Why McCain's choice Palin is truly frightening
Submitted by Paul Cornett on August 29, 2008 - 11:20pm.
National Security
It may be John McCain's birthday, but it seems like he's the one giving out gifts today. The selection of Palin doesn't simply, as others have pointed out, undermine the notion that Obama is too inexperienced to be president; it gives Obama the chance to actually take the edge on national security while making John McCain's age a central issue of the campaign.
Whatever the political calculations involved in picking a veep, the most important qualification for the vice presidency is the ability to assume the presidency in a crisis. Given that of the last 12 presidents, three have either died or resigned, this is hardly a hypothetical consideration--in fact, given that McCain is 72, it is a very real consideration. Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and Gerald Ford all faced multiple foreign policy crises immediately upon assuming office, whether it was the onset of the Cold War, the North's invasion of South Korea, the Vietnam War, or the withering of détente and the resulting increase in nuclear tension with the Soviet Union. The next president will have to finish the denuclearization of North Korea; prevent the nuclearization of Iran; organize a departure from Iraq that maintains some level of stability; defeat a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan; establish, nurture, and make the most of a relationship with Pakistan's new leaders; and confront a revanchist Russia while preserving and enhancing its cooperation on nonproliferation and climate change--to say nothing of working with India, China, or our allies.
Could Sarah Palin conceivably manage this task? Her tenure as a small-town mayor and Alaska governor has given her no foreign policy experience whatsoever. True, Obama has little foreign policy experience either, as McCain and others have pointed out again and again. But during his time in national office he has demonstrated a clear commitment to the most pressing issues in American foreign policy. Take nuclear proliferation. Early in his tenure on the Foreign Relations Committee, Obama joined Richard Lugar's efforts to secure weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union. Obama's first trip abroad as senator was to Russia and Ukraine to learn more about those efforts firsthand. In 2007, he cosponsored legislation with Senator Chuck Hagel calling for ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and negotiation of a fissile material cut-off treaty. And he was the first major presidential candidate to embrace the steps laid out in 2007 by Sam Nunn, Bill Perry, George Shultz, and Henry Kissinger through which the United States would fight nuclear terrorism, reinvigorate the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons.
Perhaps more important than the experience they embodied, these efforts demonstrate that Obama has a worldview. Obama recognizes the greatness and uniqueness of the United States, but he does not translate that exceptionalism into dominance or isolationism as conservatives often have. Instead, he sees it as the basis for U.S. leadership. He has laid out that worldview in myriad speeches and articles, and he has surrounded himself with pragmatists who have a record of translating that understanding of America's role into concrete gains for our national security. By contrast, there is no indication that Palin has even shades of a foreign policy worldview; a Nexis search doesn't turn up a single article that she has written on international affairs.
McCain undoubtedly thinks he has his national security bases covered; picking Palin shows that, unlike
"An Astonishingly Arrogant VP Selection"
The New Republic
Obama, he doesn't need an eminence grise like Biden to add heft to his ticket. But surely McCain recognizes that Palin may have to fill his shoes someday. By choosing her anyway, he has demonstrated hubris well beyond anything Obama has displayed on his most arrogant day: a belief that he can master unforeseen circumstances, physical and otherwise, that are well beyond his control. This is insulting and dangerous and suggests that McCain may want to think twice before accusing Obama of putting his personal ambition ahead of the national interest.
No doubt Michelle is right that the Obama-Biden team will have to be careful attacking Palin's frighteningly thin resume and tenuous grasp of foreign policy. But surely a campaign that has been charged with being too naïve to manage rogue state dictators can have a bit of fun with the idea that a one-time Miss Congeniality could effectively face down Vladimir Putin, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or Kim Jong Il. Surely, Obama's "eight is enough" quip ought to apply not only to President Bush's economic and foreign policy travesties, but to the elevation of mediocrity that has characterized his appointment of Michael Brown to FEMA and his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court. And surely we can agree that if the McCain campaign was desperate to transparently court voters put off by Hillary Clinton's loss, there is no dearth of women with far greater intellectual, executive, and political abilities--abilities that would allow them to assume the presidency in a heartbeat.
That is if you buy into the premise that Obama is any more experienced to lead then Palin who would be the Vice President, not President.
Their political experiences are comparable. The fact that he can orate in an MLK manner and make women faint at his rallies doesn't add up to experience.
foreign relations committe? he has been
involved with proliferation of nuclear
materials
has has voted on numerous acts of congress
involving national security
he was smart enough/wise enough to come
out against IWR (like General Clark did)
what portion of her experience is comparable?
`you do not like Obama, that's ok
but it seemes to me his clarity on those issues
is a heell of a lot better than mccain's
for the good of the country
so Palin adds what? no, I disagree with you--she
is a much bigger unknown than Obama
and she prolly wants to stay in Iraq until
we achieve a mccain victory--maybe someone could
ask her what that means?!!!
anyhow, reasonable minds can disagree in a democracy
taht's what Novemebr is all about
Obama hasn't proved his national security case yet, and neither has mccain---and mccain does NOT get
a free pass
Bill (from RI)
What did Obama do on that commitee? Did he hold a single meeting on Iraq etc..? It appear he rode Dick Lugar's coat tails on the nuclear proliferation issue.
He made it into Harvard on his own, and he became the first African Anerican to head up the Law Review there. He made it through the mine field of Chicago politics. He impressed Democrats enough to make him the key note speaker in 2004. He impressed Americans enough then to give him a national buzz.
Obama got plenty of endorsements from people who understand politics and leadership at the highest levels. Many endorsed him when people like Biden Edwards and Clinton were still in the race.
Obama has been swimming in the same pool, dealing with all of the same high priority national and international issues as every American leader for several years now. He has been briefed by experts daily. Obama keeps demonstrating that he can rise to the occaision. He did just fine meeting with Iraq and European leaders. He put together a winning national campaign for President and did at least as well as Hillary Clinton no matter how you count votes. He's held his own in debagtes with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, even if he did not win them.
Obama has demonstrated that he has what it takes to win the respect of peers at the highest levels of world leadership. We know nothing of the sort with Palin who doesn't even have positions on most major international issues.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0609.larson.html
Your arguments distill down to perceptions and opinions. The GOP apparently feels that Palin is a rising star with leadershio qualities.
you now trust the gop/republicans, kkkarl rove and the rest more then you do the Democrats who have stoof for the rights of the PEOPLE more then the rethugs have?
Give Me A Break.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
Doesn't warrant down-rating. He/she is making a legitimate response to Tom's comment about Obama's associations in the Senate. He might have added that Lieberman was his mentor.
As I think I suggested before, you really need to read the rules about karma ratings.
The AA moniker if all the hype is to believe should hold no water. He trancends race.
He held his own against his senior competitors with the aid of a large faction of the party and media holding him aloft.
When is the last time you can recall three super delagate of a state, two senators and a Governor, going on a nation-wide campaign tour for another candidate the week before the states primary when statewide polls show the other candidate leading by 30 points, As happened up here in MAssachusetts. This is the blatant rigging of a campaign and an uhealthy and undemocratic bias that deserves a response via what is left of the voting privliges of many.
Well, Central, those three SuperDs have every right to speak up for their choice and try to influence their constituents to do likewise, no matter how wrong they are.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Make America All It Can Be!
Never the less. There are cases across the country from Michigan, Florida, and numerous causus states where democratic voters do like the smell of this. Along with media bias that makes what happened with Bush in 2000 and 2004 pale in comparison. If there is still a unity problem, it is for very good reasons.
but only IF you're prepared to hand your children/grandchildren and greats over to John McCain's "100 year war". Sarah Palin will surely be the CiC of their times.
groovy
instead you would rather have more of the same and possibly worse by voting for mcsame?
amazing.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
i think a fair case can be made that McCain, or any other individual, is not the same as Bush. Loyality to the CIC, particularly when he is from your own party is at times necessary.. As is at times tough talk w/potential enemies who are much more likely to be playing you for a fool if you enter into a seemingly productive discussion/negotition then dealing straight. Iran uses any opening given them to make amedia crcus out of the event.
McCain is clearly on the record for opposing the way the war was conducted. He also stated publically that Runsfeld should step down. He also pushed and supported the troop surge which by many measures has been sucessfull. All the nuance about the awakening happening before the surge in my mind is lame. I posted a link from Micahel Wares website the other day where he talks about the undeniable success of the surge.I also posted a link weeks ago from a pair of Iraqi bloggers known to tell it like it is who stated the same.
The argument that it was the political and or diplomatic effort not the miltary component that has resulted in calm is also bogus. It is part of the surge and counterinsugency tactics that are part of it.
I'll make the case that if we had pulled out the troops rather the implement the surge, we would have not achieved the level of stability that we have now. McCain's decison making process was good here at a very critical point in the war.
Like many I have a relative in the military. He did a year tour in Afghanistan. He is likely to have to do another at one location or another.
I'm not overly interested in making a case of a former state senators opinion as being pertinent to his future safety. There is misuse of our miltray and proper use. This realtive of mine was invloved in what I think is one of the more productive efforts in Afgahnistan.
I feel that if we had begun a 16 month witdrawl at the time that we instead implemented the surge, Iraq would be in a state of civil war and chaos right now. We would be heading back in there and would have sacificed the incremental progress and a sacrifice of the people who fought for it.
There is no doubt that mismanagement got many men and women killed or injured. That doesn't mean that proper management can't change the course as it has.
"Re: I never thought I would see the day...
Submitted by Barry_NJ on August 29, 2008 - 10:29pm.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that.
On the plus side I'm saving time since I don't have to go searching the net for McCain's talking points. :)"
Barry
as individuals to support who they chose. Just like you are doing in supporting mcsame. But... supporting and pushing for mcsame here on Wes Clark's blog is wrong!
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
Barack Obama has been the subject of more intense scrutiny than any presidential candidate in my entire lifetime and has managed to remain on his feet. McCain has been given a pass for years by "his base" <--- our so-called liberal press and that's an acknowledged fact.
That's not likely to be the case for McCain's ill-chosen running mate.
I believe he was chair of a subcommittee of the Foreign Relations Committee. This subcommittee included as its most important subject, Afghanistan. He has convened exactly ZERO meetings in the entire time he was chair. It would be interesting to know just how many meetings of the FRC that he attended, since he began running for president very soon after coming to the Senate. Like the kid who misses 50% of his classes, I dare say he is not too well schooled on FP issues.
On his lofty claim to promote equal pay for equal work, all one has to do is compare how many women are on his staff and how they are compared to the men with McCain's or even Hillary's staff. He loses with either one. I'll bet when this was published the women on his staff didn't react well!
Many women on his staff. Obama is not afraid of powerful women.
Now mccain? Calls his wife a trollup and a c_nt? mccain who laughs at and agrees with the question of an old woman who calls Hillary a B-tch? Oh yeah... isn't he great!?
hm.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
Due to the fact that Joe Biden, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee was holding hearings on Afghanistan, which Senator Obama attended, there was really no need for subcommittee hearings on Afghanistan.
Just how many 'redundant' subcommittee hearings on Afghanistan would you prefer to see your tax-dollars allotted to?
exactly?
Obama was chairman of the subcommittee on Europe. As such, he had responsibility for relations with NATO when they were planning to deploy troops to Afghanistan. Thus is was his responsibility to hold meetings on NATO participation and readiness. But he was too busy campaigning.
Obama at least knows what McCain's plan for Iraq is, and he knows it's wrong. Before her selection, Palin admittedly had no clue what McCain's plan was and hadn't been paying attention to Iraq at all.
Christ, Obama at leat knew enough to care.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Make America All It Can Be!
Did you read the article?
Obama has a ton more "experience" then palin. When you pick a VP, that person needs to be able to step in at a moments notice. Besides the fact that mccain is old, many other thinbgs could happen to him and she would be thrust into the prez spot. She is NOT qualified to be president or even Senator.
Also, she is waaaay more conservative in all ways then even mccain is and mccain is sleeping with bush!
Wake up CM or is this just all to personal for you that you only see and hear what you want?
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
For putting country before personal feelings!
I think you for myself and for my family.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
On Face The Nation:
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: But Barack is not, he is not running on the fact that he has made these national security pronouncements. He's running on his other strengths. He's running on the strengths of character, on the strengths of his communication skills, on the strengths of his judgment. And those are qualities that we seek in our national leadership.
Let's see if Palin has any of those strengths (if any):
- strength of character (check)
- strength in communication skills (check)
- strength of judgment (TBD)
Yet about all I'm hearing is that this is an inexperienced bimbo from a state with a population of 670,000 (but it's OK to be governor of Arkansas with a population of 2.8 million which is still a fraction of the population of something like the DFW area)
So, it seems that Democrats are communicating that it is OK for men to run on things other than experience, but women shouldn't be afforded the same consideration. In my opinion, Democrats are very quickly digging a hole for themselves, but this wouldn't be the first time they've lined up in a circular firing squad.
I actually like the fact that she served as mayor and city council in a small town - maybe she has a clue on what is going on at the local levels and listening to citizens rather than experiencing the Washington life of spending all your time repaying the debts to your corporate backers
palin IS a hardcore right wing conservative republican.
Do you notice something in those words that seems different from bush, cheney or mcsame?
oh my.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
I find it amazing that someone with the screen name Defoliate Bush would defend Palin with the same enthusiasm as Rush Limbaugh, while discrediting Obama's national level experience (which includes presenting his views on all manner of national issues over the course of an 18 month presidential campaign).
Do you have any idea what her positions are in national and international issues?
UPDATE:
I love this website. It shows where almost every elected leader stands on most common issues. They rate Palin as a Moderate Populist Conservative, but that's only because her record is so thin they could only rate her on 9 of the 20 areas they typically rate! Check the link... Wow. Talk about unknown...
She out right wings even McCain on social issues, she has no demonstrated interest in foreign policy, and she is unbelievably anti-environment. Wes Clark said the main things that we pass along to the future say 100 years out are constitutional principles and the environment. If it is up to Palin we sure don't need to worry about endangered species and what is left of the environment. I read that as mayor of her small town in Alaska she allowed rampant, uncontrolled development. She does not seem to respect public education as she home schools her children, etc. I find her frightening on so many levels that it is beyond words. Sure, she seems bright and personable and my 74 year old husband calls her a looker but neither of us wants to see her any where near the VP or P.
You commented that "she is unbelievably anti-environment". There has been little to no coverage of her actions or positions on issues, so if you'd supply a reference, I'd like to read it.
Sorry, I cited the wrong organization - it was Defenders of Wildlife and a statement on Palin can be found here:
Against the Dept of the Interior that Palin filed as governor, to take polar bears off the endangered species list.
There are fairly specific scientific criteria for a species to be designated endangered. Palin would throw science (not to mention the polar bears) out the window rather than force the oil companies to spend just a little more for what are fairly minimal protective measures. Even the Bushies haven't been willing to go that far.
She also supports drilling in the ANWR, but all Alaskan politicians do, even the Democrats.
when it comes to science and facts she is just like bush, cheney and the neo-con repugs?
yep.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
Remember the "stop the b*tch" McCain laughter?
Submitted by justcallmeOHIO on August 30, 2008 - 11:35am.
Well there's an echo it seems.
Guess from whence it comes...you got it...SARAH PALIN.
AUDIO: Palin laughs as host calls cancer surviving colleague a "cancer" and a "b_tch"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/82113/4808/746/579971
Still want to claim she's being "picked on" because she's a woman?
Maybe she's being scrutinized because of the type of woman she is?
Just sayin'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's time to wake up and smell the coffee people.
McCain/Palin (McCain/anyone for that matter) are dangerous to women and other living creatures. If you can't figure that out what are you doing on Wes Clark's blog?
There is a youtube near the bottom. Take a listen and then see what this person palin is like.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/30/81444/5625/741/579968
She is a JOKE for a VP pick! What a disgrace. Anyone who votes for mccain better HOPE and PRAY that he stays healthy or we are F_cked more then we would be with mcsame! But, she would have bush's brain mccain's brain palin's brain to help her out. You know kkkarl rove.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
"I was troll rated by a McCainite and/or Obama hater on Wes Clark's Democratic PAC site!"
Mmmm bit too long for a button...maybe a bumper sticker?
He's been tossed under the big orange PUMA bus
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/08/28/oh-wes-what-have-they-done-to-you/
But it was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Apparently they would have actually preferred that Wes endorse McCain.
seeing any more nonsense from Larry Johnson posted here.
"It takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and one to hear." - Henry David Thoreau
I understand that you understand, given the *many* unheeded requests that I've made over the past 18 months not to see Larry Johnson's offensive hate-propaganda posted to this site.
I must override *your* wish, just this one time though
your having replied makes it impossible to delete the post
Wes being "tossed under a bus" (anyone's bus) being considered so buzzworthy around here. As if the General can't take care of himself. As if...
quite often it seems.
But don't tell anyone...someone might start to think this is a Democratic PAC site. ;)
I hadn't read that before.
Interesting that Johnson (who is not a PUMA per se and has no bus) was more respectful to General Clark than a lot of people here have been at places like dKos and DU.
You and I have always had very different views as to the true meaning of respect for General Clark, so there's nothing new here.
not a PUMA per se? nevethless noquarter is featured on the blogroll of nearly every PUMA and anti-Obama site out there
that CCN isn't listed on blogrolls at PUMA/anti-Obama sites the way things have been going here for the past few months.
Maybe that it's not is showing respect for General Clark...something some of his "supporters" seem to have little of.
I've seen how you respect General Clark on dKos. Yes, my view of what constitutes respect is VERY different.
I've never disrespected General Clark on dKos.
What I have seen is a certain "few" of you disrespecting him over there. Of course, you would never believe that your behavior there has been over the top from time to time and NOT serving General Clark's best interests.
There isn't anything more for us to discuss jai, we will never see eye to eye.
I just checked the last few posts by msgeaux and I see nothing to indicate she's a McCain supporter.
If you have not seen this diary, check it out.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16419
Barack Obama and Joe Biden 08
In acceptance speech as GOP running mate, Palin highlights opposition to Gravina bridge
In a state that's busy gushing about its governor, critics say Ketchikan stands out as the city Sarah Palin abandoned.
In her acceptance speech as McCain's running mate Friday morning, Palin held up her opposition to the bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina - the "bridge to nowhere" - as an example of "the abuses of earmark spending."
"I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we'd build it ourselves."
Residents of this town of 7,700 wanted the $398 million bridge to access the airport and some of the out-of-room area's only remaining developable land. Alaska's Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young had secured an earmark of more than $200 million that would have put about $113 million toward paying for the bridge.
"I think in Ketchikan, there's still quite a bit of concern about the Palin administration," said Mayor Bob Weinstein. "Number one, we don't think we're nowhere. And number two, when she campaigned in Ketchikan, she was supportive of the project."
When campaigning in Ketchikan in September 2006, Palin promised Ketchikan residents the bridge, the Ketchikan Daily News reported at the time:
"Palin said Ketchikan had taken a lot of heat for the 'bridge to nowhere' proposal. She said she can relate, referencing the remark made by ... Sen. Ben Stevens describing Mat-Su residents as 'Valley trash.'
"'OK, you've got Valley trash standing in the middle of nowhere,' Palin said. 'I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project,'" the Daily News reported.
Weinstein said she also didn't call him or anyone else in Ketchikan to tell them she was canceling the earmark.
"We read it in the press," he said.
Palin also vetoed two Ketchikan capital projects in this year's budget.
The man who coordinated the Ketchikan campaign to get her elected for governor in 2006 said he's sorry now.[...]
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/082908/sta_325107252.shtml
For me the danger she represents is that she is a social conservative who is young, vibrant and seems to have some charisma. She apparently likes to oversimplify, which is very popular with the American public (See GW Bush). She could portray herself as a Teddy Roosevelt (without the education-- which these days is only a plus in getting elected).
Should McCain win, she could help guarantee 16 years of Republican rule, with the last 8 years of the 16 worse than the first 8, which are likely to result in all kinds of problems.
No thank you.
I know that Bill Clinton was excoriated recently by the chattering classes when he said it could realistically be said that no one is prepared to be President. I think that is probably very true.
We have to decide who will do best in that office from other attributes; I choose Obama. I think he made a wise choice in picking Joe Biden. I would love to know now who would be in his cabinet.
We know John McCain who be picking Lieberman, Lindsey Graham, Phil Gramm, etc...they scare me.
"It takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and one to hear." - Henry David Thoreau
u wanna reconsider sen mccain???????
just asking
being governor "is a pretty cool job, too"
uh, ok
(what is it that the VP does?)
Bill (from RI)
2 weeks ago I was going to write WES IN
now I am voting for Obama-Biden
mccain's acts border on the reckless, and
now who is open to attack as a risky choice
based on lack of experience?
shoot from the hip mcsame is not good for America
now, in october, the dems can argue who can best
protect you? well, we can
---better judgment, better experience__Bill (from RI)