If you are anything like me, or the millions of utterly confused Americans (yes I live in Canada but I am an American citizen) following the blisteringly long 2008 presidential election, you were baffled by Senator John McCain’s running mate choice.
Sarah Palin?‚ Apparently the most popular governor in the United States.‚ I guess we all missed that memo.
Palin is an ultra-conservative who is pro-life, pro-guns, pro-offshore drilling, against gay marriage and a staunch supporter of McCain’s stance on the war in Iraq.‚ She has been described, by republicans mind you, as a ‘gun-toting’ mother.
From 1996-2002, Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a small town of under 7,000 residents. In 1984, she wore the crown of Miss Wasilla, and competed in the Miss Alaska competition, placing second.
She was elected Alaska’s 11th governor in 2006, defeating republican incumbent Frank Murkowski.
By choosing Palin as his running mate, McCain has effectively shattered the argument he so often uses to belittle his adversary, that Obama is too inexperienced to govern the country.
I know Palin is the VP choice and isn’t running for president, but when you are faced with the prospect of electing a 72 year-old man into office, the VP plays an important role.‚ It isn’t absurd for the public to be concerned about this, and the fact that McCain has had serious health problems in the past only heightens the public’s anxiety.‚ His recently released medical records show a pretty clean slate, but still concerns are concerns and the public is entitled to them, and will continue to have them for as long as he is in the running.
With Palin as the VP choice, if McCain is elected to office she will be next in line for the presidency.‚ If in, let’s say, two years McCain (if he is elected) is unable to continue his presidency, Palin will be sworn in as the President of the United States.
That’s something, even taking into regard her wonderful work uncovering corruption, managing the budget and improving energy and environment situations in Alaska, that will be a constant fear for all Americans since she, among many other things, has no foreign policy experience.
Clearly I disagree with Fox New’s Steve Doocy, who said Palin does have foreign poilcy experience because Alaska is next to Russia.
What Palin lacks in foreign policy experience, McCain claims he has.‚ What Obama lacks in foreign policy experience, Senator Joe Biden certainly has.
The fact remains, even though Obama is not a very experienced leader, his ideals, goals and ambition for his country are genuine.‚ With Biden by his side, experience is there.
People can argue that McCain has the experience Palin lacks, but it seems that McCain’s choice might do more harm than good.‚ She is a dark horse pick, she has uncovered corruption in her state and propelled Alaska to a better balanced budget.‚ But she lacks what Biden has, and it will be very interesting to see how she fairs in a debate against him.
She has been described as aggressive, and was known on her high-school basketball team as ‘Sarah Barracuda.’‚ But how far can aggressiveness get you in a debate against one of the most seasoned politicians in Washington?
McCain has come under much criticism for the pick, which many thought, and think, was made as to attract disenchanted Senator Hillary Clinton supporters.‚ That probably won’t work because of their different views on many important issues.
McCain obviously sees something in Palin the public currently doesn’t.‚ We’ll see how many republicans warm up to the selection in the coming weeks.