No one can take seriously the idea that she is qualified to be the President of the United States. As Tom Brokaw asked on Sunday, does she know as much about economics as Mitt Romney? As much about terrorism as Tom Ridge? Or as much about foreign affairs as Joe Lieberman? The claim that she is "the best qualified" is a grotesque joke!
The idea that she is as qualified as Obama is even more ridiculous. He edited the Harvard Law Review. She studied sports journalism. He is a legislator, a Senator, a Constitutional scholar. He has also undergone 20 months of grueling campaigns, survived dozens of debates with very highly qualified opponents, and endured endless one-on-one interviews. He has been thoroughly vetted and prevailed thorough the democratic election process. She has not.
Not only that, but when it came to the first test of a future president's judgment, Obama picked a man with decades of foreign policy experience. McCain chose a woman with none. His wife defended her against the charge that she lacks foreign policy experience by observing that Russia and Alaska are in close geographical proximity!
The idea that women who supported Hillary will flock to McCain because of this choice boggles the mind. He emphasized himself that the crucial test of a vice presidential pick is that that person should be prepared to assume the presidency. If this was the test-and it is the right standard-then he fails by his own criterion. He is still doing poorly on tests!
When you stop to think, politically there is nothing "new" about her. She stands for more drilling; less regulation; reducing taxes, including on the rich; right-wing judges, especially on the Supreme Court; oil-oil-oil as the world's most precious commodity; privatizing education through charter schools and home schooling; and other all-too-familiar positions. So what's "new"? It all comes in a most attractive package, exuding charms that John McCain appears to appreciate.
Indeed, he barely knows her himself. He met her once a while back, spoke with her on the phone, and flew her in for another conversation before announcing his choice. We are going to learn far more about her now than McCain knew when he chose her. This selection, in a microcosm, stunningly illustrates how out of touch he is with reality, his impulsive and reckless judgment, his intellectual laziness and lack of curiosity.
These very considerations, moreover, have been reinforced by McCain's past-oriented acceptance speech. As Mother Jones has observed, he made 43 references to his 5 ½ years as a prisoner of war around forty years ago, only 8 to his 25 years in the House and the Senate. The GOP theme has clearly emerged: "POW equals patriotic hero equals a fighting president." The slogan is as simple-minded as it is false.
McCain appears to sincerely believe that his experience decades ago entitles him to the nation's highest office. How out of touch is that? Declaring he had fought for the country before-and had suffered-he will fight for it again: "I have the record and the scars to prove it," he declared. "Senator Obama does not." But those very scars may be among the most important reasons why John McCain is profoundly unqualified to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of our country.
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