The future of Sarah Palin

[Buddhagirl]

Seems pretty clear to me...

Am I the only one who thinks she's not hot?  Its like the lone girl in an office full of guys who gets hit on by every one.  Its not that she's hot, it that she's hotter than the other 70 year old men we typically see in politics?

I think she's average. My neighborhood has lots of women - with children - that look like her or better.

[Dphins4me]

Am I the only one who thinks she's not hot?  Its like the lone girl in an office full of guys who gets hit on by every one.  Its not that she's hot, it that she's hotter than the other 70 year old men we typically see in politics?

  While she is not the lead singer of the Pussycat dolls.  She is not bad for a 40+ year old woman.

I like the person she projects.   Not sure about all her politics, but I do not expect to agree 100% with anyone politics. 

[Dphins4me]

I think she's average. My neighborhood has lots of women - with children - that look like her or better.

  I'd like to be a single man in your neighborhood then.  All the women her age in mine are overweight & not very attractive if they weren't.  I guess I know why now, they all live in your neighborhood. 

[Jim Gray]

Someone suggested Palin could be a political consultant.  I don't see how.  She doesn't have the depth of knowledge to work as a consultant and develop strategy.  Who would want her to consult for them?  Her skills help her in front of the camera, not behind.  The exposure Palin has received on the national stage has been very damaging to Palin's position as the next great conservative.

Short term, Palin's future is in Alaska state politics.  Alaska has a 2 term limit for governors.  Palin could run for Congress after that, and likely win easily.  I feel Palin has ZERO future as a national republican leader.   She may pop up in Republican ads, or campaign for others, but not more than that.

Longer term, I think Palin's options in the media are limited.  She looks good enough for TV, but what's she going to do?  Read a teleprompter?  Maybe a pundit, but I think she lacks the content knowledge and can't rely on style alone.

I think her best bet is to work as a high paid lobbyist.  Her name recognition will give her access, and she can sell that.  I could see her working for the oil industry.


off topic - why I feel Palin failed to prove she understands the key issues

I guess I wasn't as impressed as many others with her performance.  It wasn't horrible, especially compared to the 2 interviews she gave; but by any regular standard of a VP debate, I thought she did poorly.  

Some of this is just me.  I don't like the winking, cuteness and "you betcha's".  I think this is serious business and I want a serious candidate, not a sitcom character.  I know her political persona resonates with many people as being "real", but it seems staged to me.  Maybe, she just went to it too often.  Personally, I find that stuff goofy.

Despite the rave reviews Palin gets from Fox, Pat Buchanan and the John McCain team; I thought she continued to show that she doesn't have the basic knowledge of the issues.

I was bothered that she didn't answer most of the questions.  This allowed her to give a speech instead of have a debate.   Even  her mini speeches were just strings  of talking points and buzz words.  Given how poorly she had demonstrated her grasp of the issues in previous interviews, I wanted to see some substance and I didn't.  I know that all politicians do this, but they provide details in other venues.  Palin has failed to do that.

Another factor in my assessment of Palin's competency comes from how she responded to Biden.   She would accuse Biden/Obama of something.  Biden would say it's not true and provide a rebuttal, often pointing out McCain's record on the same issue.  Palin didn't have the ability to counter any of Biden's statements, other than to say "there you go again, pointing to the past".  No substance.

I see positions that seem to take both sides of an issue.  More regulations, but we need to get government out of the way.  We need to balance the budget, but we have to stay in Iraq and cut taxes.  We are all about diplomacy first, but we won't sit down with our enemies.  I don't find it credible.

Finally, it speaks volumes that there are no plans to put Palin on any of the Sunday press programs.  Her ability to explain these points or provide implementation details has been beyond feeble.  The campaign sees her as a risk and will continue to hide her.

[Dphins4me]

off topic - why I feel Palin failed to prove she understands the key issues

  The thing is.  You are a Dem so you are not going to think she proved she understood.   That is like RTW saying Biden failed to prove stuff.  You are going to find what you can & make your points on it. 

Not trying to be insulting, its just the way things are.

If Biden simply stood out there saying " We Rock "  all night a majority would think he answered the questions great & vice verse.

I promise you no one person has a clear understanding of all the issues.  Its simply impossible.   Most only know what their handlers have told them.  Do you think Obama came up with an economic plan all by himself or had his economics expert do it?

This is why I believe debates are basically a waste of time.  It changes no one votes, plus its why 8 percent of the country controls who is in the white house.

[MaineDolFan]

This is why I believe debates are basically a waste of time.  It changes no one votes, plus its why 8 percent of the country controls who is in the white house.

Not true what so ever.  I'm still undecided and conflicted and these debates speak to me in large ways.  There were things about Palin and Biden that I liked and disliked and both are helping to decide my vote.  Maine is starting to emerge as a swing state in this election and we, as a state, have a tendency to not follow the most well beaten path.  We gave Perot a state, for God's sake.  I think a lot of Mainers are undecided in reality versus as "something to say."

[Defense54]

Oh she's a hottie alright.  It starts with those glasses. When they come off you can bet she is an animal. Kind of like those chicks on all the Do it yourself shows on Cable.........not Model hot , but realistically just very sexy.  Sexy is more then just skin deep. It involves the whole package. Gov. Palin is oozing with it.

[pintofguinness14]

If they have donkey shows in Mexico, surely there are some Moose shows in Alaska...

I've never had coffee shoot out of my nose before. Thanks Stroke.

[Jim Gray]

  The thing is.  You are a Dem so you are not going to think she proved she understood.   That is like RTW saying Biden failed to prove stuff.  You are going to find what you can & make your points on it.  

Yes, I usually vote democratic and I have my biases, but I'm not blindly faithful.  I won't vote for someone who I don't feel is competent.  I voted for Gore, but didn't vote for Kerry.  If I'm only saying this because I'm a democrat, then why are there no posts where I've said negative things about McCain? 

I honestly like what I hear and see from Obama.  I think he's a good choice , so I don't view this as the lesser of 2 evils.  I've liked McCain in the past, and while I'm not happy that he has abandoned some of the positions we used to agree on, I think he is competent to hold the office of the President.  If McCain were running against Pelosi or Reid, I'd vote for McCain.  I'd vote for Colin Powell over most democrates. 

Back to Palin.  I tried to give concrete examples instead of "she scares me" or "she's stupid".  I don't think she's stupid, I think she's in way over her head.  Worse, she lacks a vision on where she would take this country.  Of course I have biases, but I don't feel my evaluation of her readiness is based on whether she has a "D" or "R" next to her name.  She doesn't have the qualities to lead this nation, and McCain should have chosen someone else.

[Dphins4me]

  If I'm only saying this because I'm a democrat, then why are there no posts where I've said negative things about McCain? 

Is there a post where you have said another positive about McCain?   Not saying there isn't, but I'm not sure I've read or can remember every post here.

I honestly like what I hear and see from Obama. 

  So you like the fact he believes in taking money from one group of citizens because they have more money than he deems they need in order to give it to others who he thinks needs it while ignoring that the citizens he is taking the money from have worked hard to earn their status in society?

Sorry, but that is just flat out wrong & I would benefit from that happening.    Theft via Gov. taxation is still theft.  All this is a trying to buy votes from poor people who think they are going to get some free money. 

Raising taxes on the wealthier of Americans will only do more harm to the already weak economy.  I thought the Dems. should have learned that lesson with the Yacht industry under Clinton.

Two, you like the fact of socialized medicine?   You like the fact of having to go to the Gov to get your health care?   There is even a higher taxes to pay for it.

What happened to America being where people make their own way?  Get rewarded for their good decision & punished for their bad ones?  Why should a man who invest his own money & time & took all the risk in starting up a company now pay more taxes to support someone who never tried to make more of himself?

This is ideology from the Dem side of the table, that I never have gotten.  The message they are sending is don't work hard, don't try to make something of yourself, because we will only take the money you have worked hard for because we now deem you do not need it, which is markism.

How does this look good?  I know to people who are not there like this thought process, but that is only because they are lazy & not willing to get their themselves, so they want the Gov. to steal for them & its how the Gov is slowly taking us away from our own freedom under the pretense of "Fairness"  What the F is fair about this?

Plus the fact we as Americans never take the power we have as a mass group & force these people to do what we want them to do.

I think he's a good choice , so I don't view this as the lesser of 2 evils.  I've liked McCain in the past, and while I'm not happy that he has abandoned some of the positions we used to agree on, I think he is competent to hold the office of the President.  If McCain were running against Pelosi or Reid, I'd vote for McCain.  I'd vote for Colin Powell over most democrates. 

   That is good to know.

Back to Palin.  I tried to give concrete examples instead of "she scares me" or "she's stupid".  I don't think she's stupid, I think she's in way over her head.  Worse, she lacks a vision on where she would take this country.  Of course I have biases, but I don't feel my evaluation of her readiness is based on whether she has a "D" or "R" next to her name.  She doesn't have the qualities to lead this nation, and McCain should have chosen someone else.

  How can Palin scare you, but Obama not?  Both have no track record of being able to handle something as big as this.  Just because Obama is more well spoken ( He is a great speaker ), does not mean he is any more aware of things. 

From where I sit, people that want Obama want him for the same reason Rep like Palin.   She comes off very well for what they want.   

She is not going to take the country anywhere, she is the VP if elected.  The country only goes where Congress allows it.   IMO the Pres is more of a figure head.  Its Congress's choice to choose to blindly follow or not. 

[Dave Gray]

Why not include become the next Vice President Dave ?

I thought I was clear about that in the original post.  If she wins the VP nomination, there's not much point of speculating about her career.

I'll start a new post for you to debate whether or not she will win.

[Spider-Dan]

How can Palin scare you, but Obama not?  Both have no track record of being able to handle something as big as this.  Just because Obama is more well spoken ( He is a great speaker ), does not mean he is any more aware of things. 

That's a fair question.

Obama campaigned his way through the primaries on a national stage, answering questions at press conferences, participating in debates, and giving interviews to reporters.  In doing so, he garnered enough respect to earn over 18 million votes.

In contrast, Palin was arbitrarily snatched out of a pile of potential VP candidates, with no accountability required.  She didn't go through the same vetting by the national public that Obama did.

It's completely reasonable to think of both of them as potentially unqualified, but Obama has taken the steps to (attempt to) prove that he understands the issues.  In contrast, the McCain campaign has enforced an airtight media shield around Palin from the day of her selection.  When the knock on your candidate is that they don't grasp the issues, insulating them from questions is not the solution.  The Gibson and Couric interviews confirmed what people suspected: Palin is being protected because she's clueless.  Inexperience can be trumped by good judgment, but cluelessness is a dealbreaker.

As to why Biden's gaffe on FDR has gone virtually unnoticed: it's simply irrelevant.  Even if Biden is ignorant as to early 20th century timelines, it's pretty much unquestioned that he does understand foreign policy today (due to his 30+ years in the Senate).  BTW, McCain enjoys the same advantage; even as he repeatedly confuses Sunni and Shia (e.g. the interview where Lieberman had to remind him that Iran is not Sunni), the press just gives him a pass because it's given that he understands the important details.

Obama would get torched for the same mistake, and Palin doubly so.  McCain and Biden get some leeway because of their decades of congressional service.