Obama Camp: Palin Has 'Zero Foreign Policy Experience'
The Obama campaign is not giving an inch when it comes to John McCain choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. In a statement released a few minutes ago, there was no warm language about the first female Republican vice presidential nominee, just a straightforward hit. From Obama spokesman Bill Burton:
"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush's failed economic policies -- that's not the change we need, it's just more of the same."
UPDATE: Here's Chuck Schumer on Palin:
"After the great success of the Democratic convention, the choice of Sarah Palin is surely a Hail Mary pass. It is a real role of the dice and shows how John McCain, Karl Rove et al realize what a strong position the Obama-Biden team and Democrats in general are in in this election. Certainly the choice of Palin puts to rest any argument about inexperience on the Democratic team and while Palin is a fine person, her lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling. I particularly look forward to the Biden-Palin debate in Missouri."
It's hard to believe that McCain would think that just by putting a woman on the ticket he could woo disaffected Hillary supporters. Is that what he thinks of women's intelligence? That they would overlook Palin's radical anti-abortion, anti-contrceptive (she has five children, after all), anti-environment and pro-oil positions, just because of her gender? Perhaps McCain thinks the ladies can't be bothered to consider Palin's utter lack of foreign policy experience since they're only concerned with "home" issues? Not only would Palin be heartbeat away from the presidency, but this particular heartbeat is going to be 72 1/2 years old when it assumes office. Do we really want someone so young and inexperienced in the White House? Right back at you, McCain.
I would rather have an inexperienced VP than an inexperienced President.
Does John Mccain think all women are the same, interchangeable? He was climbing in the polls! What was he thinking? She's under investigation for trying to have an ex-relative fired from his job as state trooper, she's spent more than any gov in the history of Alaska, and she's spending on petrol for the FUTURE. Disastrous for his campaign.
The strongest argument from R to D was the experience issue. The Republicans just lost the election.
Anonymous #1 - Uh, having 5 kids doesn't make you anti-contraceptives. My mother has 4 kids and had a miscarriage, and has been on the pill since the '70s. Also, Palin threatened to kick Exxon out of Alaska, so how does that make her pro-oil companies?
Anonymous #2 - NO KIDDING! Obama's team saying that Palin is inexperienced is so very amusing.
Desperation on the part of Senator McCain. 2 years as the governor of Alaska, a state with less than half the population the borough of Manhattan has. That qualifies her to step in as president in case the 72-year old McCain wins the election?
Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton. It will not work. For more on this, see post at:
http://www.reflectivepundit.com
To the first person who commented: What makes you think that the only reason he chose Palin was to win over Hillary supporters? I think he made a great choice. Yes, she is a little bit inexperienced, but has more than Obama. And like the second person wrote, I would rather have an inexperienced VP than inexperienced President... I think she will even him out, and will truly help America. If Obama would have chosen Hillary, the race would have been his, but his pride stepped in the way, and did not want to admit he needed her help...
I guess I'll be voting for Nader again.
Palin has more experience than Obama, while she was serving as a mayor,Obama was a community organizer. Additionally, the Obama campaign should have learned that belittling the accomplishments of bright, intelligent women can have dire consequences.
Give me a break people. Gov Palin was mayor for 4 years while Obama was a State senator for 8 years. She is now a governor and he is a national Senator. Although he has some Foreign policy experience, she has none. Women will not vote for some one just because that person is a woman. That person has to hold and fight for the rights of women. To compare and contrast accomplishments is not belittling, it is what it is. If women and men are to be equal, we should be able to judge one's accomplishments or lack of without the feeling of being called sexist.
Palin is proof that women will not be limited because of the man's design of the glass ceiling. I can't wait to hear all the criticism due to the fact that she is woman: yet, if criticism was given to Obama for being black it would be a whole different story. The facts are: she has been to Iraq as many times as Obama. She deals with the Russian government in Alaska. She took on big oil companies and won (does that make her pro-oil?). She is for drilling, but doing it in a responsible way. After all, the area she wants open for drilling is the size of LAX. Get the facts. She is a true Conservative : Amen to that. She is the mother of a disabled child and an advocate of early education. She has just as much experience as Obama and his VP, if not more with the two of them put together. She has energized the race. I was on the fence in my vote for McCain, but she has sealed my vote. I will vote for McCain and I believe Palin was a fresh choice. Because I am most concerned with ethics and accountability in government, it further impresses me that Palin took on accountability with both Repubicans and Democrats: she is not afraid of men on EITHER side of the aisle...she holds them both accountable and for once and for all: we need to hold our government accountable and demand ethical leadership.
If you so concerned with ethics in government, why not mention that Palin is under an ethics investigation by the Republican-held Alaskan state goverment?
I find it amusing that the Obama camp is touting her inexperience. Do they really want to play that card?? These people can't be serious. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black (no pun intended), this tops them all. I realize this is a tough person to attack, and the Obama camp wants to find something to work with, but inexperience is not the way to go. As an independent, I think she is as solid of a VP choice as there can be and I will probably vote for the GOP this election.
I Totally agree, are people crazy! They're worried about a VP with no experience...yet they're falling down head over heals to elect a President of the United States of America with ZERO experience. Zero, experience running anything mind you. Doesn't that scare you?
None of them have the exact experience before heading into the White House for the first time. Being the President of the United States is position that no one can really prepare for because it's like no other. That's why good sound judgment is more important than anything! I rather have someone with intelligence and good judgment than someone who's 72 years-old, not in the best of health, who's for the war and who's judgment has been wrong again in choosing an obscure 44-year-old first-term governor of Alaska, of all places with no foreign affairs experience. If McCain does win, God forbid he falls ill, she will be in charge!
Her experience: she was mayor of a town that's smaller than the borough of Brooklyn and the Governor of ALASKA, and a journalism major from the University of Idaho. Not knocking the University of Idaho, but come on! NOW THAT'S SCARY!!
This is vintage John McCain. You expect him to walk through the door and say, "This is my new business partner", or "This is my new adopted son (so to speak)". No, he walks through the door and says, "Kids, this is your new mom." Could you really have expected anything else out this guy?
I'm not totally happy with the idea, but I'm not the only element in the electorate. There are any number of people out there who are highly undiscerning, and aren't going to worry about Sarah Palin's inexperience. Then there are the Clinton women who feel "dissed" by the Obama steamroller. Then there are those who want someone on one of tickets who is other than a white, male and protestant, and of Anglo-Celtic or Northern European descent. All of them are given a peg to hang their hats on now.
By picking an acolyte, McCain challenges the "age" issue head on, making a statement that he fully expects to complete his term if elected. Or if "something" does happen, it will later rather than sooner.
By picking someone from Alaska, an energy producing state, he puts the promise of a muscular energy policy on the table.
I have said, edgy Republicans win. McCain was a good choice in the first place because he was edgier than all of the other Republicans, except perhaps Rudy Guiliani. Now he taken the edgy road in his vice presidential selection.
All in all, I doubt Palin was the best choice. But given the amount of behind-the-scenes political technology that seems to exist today, she may have been the best to help the ticket win. Trying to win, that's an edgy idea. Right?
This is vintage John McCain. You expect him to walk through the door and say, "This is my new business partner", or "This is my new adopted son (so to speak)". No, he walks through the door and says, "Kids, this is your new mom." Could you really have expected anything else out this guy?
I'm not totally happy with the idea, but I'm not the only element in the electorate. There are any number of people out there who are highly undiscerning, and aren't going to worry about Sarah Palin's inexperience. Then there are the Clinton women who feel "dissed" by the Obama steamroller. Then there are those who want someone on the ticket who is other than a white, male and protestant, and of Anglo-Celtic or Northern European descent. All of them are given a peg to hang their hats on now.
By picking an acolyte, McCain challenges the "age" issue head on, making a statement that he fully expects to complete his term if elected. Or if "something" does happen, it will later rather than sooner.
By picking someone from Alaska, an energy producing state, he puts the promise of a muscular energy policy on the table.
I have said, edgy Republicans win. McCain was a good choice in the first place because he was edgier than all of the other Republicans, except perhaps Rudy Guiliani. Now has taken the edgy road in his vice presidential selection.
All in all, I doubt Palin was the best choice. But given the amount of behind-the-scenes political technology that seems to exist today, she may have been the best to help the ticket win. Trying to win, that's an edgy idea. Right?
One other quick observation.
The democrats say that this election is about understanding people in small town america. Yet their criticism of Palin is that she was the Mayor of a small town and this counts as 0 experience. So why do they disparage small town Americans as unqualified.
The democrats say that this election is about understanding people in small town america. Yet their criticism of Palin is that she was the Mayor of a small town and this counts as 0 experience. So why do they disparage small town Americans as unqualified.
I don't know if it was necessarily being edgy, it feels more desperate to me...so basically she's just going to be a symbol, with no real influence...way to go McCain! and on top of that she's touting that women will still have the opportunity to break the glass ceiling if he's elected, but she's just being used. She isn't going to be someone he'll respect the opinion of because she lacks the experience. Now, if he had chosen a woman like Hillary Clinton let's say, someone who is respected, experienced, extremely smart, very competent and a great leader, then as a woman, my vote that was going to go to Hillary would go to him possibly, because then I would know he wasn't just playing the game or he wasn't trying to be "edgy," but he was genuinely concerned about having the best teammate, so he can deliver the best possible results for the American people. So I think it's great that he chose a woman,and I am glad that he did, I just wish he had chosen a more qualified woman. I suspect, many will see right through this.
Sorry to break the news. Politics is political. McCain has a lot to run against. Not just Barack Obama, but Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. He needs his own tag team. Next, he's going to step up and say that Mitt Romney will have a major position if he is elected, maybe defense, state or treasury. Just watch.
You're entitled to your opinions, but I know Mike Field, and you're no Mike Field!
McCain is a danger to the American people. He is lost, lost, lost .
Pray for the Republican they have lost their mind like the one that they have chosen to represent them.
Well said. I agree.
Could someone please tell me the difference between a “Senator” and a “National Senator”? (I mean really, please!)
From reading various blogs today, I can tell that Obama supporters and Obama himself are worried, as they should be. Hillary Clinton was treated poorly by Obama and his supporters and now it’s time to pay the price. Obama’s arrogance will be his doing.
As for experience; could someone tell me how many people where in the town Obama or Biden where mayor of? How many have they governed?
How are you going to “change” Washington with someone that has been a senator longer than McCain? Isn’t the best way implement change is to bring someone outside the beltway?
I was a hardcore democrat until Obama defined me (or my area) as being “bitter with antipathy for people different…” Then at his American Idol like convention, his spokes people said that people like me needed to get behind and support Obama and get over it or go home. So, now I am an Independent who just decided to vote McCain. And there are many more like me.
I can tell by Obama’s first response (much difference from his flip flop second) he is worried. Obama may make history, but I don’t think it will be the first black president. That honor should go to someone more deserving.
Sounds to me like a couple of you are quite afraid of this ticket. You are probably just jealous that future president McCain stole the thunder out of your convention. I think this is a great ticket!
Meh. McCain picked Danielle Quayle.
Obama for President? Yeah right! America really needs a 60's radical, pro baby killing, racist church member, no backbone novice running the country.
While every presidential hopefull has the right to choose their veep the McCain camp dropped the ball on this one. You know the republican party cheered with excitement when he introduced Palin as his pick but everyone knows in the minds they were thinking who the hell is this. No one has a clue who she is and what she would bring to the table but you have to put up this false impression that you are happy when you know you really are not. It was not the point of picking a woman but picking Hillary Clinton and what she stood for and what she wanted to do for America, not just the fact that she was a female. McCain chose the most likely candidate he did and no one would have thought but it was the wrong choice.
I was on the fence with both parties. However, after this afternoon I am in full support of McCain!! Brilliant move! Obama needs to tell his advisors to back off the argument of inexperience, considering his LACK of experience. (it was nicely stated earlier, I would much rather a VP with less experience the the President)
Bravo !!! That is exactly the point-inexperience a heart beat away or inexperience in the heart of the Presidency!