Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thinking about attacking Sarah Palin
Power Line has a nice round-up of pictures of Sarah Palin and her family, which tend to reinforce her personal appeal and the hard truth that she is probably not ready to be president on "day one."
Palin's inexperience is certainly risky, a point Andrew Sullivan has been pounding at so relentlessly and comprehensively that one is forced to wonder whether partisanship has not gotten the better of him. (There are too many posts to link individually; go to August 29 in his archives and scroll down to get a sense of it.)
The question for Democrats will be how best to make this point. There is the obvious problem that it reminds people that in Barack Obama they have nominated somebody of very little experience as well. Andrew Sullivan believes that any comparison between the two of them is "ludicrous," arguing that beating the Clintons constitutes experience, or at least demonstrates Obama's abilities, and there is truth in that. We will soon see whether Palin has similar, or at least comparable, abilities. The early evidence is that she is an exceedingly talented politician, at least in her context.
The truth is, if the measure of "experience" is as Andrew Sullivan suggests -- the ability to wage and survive a presidential campaign -- we will get at least some sense of Sarah Palin in the next two months. Not only will she have to make it through her speech in St. Paul, but Palin will have to debate Joe Biden. Whether or not she "wins" or gets through gaffe-free, we will all see how she handles at least one kind of pressure.
Come to think of it, Sarah Palin should immediately challenge Joe Biden to three or four debates, rather than the one that has already been scheduled. Given the huge bet that the McCain campaign has placed on her, why not split the hand?
The other problem for Democrats is that the "insufficient experience" argument is one that runs a grave risk of infuriating large numbers of women. To many of them, it is the argument that men trot out to deny women -- many of whom took time off to start families -- professional advancement when their abilities and performance qualify them. And snarky shots at Palin's beauty pageant experience will also get Obama into hot war (evidence of the low road?). Attacks on Palin's qualifications will have to be precisely on key or they will hurt Obama.
There is also the question of history. The sainted and none-too-healthy Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt picked Henry Wallace as his running mate in 1940. Here the United States was being drawn inexorably into a world at war, and apart from being an Iowan Wallace's only relevant experience was as Roosevelt's Secretary of Agriculture. Thomas Marshall, Woodrow Wilson's running mate, had served as governor of Indiana for less than three years. When George McGovern offered Walter Mondale a seat on his ticket in 1972, Mondale had served only one term in the Senate (perhaps he proved his wisdom by turning McGovern down). [DOH! I can't believe I forgot John Edwards! Maybe he really was sucked down a black hole...] Point is, Democrats great and lame have chosen running mates who were no more qualified than Sarah Palin.
The final response is that Palin actually has executive experience, which McCain and Obama (and Biden) only have in the management of political campaigns. Democrats, who have many fewer executives (whether business executives or military officers) in their ranks, tend to discount the importance of executive experience, as do most journalists. I do not discount it, and wish that all four major party candidates had more of it. That said, tons of executive experience did not save the Bush administration from poor decisions.
Speaking of the Bush administration, the Palin and Biden selections suggest a curious reversal of attitude about the Vice Presidency. Barack Obama has essentially praised the Cheney model (without labeling it as such). Obama, before he had announced his selection of Joe Biden:
Obama, 47, has said he does not want merely a ceremonial vice president, but is seeking an integral cog in his governing machine.
"I'm not interested in a vice president who I send off to go to funerals," he told NBC television last month. "I want somebody who is going to roll up their sleeves and be willing to work."
Obama got his Dick Cheney in Joe Biden. At the risk of committing precisely the sexism I warned of above, it certainly seems as though Sarah Palin is no Dick Cheney (for starters, she's almost certainly a better shot).
Release the hounds.
MORE: I'd be remiss if I did not link to Mark Steyn's hilarious post on the Palin nomination, which manages to do in a funny way all the things that the Obama camp will worry about doing in a serious way.
17 Comments:
By 
, at
Sat Aug 30, 07:29:00 AM:
Running a campaign is the right sort of experience to be President? That's like saying someone who pulls off a great wedding is sure to be a huge success in the marriage.
Running for President and Being President are two entirely different things. And I don't see how experience doing the first is going to help much with the latter.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 07:42:00 AM:
The Obama campaign has been running on training wheels and Obama no more controls it that a 3-year old controls his first tricycle while mommy & daddy hold on and steer. The main difference between Obama and 3-year-old is hat the child is more likely toi be aware of help she or he receives and to benefit from it in the future. Obama has no such clue.
This, of course, is what addled Sullivan calls "experience."
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 08:35:00 AM:
She does manlier things than most men, hunting, fishing, stuff like that.
In the Obama-Biden camp, you have two pretty boys who are more worried about their coif or pocket square than the substance and logic of what they're mouthing off about.
I'm just waiting for the gloves to come off, and suggest that what Obama supports is four more years of the failed policies of Jimmy Carter. Rob the rich, give to the worthless pieces of crap who're too lazy to give to themselves. Send all the would-be workers to college to make them feel better, like giving welfare rats credit cards so they don't feel the public sting of using the freebie.
In the meantime, hack off the working people, by suggesting all they need is college to make them matter. My dad provided more to his family swinging a hammer than most "professionals", and I've always been proud of him.
The measure of the character of a candidate is in the body of experiences, tough choices, and associations. By that measure, Obama doesn't deserve to be on the same stage as McCain.
By 
D.E. Cloutier, at
Sat Aug 30, 08:50:00 AM:
"Andrew Sullivan has been pounding at so relentlessly and comprehensively that one is forced to wonder whether partisanship has not gotten the better of him."
Last night I had the same reaction to Sullivan's hissy fit.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 08:59:00 AM:
Let me see - A part-ime "community organizer" and part-time Law School Teacher, when he was not a Part-time State Representative...A man who essentially has not had a real job until he took his Senate role three and a half years ago is going to question the experience of a successful working mom with five kids? I have little doubt just the experience she has had as a mom already makes her more qualified than Mr. Obama, nevermind all of the good she has done in each of those jobs (which by the way is quite impressive in such a short time.)
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 09:33:00 AM:
Here's your GOP talking point:
"INEXPERIENCE TRUMPS INCOMPETENCE EVERY TIME......"
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 10:01:00 AM:
I trust that McCain will pick up the "change" banner. Palin represents more "change" than we've seen in a long time.
Sulli is wrong; it wasn't Hussein who beat the Clintions, it was her poor early game plan and the left wing media/ It was the press that beat the Clintons and for that, we owe them a great debt.
Finally, the election could be settled in one debate when either Hussein or Biden refers to Palin as "honey" or "sweetie."
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 10:51:00 AM:
Sarah Palin has exposed the hatred that drives the Democratic Party these days, and that is a great thing. I had a long, heated discussion with some Democratic friends of mine on Thursday and it hurt to see how little substance there was to their arguments. To sum up a 3 hour discussion. "We need change" and "we hate Bush (who isn't running!?)". We watched Obama's speech, now we are going to watch McCain's. I will see if they have managed to grow by then.
I agree with Anon- many Democrats gave Obama a pass when he called a female reporter "sweetie" instead of answering her question, we will now see if he and Biden can grow up a little before the election.
Did Obama ever give that reporter an interview like he said he would?
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 11:09:00 AM:
McCain is using the same tactics I would expect of a combat pilot: do the unexpected and try to give yourself the advantage in the current fight.
Sarah Palin is a perfect choice for several reasons, based on what I've seen and read so far. She's a kick-ass type of leader who knows what she wants and how to get it (that in itself probably appealed to McCain). Being female she stands at least a chance of attracting disaffected Hillary supporters. Hillary supporters likely would like to see an Obama loss so that their gal can have another shot at the prize in 2012. The only female type I would consider for POTUS is a Margaret Thatcher type. I haven't seen many of those in the USA, but Palin looks to be one. She seems to have inner toughness; the campaign will reveal that soon enough. As far as experience goes, she has more time in an executive seat than any of the other three in the mix (if you count McCain's Navy time, he has the most executive experience and Palin comes in second). In any case I'd prefer a state governor with a year and a half on the job to a one-term senator with no track record to speak of. His only track record in the Illinois legislature is his tendency to vote "PRESENT" than to actually take a stand on the issues up for a vote. That in itself is a sign of weakness.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 11:16:00 AM:
>>>>The final response is that Palin actually has executive experience, which McCain and Obama (and Biden) only have in the management of political campaigns.
--------------------------
McCain commanded the largest air squadron in the Navy and earned that squadron's first Meritorious Unit Commendation.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 11:20:00 AM:
Executive experience AND results.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 11:22:00 AM:
"...one is forced to wonder whether partisanship has not gotten the better of him"
Partisanship long ago got the better of him. Sullivan has established himself as a partisan hack in the true sense of the term. His stuff is much pretty indistinguishable from James Carville's except for the addition of homosexual boosterism.
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 11:36:00 AM:
I have been rooting for this pick for a few months. Putting aside the deficiencies of Obama and Biden for a moment, the question I have about Gov. Palin is can she survive in the big leagues? And maybe also, does she study history?
She will be tested in these areas. I can sense already that noses are turning up. I am still rooting for her. She's everything the rest of the world absolutely loves and hates about us. What a classic.
By Jamie Irons, at
Sat Aug 30, 03:25:00 PM:
I wonder if I may be an example of a demographic, of uncertain size, the "PUMA male."
Lifelong Dem, but voted for Bush in '04 because I thought he was serious about the war and Kerry was (is) an idiot. First time ever I voted for a Republican.
Was unenthusiastic about Mr. McCain, who seemed (until yesterday) mostly gratified by pissing off his base. But I probably would have voted for him reluctantly, because I think BO is a nonentity.
If Hillary had won the Democratic primaries, I would have voted for her in the general.
But Sarah Palin appeals strongly to me as a bedrock American, a self-made person, a person of independent mind, and as a very attractive woman.
OK, so the last part makes me shallow. A typical man. But the other qualities -- I just don't see any of those on the Democratic ticket.
Jamie Irons
By , at
Sat Aug 30, 03:28:00 PM:
Palin caused trouble in Alaska because she kicks out those men who lack integrity.
Her actions gathered wrath from all sides of the Alaska political circus. She didn't mind at all and continues to clean up the state enforcing integrity and the existing laws. She doesn't play favorites.
I doubt that she would be pushed around on Capital Hill or anywhere else around the world.
Dave
By Unknown, at
Sat Aug 30, 07:32:00 PM:
OK - posted the comment below in your latest post before I read this post. Still does not hurt to repeat the Edwards point.
***
Maybe it will help to fight sexism if people judge her by the same criteria as the men: who they are on paper & who they are in person.
After all, JE was the VP candidate in 2004 - and on paper his only experience was as a one term USA Senator. However, as a person - people felt a connection to him and to what he had to say. Plus, in 2008 he was considered as serious a 'top tier' candidate for President as BO or HRC - and he still had the same level of experience.
Then there is the fact that in 2008 JB was selected in part because of his to-be-hoped connection with rural, working class, 'Regan Democrat' voters. I could see SP doing the same.
By , at
Mon Sep 01, 02:35:00 AM:
.
This is going to be fun. History will be made, one way or another, and it looks more likely now that it will be the right history.
Even more Hillary supporters will go for McCain now. Obama is no longer a near certainty. Heaven forbid something happens to McCain, but I believe Palin would rise to the occasion. She has the right attitude. Everyone knows Obama is NOT ready for POTUS, Palin is only for the VP. Look at Dan Quayle.
YEY SARAH PALIN! YEY John McCain! Great pick! The 1st woman for the GOP VP? SCORE!
She's conservative! SCORE! She's a Governor! SCORE! She's pro-drilling! She's a hunter! SCORE! She's a hockey Mom and played basketball in school! SCORE! She's pro-life! And she respects women! SCORE! She fights corruption! SCORE! She's high-energy! SCORE! She's tough! SCORE! She's got 5 kids! SCORE! Her son is going to Iraq in the Armed Forces! SCORE! She's married to a Blue-collar professional! SCORE! She's smart! SCORE! She's young! SCORE!
And she's a Hotty to boot! SCORE! The Left is going to go nuts! SCORE!
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
never elect a woman
who's a conservative
she's just a gender traitor
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
just HOPE to pay more taxes
DREAM about high fuel prices
CHANGE PROGRESS to move backwards
.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech, there can be no real freedom.
.
Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
.
Help Halt Terrorism Today!
.
USpace
:)
.
