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The first thing my girlfriend said to me when I got in the car after my morning classes last Friday was, “I can’t believe John McCain! He chose a woman!”
I immediately switched the radio to the National Public Radio station.
As I listened to the talking heads debate the selection, I thought about how I was both shocked…and not shocked about the announcement.
I was not shocked because I fully expected Sen. McCain to select a woman.
In this
day and age where politics are ruled by decisions meant to one up your
opponent, it was almost foolish to think Sen. McCain would not pick a
woman.
I was shocked, however, because I had no idea who Gov. Palin was.
No one else seemed to know either.
So after talking with my girlfriend, listening to NPR, and doing my own research, I came to a few conclusions.
First, the choice of Gov. Palin is incredibly irresponsible because of her lack of experience.
She has only been the governor of Alaska for a year and a half.
Before being governor, she was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.
As far
as foreign policy experience—well, think about this: when was the last
time you read the headline “Alaska Governor Visits Middle East for
Diplomatic Talks?”
I find
it a tad comical that Sen. McCain chose someone with so little
experience when he has been slamming Barack Obama about his lack of
experience.
It doesn’t add up, especially when you consider the vast experience of Sen. Obama’s vice presidential selection, Joe Biden.
Gov. Palin will be torn apart by Sen. Biden in the vice presidential debate.
It will be like watching a freshman foreign relations major try to debate Noam Chomsky.
The
reason her experience level is so important is because she would be one
heartbeat away from being one of the most powerful people in the world.
And considering Sen. McCain’s age, that is a real concern.
Secondly, the age gap between Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin is large.
Sen. McCain is 72 years old. Gov. Palin is 44.
Why is the age gap a concern? It will be difficult for two people with a 28 year age difference to work collaboratively.
But more
importantly, I fear that Sen. McCain will treat the relationship
paternalistically. I think it is far more likely that Sen. McCain will
treat Gov. Palin like a secretary, rather than a colleague.
Thirdly, former Hillary Clinton supporters won’t buy this move.
I don’t
think it is any mystery to anyone that one of the primary motivations
for Sen. McCain choosing Gov. Palin was a desire to woo some Sen.
Clinton’s supporters, and to make Sen. Obama look bad for not choosing
Sen. Clinton.
This is insulting to Sen. Clinton’s supporters.
They wanted Sen. Clinton to be president because of her qualifications and beliefs, not her sex.
And as
far as I know, Gov. Palin’s selection as vice presidential candidate
did not change the fact that Sen. McCain and Sen. Clinton are
ideological opposites.
Nor did it change the fact Sen. McCain has opposed equal pay for equal work legislation.
Finally, Sen. McCain’s selection of Gov. Palin is an act of desperation.
Sen.
McCain knows his back is up against the wall following the spectacular
performance the Democrats put on at their convention in Denver.
Sen.
McCain also has to deal with the reality that Sen. Obama is one of the
most dynamic presidential candidates in American history.
Sen. McCain is just another boring Republican: a second rate Reagan wannabe.
Let’s be clear: this is not a progressive move by Sen. McCain.
It is a purely political move made by a man desperate to improve his chances of being elected.
Rob Jenkins, a sophomore history major from Rocky Mount, is an intern sports reporter.
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And when did Barack Hussein Obama visit Iraq? Hmmm? Oh yeah, just this July. And he avoided visiting wounded troops over there. The kind of men and women who are giving their lives to defend this country that he was too busy to bother with. Even Gov. Palin visited the troops in 2007. That was over a year ago, not a few months ago.
And so what if you or your girlfriend have never heard of her? I bet you probably don't know anyone who would vote for McCain either. Does that mean he would receive no votes? Get over your self-importance already. How many members of the Obama cult knew who Joe Biden was? And he's been in the Senate for 36 years! I find it comical that the Dems chose someone with so little experience to lead the top of their ticket. I mean, a speech in 2004 and two questionable books are great and all, but President? That's laughable. Even a lot of Dems knows he's bad news. In fact, Joe Biden said so during the presidential. And so did Hillary. And so did...
As for age gaps, uh, Biden (66?) is considerabley older than Obama (47), so can they work together? That's 19 years if you need help. Can you work with people older than yourself? If not, good luck getting a job outside of college. There's lot of folks over 22 out there.
As for believing all 18 million Hillary supporters believed in her because of her great Clintonian accomplishments, come on. She didn't have any. It's safe to say many supported her because she is a woman (I guess) just like Obama has what - 98% of the black vote. You don't think some of that has to do with his half-blackness? You don't think foreign terrorist nations (Iran, N Korea, etc) support him because of his early Islamic background? Please. Light the candle above your head and see the light - as dim as it might be. Or get your girlfriend to do it for you.
And how is Obama so spectacular? What has he accomplished in the US Senate other than running for President? What did he accomplish in the Chicago political machine other than ruining neighborhoods and being beholden to the teachers unions (5.5 hr workday) and Planned Parenthood (Born Alive Infants Act)? What's spectacular about believing that infants that survive abortions should be left to die without treatment or at least comfort?
And no one has ever claimed that McCain is Reaganesque in anyway. He certainly is not as he is not a conservative, yet Obama is quite the liberal - the same ol'trite and condenscending liberal that the Dems trot out every year. And you, Rob, weren't even alive during the Reagan administration so how would you know what he was like? I was fortunate enough to experience it and it was by far greater than anything we've had since.
My suggestion, Rob, is that you turn off NPR, stop reading the Daily Kos or watching John Stewart/MSNBC for your political insight. And broaden your political insights to include, I don't know, facts. And maybe make friends with some non-brain washed Obamunists. You know, maybe some of those bitter gun owning, Bible clinger types.