Palin Is Equally, If Not MORE, Qualified Than Obama

I am never surprised when men act condescending toward women. I was going to say I AM a little flummoxed when women act that way, but then I thought about it, and I changed my mind. I am not at all amazed at the hypocrisy of liberal women.

No one can assert with a straight face that Sarah Palin is less qualified than Barack Obama. And yet, that is your argument against her? What did one blogger say--no more experience governing than her dog? Sarah Palin has at least run a state for two years. Palin has run a state AND reared five kids. She already juggles exponentially more than most men do over a lifetime. Obama hasn't even run a household.

If you don't like her politics, say so. She's adamantly pro-life. Some of us women don't believe that makes her anti-woman. She knows how to shoot a gun and bait a hook. She could probably teach Obama a thing or two. She wants to mine the resources of the United States. Some of us agree--and that doesn't make us anti-environmentalists. She is fiscally conservative and brutal against corruption. Forgive me if I fail to see how that makes her unqualified to be the REPUBLICAN vice presidential candidate. Her politics are conservative. So what? Believe it or not, some of us women with really high IQs, careers, common sense and insight actually vote conservative, and we are happy to see a female conservative on a national ticket.

What is it with female liberals (and it is the same with black liberals) that any woman (or black) who sees things differently than you is automatically one of the following: a tool; an idiot; a traitor; a pawn; incompetent; unqualified...How about saying, "Hooray! One way or another, come November, we are going to make history." Americans in large numbers are either going to vote for a black or a female. That's something to celebrate. I detest Hillary Clinton's politics--just like I think Obama would drive this country to economic ruin. Nonetheless, I am thrilled that a primary contest for president of the United States came down to a woman and a black, whatever their politics.

Don't try to paint Palin as somehow LESS than a man who has no more impressive of a resume than she does.

Submitted by Queen1 (view blog

) on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 19:10

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Hear! Hear!

I am with you 100%.

Sarah Palin is extremely inteligent, personable and tough as nails. She single-handedly took on her own party in order to expose corruption. She doesn't bow to political parties. She has been on the outside of politics. That is the type of person we need.

If you examine what she has done with her public life its quite ballsy. She was also a secret hope of mine to be named as VP. I'm quite pleased with the choice.

Self-discovery through fashion!

www.wisdomofglinda.com

http://askglinda.blogspot.com

http://glindaofoz.blogspot.com

Submitted by GlindaofOz on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 18:38

Do we have much company around here?

Queen1

www.whenwearequeen.squarespace.com

Reading many of the posts here at Blogher, I feel like we are in the minority. I was hoping, too, that McCain would choose her. I really didn't want Romney. I wanted him to push the envelope--Palin or someone like Kantor from Virginia (a Jew), but stay with a conservative. She strikes me as the kind of woman with whom I'd like to take a vacation. Or go shopping.

Like your tag about self-discovery through shopping. I am jonesing for a pair of purple shoes...I did buy a kind of eggplanty-colored pair yesterday, but I just couldn't spring for the bright purple heels I really wanted.

Visit our Queendom, I think you might like us! (Warning, though, very politically incorrect.)

Submitted by Queen1 on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 12:25

Re: Do We Have Much Company....

I always feel like the lone wolf whereever I go. I always feel like the "traitor" in a woman full of women. Toss in the fact that I'm Christian and I'm apparently fair game for everyone to criticize my beliefs. Next thing I know I'm a "turn or burn" fundamentalist. Who knew? I certainly didn't.

Its popular to follow Obama.

Palin has 20 years experience as an elected official. Obame has 10. Majority of Palin's experience has been in an executive capacity. Obama's has not. Simple, plain facts. No one is bashing anything or saying anything bad.

Queen - ever notice how liberals feel free to disect everything we say but what they say and do is off limits?

Self-discovery through fashion!

www.wisdomofglinda.com

http://askglinda.blogspot.com

http://glindaofoz.blogspot.com

Submitted by GlindaofOz on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 17:16

20 years of experience?

Details, please. That's not what I've read elsewhere.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 17:26

Okay, wow. You are really

Okay, wow. You are really pushing me to publish this. Let's do timelines! Yay!

Palin

1992-1996 Wasila City Council

1996-2002 Mayor of Wasila

2003-2004 Chairperson of Alaska Oil and Gas Commission

Dec 2006 - Present Governor of Alaska

7.5 years Executive Experience

14 years of Public Service

Obama

1983-1984 Worked for Business Intl Corporation (assists US companies operating abroad)

1984-1985 Worked for NY Public Interest Reseach Group

1985-1988 Director of Developing Communities Project, which grew exponentially under his leadership

1988 - Also served as a consultant/instructor for Gamaliel Foundation,

1988 -1991 Harvard Law School

1989 - Summer associate at Sidley & Austin

1990 - Elected first black president of the Harvard Law Review, managing 80 editors

1990 - Summer associate at Hopkins & Sutter

1991 - Presented with fellowship at Univ of Chicago

1992 - Founding member of the Board of Public Allies

1992 - Director of Project Vote, managing staff and 700 volunteers

1992 - 2004 Taught constitutional law at University of Chicago

1993 - 2002 Served on the board of the Woods Fund

1993 - 2004 Worked as attorney for Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland in civil rights and neighborhood economic development

1995 -1999 Founding president and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Annenberg Challenge

1997 - 2004 Illinois State Legislator

Sponsored a law increasing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare
In 2001, as co-chairman of the bipartisan Joint Committee on
Administrative Rules, Obama supported Republican Governor Ryan's payday
loan regulations and predatory mortgage lending regulations aimed at
averting home foreclosures.
2003, Obama sponsored and led unanimous, bipartisan passage of legislation to monitor racial profiling
by requiring police to record the race of drivers they detained and
legislation making Illinois the first state to mandate videotaping of
homicide interrogations
2003, chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee
police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting death penalty reforms
More about his Illinois Senate Record

1999-2002 Board of Directors Chicago Annenberg Challenge

2004 - Elected to the US Senate

voted in favor of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
cosponsored the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.
supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act
introduced "Lugar–Obama," which expanded the Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons
introduced "Coburn–Obama Transparency Act," which authorized the establishment of www.USAspending.gov, a web search engine
sponsored legislation requiring nuclear plant owners to notify state and local authorities of radioactive leaks
In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo
Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first
federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor
January 2007, Obama co-sponsored the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which was signed into law in September 2007
introduced S. 453, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections
introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007.
sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges
sponsored the "Iran Sanctions Enabling Act" supporting divestment of
state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, and co-sponsored
legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism
sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries
2005-2006: Served on the Senate Committee for Foreign Relations
2005-2006: Served on the Senate Committee for Environment and Public Works
2005-2006: Served on the Senate Committee for Veterans' Affairs
2007: Served on the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
2007: Served on Senate Committee for Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
2007: Chairman on the Senate subcommittee for European Affairs
Has traveled to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

5+ years Executive Experience

20+ years of Public Service

Okay, so, um, yeah.

I would consider neither to be inexperienced.

But one is clearly more experienced in what is needed in the Executive Branch of government.

Submitted by miteegirl on Sun, 08/31/2008 - 19:43

What does having kids

Have to do with your capability of being a president? And how do you know Obama hasn't been involved in the raising of his kids? Both he and his wife are professionals.

Now who is showing bias?

Regardless, what does having kids have to do with being a good leader?

Submitted by shelleyp on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 12:30

Arguing that she's inexperienced is not
condescension.

It's the truth. Palin had six years as mayor of a town of 6,000 people. Having grown up in a town of that size, I can tell you, that hardly qualifies as a full-time job, much less as VP-quality experience. She was a city council member of the same town for four more years -- an even less difficult job. She spent two years as governor of Alaska, and this is honestly the first experience she has that I'm willing to count. While she has accomplished much, her tenure has not been without its share of problems, and many of her accomplishments were a result of how poor and backward the leadership before her was. She had carte blanche coming into office. It shouldn't have been difficult!

Obama had eight years in the Illinois senate. His congressional district serves 780,000 people. He survived and thrived in the Chicago political scene, escaped with minimal entanglement in scandal (his connections have never proven him guilty of any deficit of ethics of his own), and was very effective in the Illinois legislature. (Something the press doesn't often mention.) He has been a U.S. senator for the last two years.

I don't consider that condescension. I think that's just honesty. Now, had I argued Obama was as qualified as Hillary Clinton, that would be condescension. Personally, I think the fact that McCain thought Palin would appeal to women on the level that Hillary did, that women would find Palin an adequate substitute, is condescending, reductive, and insulting. The two don't compare, either in terms of experience or policy, and I hate to say it, but I feel there are much more qualified women in the Republican party McCain could have selected if he truly wanted to honor Hillary for the kind of leadership she has had not only for her party but also for women.

And I don't think "running a household" qualifies you to be the Vice President, even if it does have five children in it! She has no experience, which I thought was one of McCain's big argument, and I'm insulted by the argument that I should like Palin on the merits of her gender, not on her experience or record!

Submitted by katie84 on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 17:36