Jeff Culbreath has reached a (disappointed) conclusion about Sarah Palin, and he hits the nail squarely on the head:
There just isn’t any doubt at this point: Governor Palin is in way over her head. And Senator McCain had to have known this would be the case. His luring a good but unqualified woman - a woman, moreover, with serious responsibilities at home - into a bruising and cynical national campaign is inexcusable. Even more disturbing is the way she has been coached to bluff her way through interviews, pretending to have answers to questions she doesn’t begin to understand. It is impossible to watch this CBS interview without feeling acute embarrassment for her…
[snip]
Seriously, her dishonesty in this interview is systematic - not incidental to a particular question - and is evidence of personal corruption right out of the gate. She is not only corruptible, but she’s already internalizing the corruption of her handlers.
Now then, it seems that most politicians do this routinely. McCain, Obama, and Biden are experts at pretending to have answers they don’t have. Obama is so smooth he can make a journalist forget what the question was. So why pick on Palin?
I’ll tell you why. Sarah Palin is still an essentially honest person who isn’t good at telling lies. She averts her eyes. You can see the conflict in her face, you can hear the doubt in her voice, and it all betrays her words. You know her conscience bothers her and she’s going to feel terrible about this interview when it’s over. Dishonesty doesn’t come easy to her … yet. Perhaps a few more interviews like this one and she’ll get better at it.
But no! I don’t want this for Sarah Palin. I want Sarah Palin to go home, protect and re-build her integrity, and take care of her family and her state.
Dishonesty. It’s a tough word, but it fits. (It also can be applied to her “thanks but no thanks” comment about the “bridge to nowhere” in the stump speech.) Jeff is right - she doesn’t seem comfortable with deception, but she’s on the spot, and she desperately wants to give an answer that will take the heat off the fact that she just. doesn’t. know. the. answers.
Which us to another point - one I’ve been discussing with a friend today - why can’t politicians just be allowed to tell the truth? Jeff touches on this, posting a mock interview with a news network in which the candidate admits that they are still studying the issues.
In Palin’s case, that’s the kind of PR strategy McCain’s camp should have had from the beginning. Everyone knows she lacks experience - it’s manifest from the short amount of time she’s spent in politics. But what she appeals to - and still does, even after these horrible performances in the media - is the normal people. The people who root for her because at last, there’s someone they feel is really like them. Someone who doesn’t talk middle-class values from inside of a suit that costs as much as their car.
Would it be so bad if she were to say, on the issue of foreign policy (or economics, etc.), “You know, I’ve been deeply committed to running the State of Alaska for the last two years, and while I’m aware of many of these national issues, I don’t know all the details. That’s why I’m spending as much time as I can before the election getting up to speed on the most important challenges facing our nation. No Vice President, or President for that matter, can know everything about every issue. It’s why every administration draws upon the best experts and policy advisors they can to get the job done. A shift in focus from the state to the national level means a steep learning curve for me, but I’m up for the challenge.”
Could you imagine? Sure, the left would attack her, and say, “See - even she admits she doesn’t know anything!” But it would demonstrate honesty and integrity on her part and shore up her support on the right. It would keep the Average American’s B.S. detectors from going off whenever she opens her mouth and starts firing off mixed talking point messages, and she’d be in no worse situation than she is now, when she’s proving not only that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about, but she’s willing to try to hide that through a smokescreen of nonsense words.
I don’t know if it’s too late for a shift in direction, but if McCain wants to keep Palin from making the rapid transition from rising star to political millstone, he’d better consider it. He’s got nothing to lose.
What ever made you think that Palin is exceptionally honest?
I never said she was exceptionally honest, only that Jeff is right in characterizing her as looking uncomfortable being dishonest.
Obviously, she doesn’t have a huge objection to it, or she wouldn’t be doing it.
Anyone,
Do you think that since people have such low expectations of Palin during this debate that it actually WON’T hurt the Republicans much if she did badly?
Will enough independents really vote for Obama/Biden BECAUSE someone who they already thinks is unqualified is showing that she is? I’m just wondering if enough people care about it to throw the election one way or another.
I’m not voting for Palin b/c I believe she has all the answers. In fact I love the fact that she is not an intellectual- cannot abide them.
I’m voting because she has shown good judgment and fairness in the decisions that she has made. She gave life to her son, at a time when it would complicate her position as governor. She gave life to a son that the world thought would be better off dead. She opposed the corruption of the oil industry. Is there any better time than now to oppose corruption in the oil and financial services industry?
I think these interviews are like some freaky creepy Jeopardy show. The hosts try to “trip up” the candidate by picking on some obscure thing.
Don’t fall for it. That’s all I’m saying.
Mary… you are an idiot. I have a son with down syndrome and it certainly has nothing to do with whether or not I am qualified to be Vice President of the United States. You are dumb, so you don’t like smart people, so you want a dumb person to be VP. You know absolutely nothing about Palin’s record other than what your favorite right wing pundit told you. I’m guessing Rush Limbaugh? Sean Hannity perhaps?
The questions lobbed at Palin from Katie Couric could not have been easier to answer. Palin absolutely knew they were coming. How can you look your loved ones in the face and tell them that you are comfortable with Palin speaking for the US looking across the table at Putin, or Ahmadinejad, or Zardari… when Katie Couric gets her so nervous she loses her mind?
I understand that you’re angry. I would be mad too if I was born stupid. It’s not your fault. Fight the urge to use your right to vote as revenge for going through life without a solid understanding of economics, politics, and philosophy. There is still time for you to do the right thing. Do what’s best for the country as opposed to your idiot agenda, I beg you.
Dear Billy,
Thank you for the instant IQ test. I’m stupid- okay. Who would you have me vote for? Obama? Or Obama by default aka voting 3rd party?
I can look loved ones in the face and say, “okay, let’s have a prolife mother as VP”. You can belittle us. It’s okay.
Mary
I will belittle you. You deserve nothing less. Your criteria for voting for VP of the United States is that Palin is a profile mother. So you would vote for my mother then? If it wasn’t so scary it would be funny.
You are deluded to the point where you actually think you are standing on that stage next to Palin. She is everything you want her to be and because you know absolutely nothing about her, there is nothing logical or intelligent stopping you from carrying out your delusion.
Yes, I would have you vote for Obama. Your party let you down. John McCain let you down. For NO other reason than he wanted a political boost in the fight he was losing, he put us all in danger by proposing to put a completely unqualified and dishonest moron one heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States.
Keep telling yourself all you want the it would be cool to have a hard working mommy as the VP! It doesn’t make it any less dangerous for America and the world. I’ll be praying for you to do the right thing, but I won’t be holding my breath.
Steve,
I don’t know your policy on commentors and civility but Billy is saying some extraordinarily ugly things, and to a woman no less.
I happen to think that Palin is a naturally cunning but rather silly woman and that she is probably a liar most of the time (after all, it’s easier to distort the facts when you know them) not just when she is in over her head. Her evident dishonesty makes it hard to think otherwise.
That said, I think its unfair for Billy to berate her supporters and call them stupid. Liking Palin is a sign of good instincts–she appears DIFFERENT from the other members of our permanent political class and that’s why they like her. So even though the Palin woman herself is utterly unsuitable, some of what people want her to represent is desireable. I don’t fault them for wanting (needing?) to believe that there is a good, unusual person on the ticket for a major party–we should expect our leaders to be good. Someday the Palinites will be right about a candidate, then they, not all the cynical “clever” people will really change things. Today just isn’t that day
My Dear Billy,
Would I vote for your mother? I might well do so. I do hope you show more patience with your family than you have in this discussion. You seem to have a frightening problem with anger.
No thanks on the invite to vote for Obama, though I’m sure he is all shades of wonderful I’d rather not go to hell.
We’ve had unqualified morons for not only VP but President as well and somehow we all survived. I persist in thinking, in my own idiotic and simplistic way that to vote for someone who is moral is better than voting for someone slick.
Biden, a truly evil man does not have the advantage here but evil is still evil, no matter how experienced and vetted.
Mary
I just noticed today’s quote on the lefthand side:
Notable Quotes
It seems to me that there are far more peasant women in paradise than there are Theology professors. — Dr. Regis Martin
She gave life to her son, at a time when it would complicate her position as governor.
I don’t understand how so many pro-lifers are gaga over Palin because of this. She’s the awesomest person that was ever awesome because she refrained from murdering her child. You’re not supposed to murder you’re child! You shouldn’t get credit for not doing what you’re not supposed to do! Look at me! I’m not murdering my child! I’m not covering my wife’s head in carbonic acid! I’m not burning down my neighbor’s car! I’m not throwing bricks at kids that ride their bikes! Aren’t I awesome?
I’m certainly starting to entertain the opinion that we should undo womens’ suffrage. I can count the number of women I’ve met that are even capable of using reason to make their decisions, as opposed to emotion, on half of a hand.
Who would you have me vote for? Obama? Or Obama by default aka voting 3rd party?
I’m sick and tired of this argument that voting third party is voting for the candidate you don’t like. I’ve had democrats tell me I’m being a jerk by voting third party, because it’s effectively voting for McCain. That’s 100% BS. I’m voting for neither McCain or Obama, because I see not a single redeeming quality in either of them.
Billy,
Knock it off with the personal attacks. First and only warning. Otherwise, you can go troll for Obama somewhere else.
Mary,
My apologies, I was away from the computer all night last night and didn’t see these until just now.
Dear Aaron,
You are absolutely right and that is the tragedy of it all. But we are left to be delighted when someone gives life because 1.5 million times a year, in this country alone, it doesn’t happen.
While taking away a woman’s right to vote has been a reactionary and simplistic answer to someone who does not see things exactly your way I don’t see that the male vote has done us any favors and some of the most evil men in government are misogynistic fools. Don’t add to it.
And the argument that Palin is so frighteningly inexperienced should make us redouble our efforts to vote for McCain, without question the most experienced candidate. But I think everyone wants to have it both ways.
Steve do any other women besides me read your blog???? LOL
Hi Steve,
Perhaps you saw this article, but it seems to follow a point you make in this entry:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/30/let-palin-be-palin/
Thought it was interesting…
While taking away a woman’s right to vote has been a reactionary and simplistic answer to someone who does not see things exactly your way I don’t see that the male vote has done us any favors and some of the most evil men in government are misogynistic fools. Don’t add to it.
To be fair, I don’t think any ordinary citizen aught to have the right to vote for leaders at the national level, any more than I think lay Catholics should vote for the Pope. There’s no misogyny in the statement that women shouldn’t be granted suffrage, any more than the statement that women shouldn’t be allowed to be priests or soldiers. I love women, particularly my wife — I wouldn’t have married her otherwise. My statement is based on experience with women incapable of letting reason tame their emotions. This experience is almost without exception.
And the argument that Palin is so frighteningly inexperienced should make us redouble our efforts to vote for McCain, without question the most experienced candidate. But I think everyone wants to have it both ways.
You erect a straw man. No one is making the argument that experience is the only factor. It is one of many, and far from the most important. Preparedness is a bigger factor; Palin is unprepared for the role. Obama, as loathsome as he is, is far more prepared for the role. He’s been groomed for it by the Democratic elite. I remember people talking about his presidential bid as early as 2004. Palin never even had her eyes on that particular spotlight, and it was suddenly thrust upon her. She’s had to get to know national and international politics in very short order. I don’t fault her for this — it’s something she was not asking for, not ready for, and perhaps may never be ready for. Time will tell. Who knows — she could come back with a vengeance in 4 years, study up on history, economics, warfare, etc. and be fully qualified. Right now, she’s not.
McCain has a great deal of experience — but he’s a dishonest, amoral tool. He shifts his position every election cycle. He aims for the center. He wanted to be John Kerry’s running mate. If he wasn’t worried about conservatives staying home on election day, he would have picked Lieberman as his running mate.
In what way is he better than Obama, again? I see two presidential candidates that are evil, a VP candidate that is evil, and a VP candidate that is unprepared for the role. I see no positive options from either party.
To say that without exception women are unable to operate except on the basis of their emotions seems wide sweeping and unfair. But perhaps that is the result of my emotions getting the best of me. In my exchange with Billy (though he could be a woman) was was the more out of control emotionally?
It’s interesting that you say that one of the disqualifying factors about Sarah Palin is that she did not “seek” national elected office. I have heard others denounce her as an opportunist, cruel, calculating and cunning. But I agree with you. When Hilary Clinton sought elected office she carpet bagged her way up to NY. Not Alaska.
How can you honestly compare Obama and McCain and ask who is better or where is their difference. On abortion, the most preeminent issue of our time, as Catholics and as citizens you have a candidate, Obama in case this is a new point of information who would see babies killed before, during and AFTER birth.
And for someone who operates purely on emotion I don’t think the Republican party is their natural habitat. I would even go so far as to say that those voting 3rd party are operating more strictly on emotion, peevishness, even despair than those voting Republican.
To say that without exception women are unable to operate except on the basis of their emotions seems wide sweeping and unfair.
No, that’s not what I said. I said “My statement is based on experience with women incapable of letting reason tame their emotions. This experience is almost without exception.” I did not say that women are incapable of reason. I said that virtually all women that I observe are.
In my exchange with Billy (though he could be a woman) was was the more out of control emotionally?
Irrelevant. I was not addressing him. This is not a “who is more rational” contest between a pair of individuals. As an aside, I don’t see his arguments as irrational. His delivery, however, was quite rude and uncalled for.
On abortion, the most preeminent issue of our time, as Catholics and as citizens you have a candidate, Obama in case this is a new point of information who would see babies killed before, during and AFTER birth.
And McCain doesn’t care either way. He talks a pro-life game, but he will vote any way that gets him votes. Roe v. Wade will not be overturned until there is a massive demographic shift. My guess is in my grand-childrens’ lifetimes. The liberals will abort and contracept themselves into exctinction. Until that happens, we won’t see change. Roe v. Wade is too useful of a carrot for the GOP; they’ll never overturn it.
“And for someone who operates purely on emotion I don’t think the Republican party is their natural habitat. I would even go so far as to say that those voting 3rd party are operating more strictly on emotion, peevishness, even despair than those voting Republican.”
If you actually want to change the system, you must vote for a better candidate. It’s because of this attitude that nothing ever changes. What was the point of McCain-Feingold? What is the point of the PATRIOT act? What is the point of every type of campaign “reform”? To keep the two parties in power, and centralize that power so it can be controlled by our un-elected ruling elite.
Besides, if I were voting strategically anyway, look at the polling data in my state:
http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/Graphs/new-jersey.html
My state will go to Obama. Period. Nothing I can do will change that. Obama has, on average, a 10-point lead in my state. My vote will do more good if I vote third party than if I vote for McCain.
I do not begrudge pro-lifers that feel that McCain is who they should vote for. I begrudge those who claim that everyone else MUST vote the way they voted, or else they’re for Obama. That’s so patently stupid and irrational. I also begrudge Catholics that are actively excited about any of the candidates — none of them are good valid choices from a Catholic social teaching standpoint.
And do I think you are operating on emotion here voting for McCain? Yes. You are operating primarily on fear, which over-rides your reason. You want McCain/Palin to be the hard-core pro-life crusdaders that this country needs. But they aren’t. In no significant way do I see McCain superior to Obama.
“On abortion, the most preeminent issue of our time, as Catholics and as citizens you have a candidate, Obama in case this is a new point of information who would see babies killed before, during and AFTER birth.”
“And do I think you are operating on emotion here voting for McCain? Yes. You are operating primarily on fear, which over-rides your reason.”
Agreed.
Just a little question further to the last comment above.
As Catholics, where does the issue of abortion and its proponents stand in our choice for this presidential election?
I had pondered on this issue in my blog, given the now large numbers of Catholic in the electorate.
This is especially relevant for us now because the current Pope even as a Cardinal has been quite unequivocal as to where the Church stands on politicians and their stance on abortion.
Thanks.
To all,
I AM a woman… but it was funny that you thought my attacks on Mary were more cruel because you thought I was a man. Lol. I’m actually shocked to find I wasn’t kicked out of here. I certainly deserved it even though every last word that I said was true.
We have been allowing the force fed rhetoric to sink into the minds of too many Americans for too long. I have had enough. The average citizen has no idea which candidate is truly better for them. At this point the vote they cast means no more than which sports team they decide to root for.
Justify your crush on Palin any way you want America, Rush will give you the 3 talking points you need and it won’t matter that much that you even manage to butcher those. You are making the country and the world a radically more dangerous and volatile place by even taking a chance at putting an inexperienced simpleton such as Palin in the White House.
“We have been allowing the force fed rhetoric to sink into the minds of too many Americans for too long….”
We sure have. “Change we can believe in”?? What kind of change? The kind of change Infidel Castro brought to Cuba 50 years ago? The kind of change Antonio Gramsci, Saul Alinsky, Bill Ayers, and their kindred spirits have been pushing for … which is to say, the “change” first put forth by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels? The “change” that was condemned by several Popes, most forcefully by Pius XI in declaring Communism to be “intrinsically evil”?
McCain and Palin both have serious problems on several fronts, discernible to Catholics of conscience even through the ill-willed media blitzkrieg against the latter. But unfortunately the present time does not permit us to criticize them in a vacuum. The other alternative is FAR worse. And the fact that we are presented with the choice of “regrettable” vs. “cataclysmic” is ultimately an indictment of the cultural and spiritual bankruptcty of this entire society.
Our “Untergang” is about to begin.
Billy,
I warned you about insulting my guests. You’re gone.