Sarah Palin stated again, most recently in her interview yesterday by ABC’s Charlie Gibson, that she has foreign policy experience because as governor of Alaska she has been in charge of that state’s National Guard, and because Alaska is, doggone it, “right next” to Russia.
This made me feel pretty good, because it made me realize that I have a whole lot of skills and experience which I hadn’t really appreciated before and that I could perhaps use to get myself out of this freelance journalism profession, which is not all that great from a financial perspective. This is where Palin gained here "experience" for the White House
I, for instance, live very close to the garage where my mechanic works (I mean, I drive past the place every day and even buy my gas there), so I’m ready to be a car mechanic (I can’t tell you how many cars I’ve seen being gone over there, and have even sometimes watched a bit as my own vehicles were up on the lift). I also live literally across the street from a large forest, which qualifies me to be a number of things—forest ranger, lumberjack, and perhaps naturalist.
I’ve also been to the doctor many times, so maybe I should hang a shingle and open up a medical practice. I swear I’ve got all those exam questions by memory at this point, and they’ve got nurses to do the stuff with the arm cuff and the stethoscope.
Of course, the real money these days is in law, and there I’ve really got it nailed. Not only do several lawyers live right in my neighborhood, but I’ve actually been in court and seen lawyers at work. For that matter, I even had a lawyer argue a case for me once, when I was being charged with trespassing at the Pentagon. He wasn’t successful at getting my fine and jail time dropped, but hey, you learn from other people’s failures, too. Furthermore, I actually wrote a book with a co-author who is a lawyer. With all that experience, I could certainly be an attorney.
Over the years, I’ve spent time at the seashore, and even went on a one-week ocean sailing trip, so you’d have to admit oceanography is almost in my blood. Or perhaps I could be a sea captain. I’m sure I could do at least as well as the captain of the Exxon Valdez tanker.
Come to think of it, back when I was 16, I hitchhiked up to Alaska with a friend and spent the summer thumbing around the state, so I know that place like the back of my hand, which means if Sarah Palin gets elected and goes to Washington, maybe I could be governor of Alaska. And then, as governor I’d be commander of a National Guard unit, so I’d be qualified to be a vice president, or, should the opportunity present itself, even president of the United States. Actually, I’d be maybe more experienced than Palin for the job, because I grew up in Connecticut, and thanks to the small size of the states in my native New England, have actually been living closer to a foreign country—Canada—than she, living in Wasilla, has been living to Russia. In other words, when you think of it, my foreign policy experience is much greater than hers. Besides, I’ve actually visited Canada a few times, which really boosts my experience in international affairs.
I know some people think that jumping into jobs like president or vice president of the United States based upon what they might perceive as limited experience is presumptuous, but that’s because they aren’t being fair and open-minded. And I’ll admit that it’s hard, with relatively limited experience, to expect someone like Palin or me to measure up to the standard of someone like our current vice president, Dick Cheney, who came to his position after having served previously as presidential chief of staff, as secretary of defense, and as a member of Congress. I mean, that’s real experience, and it shows in the fine job he’s done as VP.
But we shouldn’t let examples like Cheney, or Donald Rumsfeld, another guy who took an important government post—in his case Secretary of Defense—after having considerable prior experience—make us obsess about experience. I mean, look at our current president. George W. Bush got elected in 2000, when his experience consisted of just two terms as governor of Texas, a state where the governor has a largely ceremonial role and most of the real work of government is handled by the legislature, and look what a great job he did in the White House! Furthermore, his only military experience was as a pilot in a Texas National Guard unit, most of which tour of duty he missed because he decided to work on his father’s failed election campaign instead, and because he didn’t want to take any drug tests, and look what a fine job he’s done as commander in chief.
This should all make Americans lighten up and be less snooty and judgemental about what they demand in terms of experience in presidential and vice presidential candidates. Palin in my view has proved her qualifications for the job. Yesterday she sent her young son off to battle in Iraq to fight against "the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the deaths of thousands of Americans" on 9-11 seven years ago. What better evidence do we need of this woman's solid grasp of foreign affairs, history and combat?
________________ DAVE LINDORFF is a Philadelphia journalist and columnist. His latest book is "The Case for Impeachment" (St. Martin's Press, 2006 and now available in paperback edition). His work is available at www.thiscantbehappening.net
http://www.thiscantbehappening.net
Dave Lindorff, a columnist for Counterpunch, is author of several recent books ("This Can't Be Happening! Resisting the Disintegration of American Democracy" and "Killing Time: An Investigation into the Death Penalty Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal"). His latest book, coauthored with Barbara Olshanshky, is "The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office (St. Martin's Press, May 2006). His writing is available at http://www.thiscantbehappening.net
After reading your excellent qualifications for various jobs, I pondered mine.
I'm definitely qualified to be a gyno, because I've been to so many spread 'em doctors and had three babies. When I get tired of getting up at 2 .m. to dispatch deliveraries, I can be a pediatrician.
I've been cooking for more years than I care to recount, so I can fill the vacuum left by Julia Child, and since I occasionally look through binoculars to see what kind of fix-it people are at my neighbors houses, I can take her place at the C.I.A.
And I live about as close to the Mexican border as Palin lives from Russia, therefore I and a few million other people are equally qualified as international experts.
Our proximity to what others do gives all of us an never-ending list of jobs we're qualified to do.
Excellent piece!
by
Sandy Sand (165 articles, 0 quicklinks, 220 diaries, 1490 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 9:44:40 AM
I'm a better accountant than Alan Greenspan, who is responsible for the CDO bust or Paul Wolfiwitz who estimated the illegal occupation of Iraq would cost 50 billion and most of it coming from Iraqi oil revenue.
I'm a better Secretary of State than Condi Rice or Collin Powell.
I'd be a better president than Dybua, who won't disclose the last time he did cocaine, is AWOL, has a drunk driving conviction, committed insider trading offenses, War Crimes and a litany of other high crimes and misdemeanors.
I have better qualifications for VP than Cheney, Biden, or Palin.
Unlike Pelosi, I know when the Executive deserves Impeachment and should have trials of Treason before being turned over to the Hague.
I could continue my rant, but I'd rather be busy viewing eye candy.
by
Stanimal (0 articles, 4 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 668 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 1:03:02 PM
This is all true, but. sad. Fortunately, We Can Still Joke
But, don't blame them....blame the NotSee Americans who have voted them in! Unfortunately, most Americans do not see what is going on around them or don't care. Hence, we wind up with incompetence!
The biggest challenge is how do we get NotSees to get involved? We must get them to see what is happening to this once great nation. I still have faith that we sill climb up and once again be the leader in the world, but we must get people involved.
by
Dennis Kaiser (14 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 280 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 5:04:26 PM
Experience is not just time put in. Some people like Palin and McCain could have hundreds of years of "experience" and never learn anything. It takes intelligence, an open mind, and a conscience to be able to gain experience from any time spent doing something. The mentality the Bush Republicans exhibit is lacking in any humanity, compassion, decency, or intelligence. It is a very sad comentation on the human race to see these people being elected by our countrymen. Apparently the majority of our fellow citizens have been so dumbed down that they will vote for anyone or anything that can out lie and slander their opposition. Anyone for an integrity check?
by
Hayesml47 (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 502 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 6:59:39 PM
I guess that really makes a case for Obama to lead the country. He has 170 days in congress....WOW!!! I mean............that's it. On the other liberal hand is O'Biden, he's got that nasty old musty boot stuck in his mouth again. Now that I look at the overall picture, the only person that really has any experience running anything other then their mouths is Palin. Hillary may push O'Biden out and become the VP after all, and guess what...she has experience slapping slick Willy around. Now there's a real leader for ya.
by
Jay Timmins (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 103 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 7:42:49 PM
To add something to the comment about needing intelligence to compliment experience (and by the way-as I sit here typing this I just realized that I was using the computer and it suddenly dawned on me that I have experience in a multitude of different things-I could run Microsoft better than Gates, I could (because I am writing a comment) write a column for any number of newspapers, Oh-and I just looked outside and noticed that it's going to rain any minute so I could start looking into working as a meteorologist on the Weather Channel anyday and I just made a correction in my statement so I would make a five star editor or proof-reader...Gee, I'm at a loss as to what to do first or maybe I'll just do them all...)
So where was I-oh, yeah. You need intelligence and experience and then there's the fact that you should be (in Palin's case)...
conscious.
by
Raffie Azariel (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 39 comments)
on Friday, September 12, 2008 at 8:59:24 PM
..... back in 1984. Thus, the current whining from the media (and Lindorff) about experience is hardly believable as being intellectually honest or consistent.
The truth of course is that Palin has more executive experience than the other three candidates combined, and according to their various critics, haven't really been that stellar in their respective judgments. And isn't that essentially the job she's applying for? Backup quarterback for the chief executive?
Back then, a congresswoman was perfectly fine for the VP slot, and we should all stand back and behold her "growth in office". Now, even being a mayor and a governor of a state is insufficient, and that person should promptly resign from the ticket.
It's rare times like this that the breathtaking partisan bias and double standards of the vast majority of the media come into clear focus.
by
Alan Williams (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 709 comments)
on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 1:40:34 AM
I've dated beauty queens, therefore I'm an authority on intelligence and natural selection.
Even surfed big waves. I'm sure to qualify as a hydrologist or dam (sic) engineer.
I could even be a dictator. At least as good as our current Dick Tator, aka Mr. Potato Head, Richard "Dickhead" Cheney.
I can turn on a light switch. The nuclear trigger would thus be a snap.
I've killed and eaten rattlesnakes. Dealing with Vladimir Putin would be cake. He don't even have fangs.
I can brush my teeth and even go to the bathroom by myself. Being a bioweapons expert would be microbial in comparison.
I've been very unsuccessful at business. As a top executive I could run the country even further into the ground than our current CEO. It's a no brainer job. Having one is evidently a disqualification.
I very good at reading between the lines. With all that experience in dealing with space, I think I'm more than qualified to be an astronaut.
I've shot lots of guns of all calibers. Heck, I can press a button and shoot off a missile just as easily as shooting off my mouth.
I'm an authority on money since I dominate an empty wallet. Running the federal reserve is easy as supervising a drained reservoir.
There's lot of friends of mine no one else can see or hear. Therefore, I'm more than qualified at foreign correspondence.
The glasses I wear help me with vision. I can even see into the future. Not to mention being an expert at surveillance.
You can fool me once, even twice. With that kinda background I can be a world class fool. I can even fool you.
Best of all I'm a darn good liar. Guess that'd make me a competent politician.
by
Cinderfella (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 113 comments)
on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 4:42:51 AM
9 comments
How would you rate this?
You must be logged in (if signed up) to do ratings.
It's free to signup! And easy. And takes just a minute or two....
Must Read (
Well Said (
News (
Touching (
Funny (
Supported (
Interesting (
Inspiring (
Valuable (
