choice if he were leading in the polls or running against HRC.
22. Craig Knauss | August 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
So how come nobody has mentioned all the “executive experience” that Dick Cheney had? Or how much “national experience” that Bush had before getting elected president? Neither one of them would have been able to trump Obama on either account. But that didn’t stop the knowledgeable far right from electing Bush/Cheney. Besides, there is NO requirement for experience in the Constitution. Just like there is no requirement to wear a flag pin.
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