The trashing of Sarah Palin

[Dr. Shane]

Yes. If i had a choice between Palin and Obama I would have voted for Palin. No doubt. While I believe Obama has better character than McCain, I believe Palin has better character than Obama. Character is very important. Time Magazine, in making their case for Obama, argued that character trumps experience. I agree with that.

Palin can answer tough questions. She just wasn't able to answer every question. But the President doesn't govern by him or herself. In business school I was taught that I don't need to have all the answers, I need to know where I can get them. Obama is no different. Obama doesn't have all the answers. The question is if he knows where he can get them.

For me it really boils down to character and temperament. Experience really tells me where a politicians stands on the issues. When it comes to a politician's position on the issues I am much more interested in what his experience tells me than what his lips do. So it isn't that I don't value experience. However if experience was more important to me than character I would have voted for McCain instead of Obama.

[Nan]

From an outsider looking in, if Sarah Palin's reported answers to questions were accurate, it

shows to me a lack of basic knowledge I would expect of a high school student in this country -

geography for example. I would be seriously wary of someone who did not have enough curiousity

to keep themselves informed to that level, it shows a kind of insular thinking I would consider dangerous.

Character of course is important but there are lots of people with good character - those aspiring to be

in the echelon of the nation's top offices need character but also to be informed and interested in more

than their immediate world.

[Bravus]

What is it about Palin's well documented pattern of getting close to people to get a leg up in politics and then dumping them and/or actively running against them that suggests to you she has this sterling character, Shane? Or in fact, can you list any evidence at all for her character?

[Bravus]

Palin also apparently refused prep before the Couric interview: prep that would have enabled her to answer many of the questions better. That doesn't speak to me of someone who knows how to find out what she doesn't know, or even knows what she doesn't know.

[fccool]

Some people mistake bullheadedness for character...

[olger]

You can hire experience, but character is something you either have or you don't. Palin appears to have much more character than Obamer (sorry libs).

[Bravus]

Again, where's the evidence? What do you even mean by the term?

[olger]

The compassion of Sarah to a disadvantaged child compares sharply to Obama's support of infanticide. Should I go on?

"In his USA Today opinion piece, Obama admitted being "nagged" by the Jesus-wouldn't-vote-for-him statement, but only because he wished he'd given a different comeback.

Obama insinuated opposition to abortion is based only on religion, lecturing pro-lifers like me to "explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all."

I don't recall mentioning religion when I testified against live-birth abortion. I only recall describing a live aborted baby I held in a hospital soiled utility room until he died, and a live aborted baby who was accidentally thrown into the trash.

Neither do I recall religion being brought into the partial-birth abortion ban debate. I recall comparisons made to U.S. laws ensuring animals being killed are treated humanely. I recall testimony that late-term babies feel excruciating pain while being aborted.

Obama stated pro-life proposals must be "amenable to reason."

OK, Sen. Obama, let's reason. Explain why you support abortion for whatever rationale, at whatever gestation, by whatever means. Explain why you support infanticide, if banning it might interfere with abortion.

Then, since you brought it up, explain how, despite all that, you think Jesus should vote for you, either now or in the hereafter, particularly given His statement, "It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones."

humbly selected by olger

[Nan]

I am not saying anything against Governor Palin's character - nor am I entering the abortion debate - but I reiterate, character alone is not enough qualification to aspire to the presidency or the vice presidency of the US. I would worry if my children showed her ignorance of other parts of the world, and none of them is in public office.

[Dr. Shane]

The Republican Party is factioned in between the moderates and the conservatives in the party. McCain is in the moderate faction as were his campaign advisers. His advisers wanted him to choose Lieberman for a running mate and were never happy with Palin being choosen.

Palin is a rock-the-boat Republican. She goes against the establishment. Since she is also part of the conservative faction she really wasn't making friends among the McCain advisers. Now they are lashing out and trying to blame her for him losing.

Don't make me die laughing!!!

McCain probably never had any chance of stopping Obama. Does anyone think that Lieberman on the ticket would have convinced Democrats to vote for McCain instead of Obama? McCain needed the conservative base and Lieverman wouldn't have delivered them.

I watched the real documentary on Palin's life. Does she have character? Yes. She is a good, honorable and real person. She reminds me a lot of my older sister that died last year. She is a Washington outsider. That is another reason McCain's advisers didn't like her.

[Dr. Shane]

I reiterate, character alone is not enough qualification to aspire to the presidency or the vice presidency of the US.

[Bravus]

When someone can't name one newspaper or magazine they regularly read (and this came from her own mouth), it's legitimate to wonder how informed they can posibly be.

[phkrause]

I have to agree with you bravus.

And Shane I do think that the Republican's would have done better with Lieberman on the ticket. And maybe even have stolen the election. Because if we talk about character than Leiberman has this over Palin any day, my 2 cents.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

I certainly am not going to judge someone for drawing a blank. It is not as if she didn't know a name of a newspaper. She could have lied and said the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today or even the Juneau Empire. So she either drew a blank or was afraid she was getting set up with a "gotcha" question. Should have she just made something up like most politicians would have done?

[Dr. Shane]

I agree that Lieberman's character is on the same scale as Palin's. They are both very honorable people. However with Dr. James Dobson, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter all working against the ticket, I do not see any way that McCain would have won with Lieberman.

[phkrause]

I'm not saying that he would have won, but it would have been very interesting. Especially with the jewish vote that might have voted republican.

pk

[jasd]

>>...any evidence at all for her character?<<

Umm, is abortion legal in Alaska? Read: Down Syndrome. Read: Trig. Read: Palin Read: Character.

>>Palin also apparently refused prep before the Couric interview...<<

"Apparently"!?

>>That doesn't speak to me of someone who knows how to find out what she doesn't know, or even knows what she doesn't know.<<

And, this is predicated upon “apparently”? As, impossible to attribute, anonymous, and unnamed sources? I think something got lost in translation between here and Australia. (just being incredulous that you'd so 'romantically' apply to "apparently")

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:olger

You can hire experience, but character is something you either have or you don't. Palin appears to have much more character than Obamer (sorry libs).

Quote:Bravus

Again, where's the evidence?

Umm, given the oratorical yada-yada which defines the Wizard of Smart, would he condone leaving a still-living aborted child on the shelf until expiration?

Would Palin?

Or, would the Wizard of Smart sign universal, implementing legislation re partial birth abortion, that is, the procedure by which abortion is performed using a pair of surgical scissors to bore a hole in a living child’s skull – to evacuate its brain with a suctioning device – just centimeters from live birth?

Would Palin?

That, for one example, speaks to character, imho.

[Bravus]

So the *one* issue that defines character is opposition to abortion?

[jasd]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:Bravus

So the *one* issue that defines character is opposition to abortion?

Quote:jasd

That, for one example, speaks to character, imho. [ed.jasd]

Given the enormity of what I described, yes, I’d say – that one example suffices.

Would you condone either abortion in general, partial birth abortion in the particular, or the procedure by which it is implemented?

It would surprise me, indeed, should you align with the Wizard of Smart on these issues. To either align or oppose the Wizard on these issues would speak, hugely, to your character, imho.

[jasd]

>>Because if we talk about character than Leiberman has this over Palin any day, my 2 cents.<<

Let’s hope that Leiberman’s meeting with Reid will not find him caving – to retain the Homeland Security chair. That said,

we may shortly see just how much ‘character’ Leiberman actually possesses. Otherwise,

it may be that the Democrats will effectively have their veto-proof Senate – and “Katie bar the door!”

[Neil D]

What is character in the political realm?

In Sarah Palin's case, character would be to build for your city a sewer plant instead of a sports arena, leaving the city in over a million in debt. Character would be to play to your leading partner's strengths, [ insisting on not using negative ads as per McCains wishes]. Character is paying attention to details and not letting Kattie Couric get the upper hand. Character is being prepared for ALL interviews and not "making it up" on the spot. Character is being intelligent enough to really know the issues and being able to address them after being 30 years of age. [she's over 40]. Character is knowing which countrys are involved in NAFTA. Character is knowing what ALL THE MEANINGS of the Bush Doctrine.

Character is also not aborting your Downs baby.

I am sorry, but Sarah Palin is found wanting....

[Dr. Shane]

Sarah Palin was the head of FCA when in high school. She is still married to her first husband. Although she has been a member of a church that believes in total abstinence from alcohol, as a city council member she fought against (and won) a measure to force bars to close earlier - thus showing she does not legislate her personal morality. Later, in 2006, she stated she would not let her personal religious beliefs dictate her political positions. When, as mayor, she was sued by a former chief of police for wrongful termination the judge found in her favor and ordered the former chief of police to pay her legal fees. While mayor she would weekly call a city resident at random to ask them how their city was doing. She took on corruption in her own party when she was the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She later joined with a Democrat to expose the corrupt Republican Attorney General. According to her future son-in-law, she handled the teenage pregnancy of her daughter with compassion and understanding. When her personal email was hacked, nothing embarrassing was in it to be exposed. If one is looking for character in a political candidate, Palin has plenty to offer.

[Dr. Shane]

Character is knowing which countrys are involved in NAFTA.

Character is not taking hearsay and repeating it as gospel. That is called gossip.

[Neil D]

Originally Posted By: Neil D

Character is knowing which countrys are involved in NAFTA.

Character is not taking hearsay and repeating it as gospel. That is called gossip.

After that impassioned but pitiful defense of Sarah Palin, I am surprised that you would call her a 'gossip', Shane...IT is SOO unlike you....[/tic]

[Dr. Shane]

It wasn't her I was referring to as gossip. It is those repeating the unsubstantiated and disputed attacks on her. It is called hate. If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and looks like a duck. It's a duck. And I am not talking about Sarah Palin. She looks a lot more like a moose than a duck.