Should we give Sarah Palin a break?

Nancy Pfotenhauer, a senior campaign strategist for Mr McCain, has asked for fewer questions on foreign policy in Thursday’s Vice Presidential debate. After all, it wouldn’t be fair. Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has loads more experience than Palin, she points out. “The moderators will have some questions to answer themselves if they do go so heavy [on] foreign policy,” said Pfotenhauer, as if moderator Gwen Ifill were just a big ol’ bully.

This is also a touchy issue for Biden: he can’t be seen to “go after” Palin because it would be ungentlemanly and unsporting.

Nobody was saying things like this before the Presidential debate. I was in New York on Friday and the whole city was talking about the debates. People on their mobiles were arranging to go to debate parties. Cops directing UN traffic were talking about getting home in time to watch. There was a real sense of anticipation about what would happen. But no one was wondering if it might be a bit too trying for McCain. Or that Obama might be disadvantaged, the poor dear, because McCain was expected to excel on foreign policy questions. We expected the two of them to hold their own if they are both serious contenders for President.

Now, even Palin’s own conservative supporters are urging her to pull out, to tell voters she wants to focus on her family (everybody’s doing it, after all).

The Arizona Republic website argues that we should be patient with Palin, and give her time to learn. Yet the vice-presidency isn’t the right place to institute on-the-job training.

It’s time the kid gloves came off and we started expecting the best from Palin. Whether she can deliver it, is up to her.

More on Palin:

From Comment Central: A tool that creates Palin debate answers

From Times Online: The Sarah Palin trivia palindrome

From Rob Walker at The New York Times Magazine: How Palin's glasses fit into electoral aesthetics

Comments

[Jarrad]

The "Winterval" thing was total rubbish - it was a one-off event proposed by Birmingham City Council that was picked up and blown out of all proportion by the sort of idiots who have their own axes to grind.

British Muslims turning on their fellow citizens? Have Americans never carried out terrorist acts against their own population?

What about Timothy McVey? What was his excuse?

[For Democracy]

It is sickening to see how Palin cowtows to the Jewish Lobby and even has an Israeli flag in her office.
"I just love Israel, wink, wink...."
Sadly, both the Republicans and the Democrats are beholden to the Jewish Lobby and their cash handouts designed to pervert the democratic system in favour of Israel.

[Delilah]

Oh for crying out loud, sort your own freak show out before you come gunning for ours. I'd take Palin over a few of your PM hopefuls any day.

How many of you had a say in Gordon Brown's "election"? At least we get a chance to change the President every four years, whether s/he is ready or not - and to vote for a person, rather than a party.

[Helen]

Steve: "Palin's son is going to fight in Iraq. .. Just them by the children they raise."

Presume you mean 'judge'? Let's by all means. Palin's son, according to an Alaska blog site got in trouble with the law and chose to go in the army rather than jail.

Her 17y-old daughter is pregnant and being 'shot-gunned' into marriage with 18 y-old Levi who describes himself as "a f*****g red-neck" who does not want any children! They are both paraded before the hypocritical Religious Right as 'regular family' of a 'great apple-pie mom'. WHAT?

Biden already has a son serving in Iraq. He didn't go there to avoid jail. He signed up.

I have reared six children, have taught university for 30+ years, scheduled my work life around my family, and made sure I knew where everybody was at all times. No law-breakers, no teenage pregnancies. There are thousands like me; Palin is definitely NOT one of them.

Au contraire. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, lipstick and promises. "Sarah Palin has a way of using "old boys".
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/23/
palin/print.html

[Helen]

Steve: "Palin's son is going to fight in Iraq. .. Just them by the children they raise."

Presume you mean 'judge'? Let's by all means. Palin's son, according to an Alaska blog site got in trouble with the law and chose to go in the army rather than jail.

Her 17y-old daughter is pregnant and being 'shot-gunned' into marriage with 18 y-old Levi who describes himself as "a f*****g red-neck" who does not want any children! They are both paraded before the hypocritical Religious Right as 'regular family' of a 'great apple-pie mom'. WHAT?

Biden already has a son serving in Iraq. He didn't go there to avoid jail. He signed up.

I have reared six children, have taught university for 30+ years, scheduled my work life around my family, and made sure I knew where everybody was at all times. No law-breakers, no teenage pregnancies. There are thousands like me; Palin is definitely NOT one of them.

Au contraire. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, lipstick and promises. "Sarah Palin has a way of using "old boys".
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/23/
palin/print.html

[Helen]

Steve: "Palin's son is going to fight in Iraq. .. Just them by the children they raise."

Presume you mean 'judge'? Let's by all means. Palin's son, according to an Alaska blog site got in trouble with the law and chose to go in the army rather than jail.

Her 17y-old daughter is pregnant and being 'shot-gunned' into marriage with 18 y-old Levi who describes himself as "a f*****g red-neck" who does not want any children! They are both paraded before the hypocritical Religious Right as 'regular family' of a 'great apple-pie mom'. WHAT?

Biden already has a son serving in Iraq. He didn't go there to avoid jail. He signed up.

I have reared six children, have taught university for 30+ years, scheduled my work life around my family, and made sure I knew where everybody was at all times. No law-breakers, no teenage pregnancies. There are thousands like me; Palin is definitely NOT one of them.

Au contraire. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, lipstick and promises. "Sarah Palin has a way of using "old boys".
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/23/
palin/print.html

[Andrew Milner]

Ignorance is an American virtue. Just not smart enough to be top nation. Have you considered devolution? Sounds the obvious answer for a huge dysfunctional nation.

[Pip]

Obama may be inexperienced but he has a good brain which is required when trying to cope with vastly complex matters. He also as far as I know has no emotional or physical ill health. I'm not sure one could say that about McCain with his famous explosive tempers acquired after years of torture.

[Nick B]

If it is the case that the VP position is no place for on-the-job training, the presidency is doubly so. Given that Palin's experience is approximately equivalent to that of Obama, the choice of president here should be blindingly obvious.

[whimsey]

Since when were "Muslim" and "Brit" mutually exclusive?

Sadly, since British Muslims started blowing up their fellow citizens, wanting Britain to become a Muslim theocracy, wanting Sharia law to apply to them, wanting the right to kill their disobedient daughters, wanting separate swimming sessions for Muslim women, wanting their women to be wrapped head to toe in black veiling, wanting the right to hack their daughters' genitals off... (etc)

Thank God/Allah it's only a tiny minority!!

PS - I could have added: Wanting to ban Christmas in favour of Winterval. But that, of course, is just the desire of pusilanimous PC counsillors sucking up to 'multiracialism'. Oh, and secularists DESPERATE to make Britain an exclusively secular country.

[Hugo Chav]

A Margaret thatcher for America, Or Edwina Curry?

[gbj]

Blah blah blah. Funny how everyone's an expert on the vice-presidency lately, and even more of an expert/critic of Palin. When did these mythical standards for a VP suddenly go into effect? I'm sure Mondale, Quayle, Albert Barkley, Nance Garner, and other footnotes to history are proud to know the office they held in near-anonymity is now held in such high regard. This is all about Palin-bashing and the media being in the bag for Obama. Nothing more.

[Steve]

She shouldn't learn on the job, she should take a class at 'Oxbridge' perhaps? Do like the royals & get the Tutor's to do the work? If you don't like her b/c she's a republican say so, if like many women you hate to see a woman advance, say that. either way everyone learns on every job in the real world. Yes, even columnists.

[Jarrad]

Since when were "Muslim" and "Brit" mutually exclusive?

Are there no American Muslims then?

I've read some stupid, blinkered, insular and offensive comments but that one gets the prize.

[JohnB]

Re: Those obsessed with "What newspapers do you read?"

I've been following politics for decades, and I don't recall any journalist, no matter how trashy, asking such a dumb and insolent question of a politician. The intent was obviously malicious, and any reply would have been made fun of. Palin was right not to answer, but I wish she had told that jumped-up skank to mind her own f***ing business. That would have got McCain another ten million votes.

[john]

What's the difference between a muslim and a Brit? The way you people handle your politics, the answer will soon be: Nothing!

[Steve]

Inexperience is better than a lot of bad experience. Biden has spent a lifetime lying to and stealing from taxpayers. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. Biden has a lot of experience, but it is the wrong kind of experience, the kind of experience that makes him unqualified.

Biden's sons got rich working for his credit card special interests as "consultants." Palin's son is going to fight in Iraq. If you have any questions about who they really are, just them by the children they raised.

[David Farmer]

Bet Obama wishes he had taken on Hillery Clinton as his vice now!

[Carlos]

Does this need a blog? Surely the answer to the question is a simple, yet resounding: No.

[Gipsy]

>>Of course, if you take away America's gun violence, the UK is more violent, per capita. So, I know you've got it in you. You just are a bit short on guns.<<

Lee, I love you. But I gotta ask. What do you base this on (about the violence excl. gun violence)?

[Ken]

LOL

The writer is so obviously blinkered with ideological blinders that she doesn't appear to know that Palin, in fact, has MORE experience than Obama.

Do a little homework first before you embarrass yourself with such rediculous nonsense.

If you disagree with Palin, just say so, but spare us the lame whining about your supposed concern over her "experience."

-Ken
www.LaserGuidedLoogie.com

[Lee]

C'mon English people!

It's bad enough being an American and having to acknowledge that Palin actually exists. The least you could do is heap withering scorn on Retardican pandering to stupid people. Oh, sorry, 'thick'. (Must remember the audience).

Someone in blighty ought to provide an in-our-face answer to religious literalism. Terribly ironic, since its practiced by those who can barely read.

Can you call it "WWCD"? Hint: who was the 20th century's answer to Lincoln?

Now, I know you chaps are polite and proper and all that. Of course, if you take away America's gun violence, the UK is more violent, per capita. So, I know you've got it in you. You just are a bit short on guns. Feeling angry now?

Then take it out on Ms. "PLEASE ASK LIMITED INTELLECT questions about NONSENSE".

And, when Obama is elected, 2+ centuries of coddling the uneducated may not see the beginning of the end, but it will see the end of the beginning....

Nashville, Tn.

[Gerry]

Seeing as she is more experienced than Obama, does the writer feel that the presidency is the right place to institute on-the-job training? More twaddle from a left-wing idiot

[Gerry]

Seeing as she is more experienced than Obama, does the writer feel that the presidency is the right place to institute on-the-job training? More twaddle from a left-wing idiot

[Jarrad]

Why can't I get the sound of a banjo out of my head?