It's been uncovered that Palin was a member in the PTA, which McCain says boosts her experience above Obamas.

He cited Palin's stint as governor of a "state that produces 20 percent of America's energy" as well as her previous membership in the PTA and her time spent on the city council and in the mayor's office in Wasilla, a town of 7,000 people outside Anchorage.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26...

of criticizing her small town background. You don't want to come off as an elitist here. Wait until Rove finishes defining her at the Convention: she'll walk on water.

Isn't it hilarious that Katrina, I mean Gustav, provided an excuse for Bush and Cheney to duck out of the Convention and so save McCain the embarrassment of being photographed endlessly with them, thus fixing in every television viewer's mind the Democrats' mantra that McC is Bush III? Having locked in the right wing with Palin, McC has now begun the trek away from Bush-Cheney necessary to win independents.  

I respect the public servants who serve in America's small towns.  But that respect doesn't necessarily translate into support for them seeking a higher office.  For example, the town of Nocona, TX has only 4k people.  I can think that the mayor of Nocona shouldn't be President of the United States without being elitist.  Also, you can like your neighbor and not think they are qualified to be president, that doesn't make you elitist.

It depends ultimately on whether you are saying that because they have only managed a small town they can't be president or that their talent doesn't extend beyond that job.  If it is the former, then it is definitely elitist.  I think the point or concern that people have been expressing so far here is that her ability does not extend beyond being an executive in that state.

might use that argument against Obama though, even if it is true.

Either way, Palin is a governor now and that means something. I just don't see us surviving her as president. I still want a president who can talk intelligently.

I don't see why she would leave Governor of Alaska behind.  Changing the culture of an organization takes more than a couple of years.  That is what she came to do as governor, right?  So, why would she leave before her work was done?  It just seems like a bad decision to me.  I like to see things to a conclusion, but maybe that is just me.

I think back to Texas.  If I elected someone really awesome to fix Texas State Government, I would want them to finish that job before moving on to anything else.  If they decided to do something different before finishing the job, I would naturally question their commitment and revisit my own judgment over selecting them for the position.  So, ultimately, I don't that her experience as Governor means something positive (to me anyway).

As far as surviving her as president, I don't know that we have enough data points to really judge her on that.  She may have talent that extends well beyond being an executive of a small state and a small town.  Whether we will ever get a sense of that is up in the air.  Based on the limited data we do have, I would agree.  But I am open to the possibility that she might demonstrate communication/negotiation skills and an ability to understand/navigate complex issues that I have not seen yet.  I'd hate to limit her or anyone just the current job they hold.  I mean individuals can have untapped potential that we don't notice and then are surprised when we see it.

Changing the culture of an organization DOES take years. Apparently, one and a half was enough for her. I get the feeling that she is a very ambitious person willing to step over bodies to move up the ladder. Maybe it's because she was a beauty queen or maybe it is just something that happens to people in politics. I know that I have a goal for myself that I would like to reach.

The issue for me is that I just do not like the whole view of her in the campaign. Yes, you can be a successful mother while running a campaign. But why would you? As a man, I know I would try to restrict some of my activities to set aside time for my family (and not just cause Obama told me to, haha). While she does have limited executive experience, she has no legislative experience. I don't want to demean the small towns and states but the more population, the more problems, and the bigger challenge.

Now it is true that some people are naturally talented at getting things done. If Obama isn't qualified enough then neither was Lincoln. But all indicators for me of the power of command are not evident in Palin. She does not seem to be a great communicator. By the time we all vote, I hope we'll know just what to do about Palin. If I were her, I would have gone for a Senate seat before the VP seat, like Warner. I do not think Palin represents Americans or speaks for them well and I do not see foreign nationals responding well to her, imagine Mary Antoinette.

I am tired of hearing anyone with half a brain called elitist.  I am tired of the continuing attack on intelligence.  This whole 'elitist' (anti-intelligence) label smacks of the cultural revolution, talibanism and other dark ages thinking.  

What, do we want nincompoops, whether conservative or progressive, running the country?  I mean, don't you check your doctor's or lawyer's diplomas?

...here's John McCain earlier today attempting to appear presidential (or something) prior to the arrival of Hurricane Gustav.  What on earth IS this?

But what was he doing? That's just...

DON'T ELECT THIS MAN!

For the dignity and integrity of this nation, please... I beg of you.

and trying to look "presidential" as Hurricane Gustav approached yesterday...

and trying to get inland, how upset would you be that John McCain and his entourage are taking up the hotel rooms, and monopolizing the time of emergency officials who should be getting ready for the storm?  Not to mention dragging along more press people, who are doing the same thing.

McCain shouldn't be there, he can get the same information from Minnesota or wherever, and there's absolutely nothing the guy can do about this situation as (part-time) Senator from Arizona. It's all politics.

It is clear - experience matters!  Palin would make a great leader in the PTA, and I'm sure she is a great hockey mom.

If only the PTA could prevent natural disasters, and respond to them smartly when they do happen.  If only global conflicts could be settled in a hockey match.  But they can't - and Palin has no business being one heartbeat away from being the commander in chief.

McCain is doing just what Bush did - he made important issues of human survival based on politics.  How do you think Brownie became the head of FEMA?  Enough is enough - our national security is too important.

I too noticed when the announcement was made that he seemed to be continuing to be looking at ...er....well....not at the cameras or the crowd?  Wierd!!!

to make sure that she stuck with the program. I wonder who wrote her speech.  It wouldn't surprise me if the McCain campaign wrote it.

but that had all the awkwardness of meeting your future father-in-law for the first time.

Is McCain looking for a VP or a 3rd wife?  

And there were plenty of good reasons not to.

But Obama being afraid of her was not one of them.

As for whether Obama chose the "most qualified" running mate, that can certainly be  amatter for debate. The point is that the running mate he chose, Joe Biden, is among the many qualified Democrats for the job.

Personally, I think that Hillary's most die-hard supporters would not have been satisfied with her as #2.  Then, if he were elected, throughout the Obama administration, every time he disagreed with her, he'd face millions of angry women howling at him.

The PUMA crowd would not accept anything less than their heroine as #1.  It was a no-win situation for Obama, and he made the right choice.

In a VP pick, you need chemistry, balance, and compatibility as well as raw qualifications.  An Obama-Clinton administration would not have worked IMHO.  

who else would President McCain appoint to his administration if he a) believes Sarah "Baked Alaskan" Palin is experienced and temperamental enough for high office or b) is making appointments ala Bush to appease right-wingers and establish a partisan regime at the federal level? Will the Cabinet be crammed with the Mike Huckabees, Jim Bunnings and Tom Coburns and courts crammed with the Scalias and Alitos of the country?

Palin on governing Wasila:  it's not rocket science, it is $6 million and 53 employees.

http://www.washingtonindepende...