Fareed Zakaria: Palin Pick "fundamentally irresponsible," McCain Did NOT Put Country First

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/27/2008 5:57:49 PM

Is the corporate media finally getting a clue that John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin was a debacle, disaster, disgrace, any other bad word you can think of?  If Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria is any indication, the answer may finally - at long last - be YES!

Can we now admit the obvious? Sarah Palin is utterly unqualified to be vice president. She is a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. But she has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue, and this is a hell of a time to start. The next administration is going to face a set of challenges unlike any in recent memory. There is an ongoing military operation in Iraq that still costs $10 billion a month, a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan that is not going well and is not easily fixed. Iran, Russia and Venezuela present tough strategic challenges.

Domestically, the bailout and reform of the financial industry will take years and hundreds of billions of dollars. Health-care costs, unless curtailed, will bankrupt the federal government. Social Security, immigration, collapsing infrastructure and education are all going to get much worse if they are not handled soon.

And the American government is stretched to the limit. Between the Bush tax cuts, homeland-security needs, Iraq, Afghanistan and the bailout, the budget is looking bleak. Plus, within a few years, the retirement of the baby boomers begins with its massive and rising costs (in the trillions).

Obviously these are very serious challenges and constraints. In these times, for John McCain to have chosen this person to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. McCain says that he always puts country first. In this important case, it is simply not true.

Thank you, Fareed Zakaria, for stating what's been obvious to many of us from the first minute of the Palin pick, but which apparently has been "rocket science" to many of your colleagues in the corporate media.  With this column, perhaps there will be a few more "rocket scientists" coming out of hiding in coming weeks.

Comments



If you need a reminder... (Lowell - 9/27/2008 6:04:01 PM)


Zakaria is different (bamboo - 9/27/2008 6:47:02 PM)
Maybe Fareed Zakaria is by definition the "corporate media" since he writes for Newsweek and has his own TV show. But he's not easily lumped with the other pundits and assorted TV personalities who pass for journalists. For one thing, he's a newly nationalized US citizen who offers a thoughtful internationalist view. His interview with Obama in August was the most in depth discussion on foreign affairs that Obama has had since the campaign began. Zakaria's consistent efforts to pull in prominent foreign observers to comment on US domestic affairs is almost unique in mainstream journalism in this country. There's no question that Zakaria was on to Palin at the get-go. His waiting to comment is appropriate since the public is only now beginning to focus on this election, unlike most of us here.  


Agreed. (Lowell - 9/27/2008 6:54:25 PM)
When I was at EIA, I had a chance to talk with Zakaria and he's definitely a smart guy.  Also, he actually knows something about international relations, energy, economics, etc. - what a concept!


Too exotic of a name-go with GOP critics of Palin (presidentialman - 9/28/2008 12:55:10 AM)
The Republicans are self-imploding , their base is depressed this year, and we're putting Fareed Zakaria as a critic. National Review, George Will, Kraughthammer have said she's a mild high,  but "outta her league" and we're putting Fareed Zakaria as a critic. If its one thing Democrats know how to do, its losing elections that are given to them, and a posting of guy named Fareed Zakaria for a Reagan Democrat-the swing voter, against Sarah "average Mom" Palin, for them to understand is in that proud tradition.

Now I'm sure other people have done that on this site,as I haven't been here for awhile, but its helpful to get back in focus and keep your eye on the ball.  



Yes. (Tiderion - 9/28/2008 2:14:51 AM)
Ignorance of the masses and fear of the unknown is the root of all our ills. Like Barack Obama, Fareed Zakaria immediately loses many listeners simply by having a funny and exotic name. Likewise a strong southern accent tends to come with the assumption of a below average IQ. Public perception is a heavy weight. However, it is no excuse and it never will be. I don't know what is more offensive: people saying Obama is a Muslim or his having to defend against the accusation.

Democrats lose because we don't hit the nail on the head and we don't hit hard enough even when we do. We are often too nice and we are afraid of some public outcry and with good reason. We are the only party that actually has diversity. It is hard to unify all these types of people and is most easily done when kind words are used. We should never distance ourselves from intelligence even when coming from the ethnic. If we are to convince the fearful and the ignorant then it has to be done with facts and a clear view of the lies from the opposition. Democrats have to have courage and should be able to run the same campaign anywhere in the US with any electorate and still win.



Excellent comment (Lowell - 9/28/2008 8:17:40 AM)
One more point I'd make is that people who read this blog overwhelmingly are politically astute, plugged-in, sophisticated, smart.  They almost certainly know who Fareed Zakaria is and don't hold it against him because he's got a "foreign sounding" name.  The Virgil Goodes of the world...well, can't do much to make them less bigoted by posting on a blog.