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Obama Campaign Spokesperson: Palin Inexperienced…Huh?

August 30th, 2008
By MARK DANIELS

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The Columbus Dispatcharticle on John McCain’s announcement yesterday that he had selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his vice presidential running mate contained this about the reaction of a campaign spokesperson for the Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama:

The Obama campaign criticized Palin as too conservative on issues such as abortion and argued that she would not be fit to assume the presidency.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said that McCain was willing to put “the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign-policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.”

Someone in the Obama campaign had better tell Bill Burton to clam up on “the experience issue.” Palin has served in elective office longer than the Illinois senator and for most of that time, since she was elected mayor in 1992, has been as what the political scientists call an “administrative decision maker.” Obama has no such experience. Nor does his running mate, Senator Joseph Biden.

Palin is lacking in foreign policy experience. So is Obama.

There may be plenty of reasons for the Obama campaign to go after Governor Palin. But it would be best for them not to mention experience, the Illinois senator’s lack of which is a major concern of American voters.



This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 10:13 am and is filed under Newsweek Blogitics, Sarah Palin, John McCain, Barack Obama, 2008 Elections, Politics. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Viewing 56 Comments

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    That's why these campaigns need regular folks like us to run their campaigns. We state the obvious. LOL!
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    I think that Obama, having run one of the most scrutinized campaign in history with the attack machines of the Clintons and the Roves focused intently on him gives him some props in the experience area. Comparing his acceptance speech with the clip of Palin saying she isn't sure what the VP does is unfair, but illuminating.

    That being said, the only thing the Obama camp should be saying is that this means the experience issue is off the table and stay quiet until McCain brings it up. This wasn't a smart move on Burton's part. However, it is funny that Rove was bashing Tim Kaine's lack of experience as mayor of Richmond a few weeks ago.
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    Agreed. Voters may be willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt when he implies that time in DC is overrated, but may not if it seems like he's being hypocritical.
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    Obama quickly walked back Burton's statement, though I'm glad it's out there.

    The point is not that Palin is as inexperienced as Obama. It's that McCain cannot use the experience argument against Obama anymore.

    And don't insult us by suggesting that the administrative capabilities of running a small town translate to the Presidency of the United States. You do more than manage and delegate when in the White House. You need a grasp of national and international issues. Palin has no such grasp. Why not pick any small-town mayor recently elected President.
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    Palin is untouchable for the Obama campaign. She's female. This will appeal to a large enough percentage of Clinton supporters to tip the scales.

    People say Palin was a panic-pick. No, not so much. Or if so, McCain hit the jackpot with lady luck.

    Let me state this slowly and carefully:

    ..Obama...went...out...of...his...way...to...alienate...Clinton....supporters. ..a...vast...number....of....which...are....women. ...and...men...concerned....with...female...issues.

    If I hear Obama make one more comment about how Hillary really "made history" or "cracked the glass ceiling"...or one more comment on how "our daughters can look to Hillary's acheivement (of losing to a less-qualified male) as something to look up to"I think I'm going to lose it. That patronizing talk, coming from an inexperienced male who just usurped a vastly more experienced female in such a critical race as this, to the detriment of the entire democratic party no less, is like hearing a slave owner from the 1800s brag about how his "niggers" got it better than most 'cuz he just started giving them an extra helpin' o grits on Sundays.

    I swear to God It is maddening, infuriating...

    And remember: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"..

    If he wants the tiniest bit of a chance with female voters who RIGHTLY (not "whining" " bitter" or "silly") feel disenfranchised and now, with new salt in the wounds of THE CLASSIC example of the most stereotypical form of male to female descrimination: a man usurping a more qualified female for a job.....he'd better do triple back-flips to convince Clinton voters that he is anything but the headman for closet-misogyny personified.

    He must know that any talk he gives that patronizes Clinton's acheivements with "there, there dear" attitude is going to piss off and drive away pro-women (women and men) voters in THE MILLIONS...

    And that, dear friends, is a recipe for a loss this Fall.

    And McCain knew it. He's smart enough, or has people who work for him that are smart enough to know how abrasive Obama's closet-treatment of women really is and how deep the wounds have gone of Obama's passive-misogyny, and really, the collective closet-misogyny of the DNC.

    Now, that's not to say that the McCain camp isn't anti-women. But picking Palin sure puts the money where the mouth is when it comes to actually making an effort to reach out. And that's in the end what all voters will see, feminists or not, that McCain puts his money where his mouth is and Obama is a big windbag of empty lofty promises and in reality, factual delivery on "the same old thing".

    Obama's very campaign is the epitome of "the same old thing" with regards to thousands of years old "accepted misogyny".

    Women make up over half the world population. It's about time someone did the math. Here's to McCain's pick: Sarah Palin, as at least a tiny effort in the right direction.

    Effort, not words...
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    People say Palin was a panic-pick. No, not so much. Or if so, McCain hit the jackpot with lady luck.

    I'm not inclined to vote for a person who relies on luck first and foremost. I want to see considered planning, not pot shots -- even if the pot shots turn out to be lucky once in a while.
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    Actually Sarah Palin does have some foreign policy experience, remember she is chief executive of the only state with 2 foreign borders and has been involed in some foreign policy issues.
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    Ricorun,

    I accept that that's how you feel. Now it's your turn to accept that millions disagree with you for all the forgoing reasons I just posted.

    It's about doing the math. Do the math. McCain just won the election by picking Palin.

    The truth is sometimes very painful to accept.
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    So does that mean that anyone on the border of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Washington, Texas, Montana, Idaho, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Vermont, Maine have foreign policy experience? I'm not sure where you're coming from on this one.

    As for 'experience', someone who is elected to a town of less than 7,000 people vs. someone who has served in a state legislature in a state where people still outnumber moose, come on. I agree that Obama should be treading carefully on 'experience' here, but you're stretching with this comparison.

    I don't think this is in any way a guarantee win for McCain unless Obama or Biden somehow make this person out to be a victim, or if she is way above expectations and can answer foreign policy questions accurately and face the scrutiny of the national press (McCain meeting her once certainly isn't vetting).

    My biggest fear (and those of many GOP insiders) is that this woman is one pulse away from the Oval Office. Is she ready to command 300 million people? It might be 'elected office' as well, guys, but it's not Wasilla or the Alaska National Guard.

    That's truth that's indeed painful to accept.
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    I think it's fair to question Obama for this. <