Just what are Sarah Palin's qualification?

[Playboypenguin]

As someone that is not terribly familiar with this person I am finding myself dumbstruck, after doing what little research on her I have, by the fact she was chosen. Just what are Sarah Palin's qualifications to be VP and possibly President? She has no real foreign policy experience, very questionable domestic policy experience, and her own party in Alaska has questioned her qualifications to even be governor.

I hear some people on this board who are crazy about her but so far the information they put forth as to why amounts to "she hunts and is anti-choice." That is hardly reason to elect someone...mush less sing their praises.

It is starting to look to me like she is a desperate attempt to attract democratic women voters who are displeased with Hilary losing to Obama.

[Al Norris]

Playboy, the only qualifications for Vice President are the same qualifications for President: Natural born citizen; resided within the US for the last 14 years; attained 35 years of age, at the time of taking the oath. (Art. II section 1, clause 5, as amended)

That's it.

Anything more/else are just opinions. Is it opinions that you are really asking?

[Playboypenguin]

That's it.

Anything more/else are just opinions. Is it opinions that you are really asking?

Please, people are constantly asking what a candidates qualifications truly are in any election. This is nothing new. To suddenly start acting like she is being treated unfairly by asking the same questions is not very legitimate.

People are constantly questioning what experiences Obama has that make him qualified to be the President so I am asking the same about Palin. We can rephrase the question if you like.

What experiences does she bring to the table that make her a good candidate for VP?

[Halo]

I don't know a great deal about her yet either, I don't think many people outside of Alaska do. That in itself is part of her appeal for a lot of people -- a beltway outsider. As for her experience, she has been the governor of a state for 2 years, prior to that head of the Alaska oil and gas commission, and prior to that local offices. But really, are her qualifications any less than Obama's? What real foreign policy experience does he bring that she doesn't? What executive experience does Obama have? Frankly her lack of experience as VP concerns me a lot less than Obama's as the President. If she had to assume the office of President early in her term, I expect she would choose an "elder statesman" as her VP just as Obama did in choosing Biden.

But to turn the question around a bit, is there anyone out there who would vote for an "experienced" candidate of an entirely opposite political philosophy, versus a less experienced candidate who shares much of one's core beliefs? I doubt there's very many.

[MeekAndMild]

This might help you narrow it down a bit more: LINK

I think you may be worrying too much about foreign relations experience and not enough about character and ability to take responsibility. She's got significant executive management experience as governor of the only state in the union which pays its citizens a reverse income tax. Plus she'll have the chance to study under the best tutors in the world.

Like any good executive she will know how to hire experts and fire the failures.

On the other hand I'd suppose there is the guy who voted 'present' most of his career, the one who's run in every election in 30 years or the one endorsed by the Klan. Your choice I guess.


Edited to add I suppose if experience is absolutely vital to the job we could ask the Queen of England to take us back?

[Al Norris]

Just what are Sarah Palin's qualifications to be VP and possibly President?

The above was your question. I answered it.

Please, people are constantly asking what a candidates qualifications truly are in any election. This is nothing new.

This is the standard answer I have always given for that question.

To suddenly start acting like she is being treated unfairly by asking the same questions is not very legitimate.

I don't believe I have said she is being treated unfairly. In fact, I don't recall giving any opinions on her, other than one post that countered some Obama attributes.

Now that you have rephrased your question, we'll see what other people have to say.

[Playboypenguin]

That in itself is part of her appeal for a lot of people -- a beltway outsider.

I think that is a big part of it. I do think that is going to bite them in the butt though since I think a lot of people will fall out of love with her when they start learning more about her beyond some hunting pics.

I think you may be worrying too much about foreign relations experience and not enough about character and ability to take responsibility.

The more I read about her the more her "character" comes into question. If character alone is what she is running on I would definitly find her lacking. It seems she abuses her power (Troopergate) and it appears she might not be abolve lying to her constituents either (the questions about her youngest child).

Edited to add I suppose if experience is absolutely vital to the job we could ask the Queen of England to take us back?

Are you saying the founders that fought for freedom had no experiences that made them good leaders? They did not have military experience, political experience, world experience?

[HKuser]

Her qualifications, in general, though she is running for understudy, are superior to the Democrat star. Evidence of this is that Obama does not run against McCain and is now running against Palin, comparing himself to her, and failing. It is comical. Biden? Who's he?

[Hkmp5sd]

It is starting to look to me like she is a desperate attempt to attract democratic women voters who are displeased with Hilary losing to Obama.

She attracts a wide range of voters:

She is good looking (appeals to males), religious (appeals to religious), NRA member (appeals to gun fanatics), family/mom (appeals to soccer moms), outside Washington establishment (appeals to anti-government types), hunter (appeals to Bambi killers), anti-abortion (appeals to both religous and anti-abortionists), female (appeals to those that want to see a woman in high office), not a multimillionare (appeals to middle incomes), hubby's a small business owner (appeals to others), supports more drilling (appeals to anyone that thinks global warming is a crock and doesn't want to be paying $10/gallon for oil in a few years) and very conservative (appeals to those that think McCain is too moderate).



Seems the one group she doesn't appeal to is the hypocritical National Organization of Women aka NOW. The one group you would think would be backing her to the hilt.

What experience did Eisenhower have to be chosen Supreme Allied Commander in WWII? None. He was a paper pusher. However he showed the traits necessary for a leader. The only trait Obama shows is the inability to speak without a teleprompter.

[Ozzieman]

OK let’s see if I can make my answer a little easier for the ones that I seem to upset.
1. She is pro gun (Spelled HUNTER) she likes to hunt.
2. She is pro life and a Christian.
3. She is a conservative.
4. She is not a life long Muslim.
That is reason enough for me.
And if you don’t like it then that’s why it a two party race and you can vote with the anti gunners.
Not me.

[HKuser]

it appears she might not be abolve lying to her constituents either (the questions about her youngest child).

If you keep flogging this ridiculous smear, then it's fair to call Obama a crypto-Muslim Al Qaeda operative. Right? If trying to fire nutjobs from the police force who taser 11 year olds in their spare time is an abuse of power then we need more of it.

[Playboypenguin]

She is good looking (appeals to males), religious (appeals to religious), NRA member (appeals to gun fanatics), family/mom (appeals to soccer moms), outside Washington establishment (appeals to anti-government types), hunter (appeals to Bambi killers), anti-abortion (appeals to both religous and anti-abortionists), female (appeals to those that want to see a woman in high office), not a multimillionare (appeals to middle incomes), hubby's a small business owner (appeals to others), supports more drilling (appeals to anyone that thinks global warming is a crock and doesn't want to be paying $10/gallon for oil in a few years) and very conservative (appeals to those that think McCain is too moderate).

Surprise, surprise but I do not find her attractive.

I do like the NRA member thing, the outsider thing, and the fact that she is a woman.

As for the anti-abortion thing, she is not anti-abortion...she is anti-choice. I am anti-abortion. The distinction is one is a simple personal stance and the other is trying to enforce you opinions on others.

I also actually prefer my politicians super rich. Middle class people are too easily bought. I know I could easily be swayed by a few million dollars and some smooth talking.

[TwoXForr]

Well I like the fact that she chose to sue the Federal Goverment over trying to rule the Polar Bear as an endangered spieces (it is not even a threatened spieces). If you declare a animal endangered then you throw up all kinds of additional roadblocks to development in areas that might be thier habitat.

She basically stated that ANWR is a resource that should be exploited.

2nd I like her for that fact that she took on her own parties corruption and then took on the incumbent governor (from her own party and won).

She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. She did a brief stint as a TV sports reporter.

She is not a lawyer.

[Forwardassist]

That is the main reason McCain chose her over some better candidates who had far more qualifications. Sorry being the mayor of a small town and then Governor of Alaska for just two years is not enough experience. And no I don't believe Obama has enough experience either. Neither one of them should be on their parties ticket. But, Obama seem not to be troubled by his lack of experience. The reason McCain and his handlers chose her is they thought she would appeal to disfranchised Hillary supporters. Which is proving not to be the case, since she is way too conservative to appeal to many liberal Hillary supporters. Women are not flocking to the Republican ticket, instead many of them are annoyed by Palin and now have decided to vote for Obama. Hence the reason Obama just received a major boost in the polls since yesterday. Then their is all the negative news about her daughter's pregnancy. As we can see now his choice is coming back to haunt him.

PS: I forgot to add that she does sure up the Party base. Which is something McCain needed to do, or he would lose them in the election. What remains to be seen is will she appeal to conservative democrats, and independents which are need by any Republican to win the election. That I am not to sure about because of her very conservatives views.

[dipper]

Playboy!! Where you been you old son of a gun??
Out there "makin it rain"?
Missed Ya!!

In my best Jack Nickolson impersonation:

Please tell me you have more than this Playboy. Please tell me that you have more than poor Down Syndrome babies and far left wacko theories about teen pregnancy.
The welfare of our country is on the line and you're basing your arguments on handicapped children and 17 year old teenage girls??
What's next? Are you going to complain about her choice of underwear or her favorite color?
Tell me that you have more than this....please, the life of our country could depend on it.

Dipper

[Playboypenguin]

Please tell me you have more than this Playboy. Please tell me that you have more than poor Down Syndrome babies and far left wacko theories about teen pregnancy.

I do not see any wacky conspiracies. I see a woman who does not appear to be pregnant one month before giving birth, that has no pics of herself pregnant even though she was in public office at the time, and that has a daughter that was out of school for nearly five months right around the time the child would have been born. Doesn't take an investigative genius to see something is probably afoot.

But this thread is a place for people to say why she is qualified (what experiences she brings to the table) and not to argue against her personal problems. People have problems in their personal lives. That does not disqualify them from being a good public servant.

[Halo]

I agree that elected officials cannot use the power of their office as a weapon in personal vendettas, but the more I read about the "Troopergate" the more it seems to be an overblown attempt to find some kind of dirt on her. My understanding is that the trooper in question, her former BIL, threatened their family, operated a state vehicle intoxicated, used his issued Taser on his stepson, and her chief of staff (or whatever his title is) inquired into why disciplinary action had not been taken after these revelations. There were some other reasons she canned her appointee over the dept. of public safety, such as failure to fill vacancies, asking the legislature for a budget increase she had not approved, and failure to take action over this apparently "rogue" trooper.

I think we have to remind ourselves that just because they're the "first family" of Alaska it doesn't mean they can't use the government to redress legitimate personal grievances the same as any other citizens. If the trooper in question had threatened some other family, in addition to his other improprieties, there would be public pressure to do something about it. I think in some people's eyes this might look less like her abusing her office and more like "taking on the good ol' boy network" (part of the persona she likes to project) by sacking an incompetent/resistant appointee.

Now maybe I am wrong on some of the facts in this controversy, but that is my current understanding of it based on numerous articles. Tempest in a teapot if you ask me. It was basically a dead issue in Alaska but was resurrected for political utility.

[Frank Ettin]

She's not Biden.

[mountainclmbr]

For "troopergate" I heard that the abusive LEO married to her sister threatened to kill her father if he paid for a divorce lawyer. I also heard that he tasered his own 11 year old son, but claimed it was for "Training". I am searching for more info. It seems that after confiming accusations that the LEO chief refused to fire the LEO, and for that he was fired. Again, I am trying to confirm, but with bias in the media on both sides you cannot really trust news stories anymore.

[Playboypenguin]

Could you provide your source for those claims? The only thing I can find are claims made by Palin herself. Nothing that has be substantiated. In fact the legislature saw fit to launch an on-going investigation into her supposed abuse of power.

What I do know is she first claimed to have not made any attempts to have him fired but then recanted that story after it was proven that she and aids (working on her behalf) had made no fewer than 20 attempts to have the man fired.

mountainclmbr,
Just where did you hear this?

[Brian Pfleuger]

When I refer to experience I am talking about wisdom. Some people learn faster than other. Some people make the same mistakes over and over. Her decisions that I am aware of indicate a level of wisdom, and thus experience, that is beyond the norm.
Simply, she seems like a wise person.

Obama seems like one of two things to me. He is either a man of weak moral fiber or he lacks the wisdom to properly apply his morality, resulting in poor decision making practices. I prefer to believe the latter but I am not, and cannot be, certain of which is the truth.

I have no such questions about McCain and, thus far, Palin. I do not agree with McCain on a fair number of issues but it is probably 10 to 1 against the nearest democrat rival (Obama or any of the also rans)

[Al Norris]

Forwardassist, PBP is looking for positives, not negatives. Think on that before you post again to this thread.

Dipper, your post borders upon a personal attack. Just so you know.

Dave and I have shut down many threads over the last few days. The rancor that some (from every side) have displayed is appalling.

Think twice about what and how you post, then post once.

[HKuser]

by sacking an incompetent/resistant appointee.

And the appointee in question said that he was not pressured over this, and his firing was not connected to it. The charges were concocted by the guy she beat in the governor's race. The contact with the state police over her BIL was before she was governor.

As for qualifications, she has more executive experience than Obama (ANY experience is more than Obama). She has a normal middle-class life and is real. She didn't have a com-syp "let's hate America" nutjob mother. She didn't spend part of her life in the America-hating crapholes of the world. As far as we know, she doesn't have polygamous relatives scattered around the world. Her father wasn't a bigamist. She doesn't have a lobbyist son that worked for the country's biggest credit-card issuer while his father was overseeing a banking committee working on the bankruptcy bill (no abuse of power there *wink* *wink* *nod* *nod*). She didn't claim to author the AWB. In short, she's not Obama or Biden.

[Buzzcook]

On paper, Palin was the mayor of a small town (Wasilla pop. 6000), she was an Alaska state senator, and finally the very new governor of the state.

If you say anything else you're being mean to her.

[Halo]

Could you provide your source for those claims? The only thing I can find are claims made by Palin herself. Nothing that has be substantiated. In fact the legislature saw fit to launch an on-going investigation into her supposed abuse of power.

This covers most of them I believe, except the Taser incident.

http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/492964.html