Joan Ganz Cooney | 08/29/2008 3:19 pm

Joan Ganz Cooney: The Choice of Palin Is Simply Irresponsible Updated 8/30, 2:06 PM

Update:

Just to set the record straight, I’d like answer those who favorably compare Sarah Palin’s experience to Barack Obama’s.

First, by contrast to Ms. Palin, he, in his childhood and adolesence grew up in the most racially diverse state in the union, Hawaii, and in one of the poorest foreign countries on the planet, Indonesia, both of which experieces gave him a world view very few American children are priviledged to gain. After graduating from Columbia, he went to Harvard Law School and was elected President of the Law Review, an honor that goes only to those at the very top. Subsenquently he moved to Chicago, one of the nation’s largest cities, as a community organizer and as a teacher of constitutional law at the University of Chicago. For years, he was exposed to the multitude of problems faced by urban America. After serving in the State Senate for 7 years, he was elected to the U.S. Senate 4 year ago where he has served on the Foreign Relations committee.

Yes he has been running for the office of president for the past 18 months but his performance as the executive in charge of a huge, hard-fought, successful national campaign during which he beat one of the most formidable families in politics today is no small thing and speaks very well of his ability to manage large, complex national efforts.

As one blogger asked, can anyone imagine Sarah Palin at this time running a prolonged Republican primary campaign and banishing say, the Bush family? I have no doubt she is a competent governor of Alaska but that is simply too small a playing field to be a springboard to the vice presidency and a heartbeat away from the Oval Office.

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The choice of Palin is simply irresponsible. McCain has a 50 percent chance of being president and he puts a heartbeat away from the presidency a 44-year-old who has been governor of the least populated state in the union for less than two years. And that’s the extent of her experience. What on earth does she know about anything to do with governing a huge country or about foreign policy? Her debate with Biden should be very interesting.

To think, as I’m sure they do, that former Hillary supporters can be wooed to their ticket by adding a pro-life, lifetime NRA member surely ranks as one of the dumbest political moves in many years. I will be very surprised if Obama doesn’t get a significant bump in the polls just from this news.

But then when it comes to politics, nobody knows anything.

Read more about: mccain, New, Politics, Sarah Palin

170 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

In addition, what is her experience with large urban areas and their particular problems? What possible experience does she have in a place like N.Orleans or New York? What will the EU think, and China and the Middle East, although I will tell you right now, Joan, that the Ultra Orthodox in Israel will be ecstatic. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1016506.html I don’t know, it will be one of our more “unique” elections…..Stay tuned. I always enjoy your posts. Thank you.

By DianaT on 08/29/2008 3:38 pm

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From David Mark, Fred Barbash at Politico: PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS PAN PALIN PICK Leaving Presidential scholars literally stunned they say she appears to be the least experienced, least credentialed person to join a major-party ticket. said Joel Goldstein, a St. Louis University law professor and scholar of the vice presidency. “Being governor of a small state for less than two years is not consistent with who’s of presidential caliber.” “She is the most inexperienced person on a major party ticket in modern history,” said presidential historian Matthew Dallek. That includes Spiro T. Agnew, Dan Quayle, who had served in the House and Senate for 12 years before taking office, and iGeraldine Ferraro, who served three terms in the House before Walter Mondale chose her in 1984 as the first woman candidate on a major party ticket. “It makes Obama look like an elder statesman. Palin has no experience in national office. Before becoming governor in December 2006, she served as a council member and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, which had a population of slightly more than 5,000 during her time in office.” Palin is a total “wild card,” said Stanford historian David Kennedy. “The first thing that hits me,” said Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution,” is that it suggests that John McCain is a gambler. “The next thing you have to ask yourself: Is it worrisome to have a gambler in the Oval Office? That’s an important question,” he said, “perhaps more important than anything else today.”

By NoWayNoHowNoMcCain on 08/30/2008 5:26 pm

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Okay, Diana, do you want to go into Obama’s experience in Ill? Bring it on…his record is mediocre at best and the affordable housing project was disasterous for the unadvantaged people of Chicago. Here’s Obama’s experience with a major city: According to the Boston Globe: “Grove Parc and several other prominent failures were developed and managed by Obama’s close friends and political supporters. Those people profited from the subsidies even as many of Obama’s constituents suffered. Tenants lost their homes; surrounding neighborhoods were blighted. “No one should have to live like this, and no one did anything about it,” said Cynthia Ashley, who has lived at Grove Parc since 1994.” That’s Obama’s most notable “accomplishment” in Ill. And Joan,Obama’s most notable accomplishment in the past 18 mo. is running against the Clintons? How naive of me not to realize that this qualifies him for the most important job in the US. Please, Diana, read Sarah Palin’s resume…this woman attacked the “good ole boys “of her own party and won. She refused earmarks from Congress, and even took a pay cut. She went after Big Oil and gave the proceeds back to the people. I’m floored that you would want to “trash” this woman. Granted, she may not have the foreign affairs experience but neither does Obama and he’s at the top of the ticket! Palin’s a quick study…at least she knows that Iran is NOT “a tiny country that will pose no problems.” BTW, her name is Sarah Pal”i”n…”a woman of substance.”

By AN1 on 09/01/2008 11:31 am

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Sorry, guys…not “unadvantaged”, “disadvantaged”. I apologize to Joan about the spelling.

By AN1 on 09/01/2008 11:39 am

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Joan, I just knew you would be jumping out of your skin with this turn of events. And you were the one to say it: strictly irresponsible. And let’s take this one step further after your words: if he can make such a horrendous mistake on this, don’t it seem fair then to say: what OTHER mistakes could MCCain make if he were in the presidency that would make this one look like peanuts? In times so scary as we are seeing, can we take a chance on this man? I am sorry to say this as I thought it might be a race. But today has changed my thinking and - from the looks of it - the thinking of all those around me . . and I am talking Republicans and Independents. This error - for it was one - looms so large that it cannot be ignored. And shouldn’t. A big mistake made before the campaign is even begun? We don’t even have to think twice.

By joan larsen on 08/29/2008 3:49 pm

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The contempt with which the american public has been treated in this entire process would lead to a change in government in virtually any civilized nation on earth.

By MugsyPeabody on 08/31/2008 5:45 am

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Mugsy . . . Many others have sided with my initial thoughts but - thank you - for you have been able to express so succinctly exactly what has been swirling in my head. I don’t need to look up further - to quibble against the smaller points and will not - as I personally feel as if I have received a body blow in this decision made. I have found that a candidate that I expected to exemplify high principles, someone to be proud of, has instead descended to the lowest common denominator. Nothing excuses that in my book. . or yours. Joan

By joan larsen on 08/31/2008 8:01 am

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Joan, for the forty years of my life spent as a voting citizen, I have seen the neo-cons consistently manipulating the ignorance, fear, prejudice, and xenophobia of people to “dumb us down” to the destruction of our culture and way of life. They prey on the lowest common denominator among us rather that appeal to our better nature. They have lied to us, scammed us, manipulated us, waved the flag under our noses, and called anyone who saw it differently a “liberal” and a “traitor,” tried to make “San Francisco,” the city of St. Francis, a pejorative. They have stolen our money, killed our children in an illegal and unjust war, done nothing at all to solve our real problems, and scream at us that we are not good americans or “good christians” if we protest. It is a travesty, pure and simple, and it is high time americans stood up on our hind legs and refused to give them the keys to the kingdom. We need to try harder, we need to think deeper, we need to work toward the light. And voices like yours, Ms. Joan, are more important in public life now than they have ever been.

By MugsyPeabody on 08/31/2008 1:27 pm

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Mugsy, First, I believe it is not just what you believe but how you are able to say/write it that makes others stand up and take notice. You, like Diana, are passionate, on point, telling us the truth - the facts - in a way that leads the brighter of us nodding. . and saying “right on” to you. This weekend we have had the opportunity to see opinions get down-and-dirty. We all have our right to our own opinions, our rights in the voting booth inviolate, and we should be able to voice our feelings. I think you feel as I do though that the LEVEL of response that you have given has, at times, given way by others to ill-chosen words, total lack of basic knowledge of the larger picture that has to be looked at. “Street fighting” is totally inappropriate on this site, and those of us who have been its mainstays - and hopefully I speak for us all - already long for a return to CIVILITY and CARING that has drawn us together in ways we have never experienced. To those new and a few of the old, take a look at how differences of opinion that have a high respectful decency level can be expressed. I regret I cannot list all those that understand these concepts - for there are many - but take a look at Diana and Mugsy’s words - written with intelligence and no personal mud-slinging involved. As much as I may be appalled at the happenings of Friday, in other ways I am just as appalled - and for the first time - that we can agree-to-disagree and still behave as smart women should. Am I alone in this thinking?? Joan

By joan larsen on 08/31/2008 2:09 pm

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Joan, As usual you are a voice of reason. But I think we have to recognize that what happened here Friday was a spontaneous gut reaction to being literally ” slapped in the face “… for the Democrats by John McCain and for the Republicans by posters felt the need to slap back. It covered all ranges of debate - reasoned, high, low, cheap, vulger, funny and pathetic. It was amusing and maddening, but it was real. We may calm down a little, but I’m not sure. This election is about really big things this time, with very big differences. I will look to you, and others to bring us back to some level of civility.

By EKA on 09/02/2008 5:04 pm

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Mugsy & Joan, I thought you all would like to see this from Salon: http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=13498

By DianaT on 08/31/2008 4:01 pm

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Well, if all’s she’s about is pro-life, that leaves me out anyway…. What with all our problems, around here, the pro-life thing is all that matters. Geez! http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/republican_race/2008/08/30/2008…

By DianaT on 08/31/2008 12:39 pm

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Joan, I wasn’t sure if you enjoy reading one of my favorites, Tom Friedman. Here is his NYTimes piece today. The environment needs to be talked up and it isn’t. He puts it very well here. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/opinion/03friedman.html?ei=5070

By DianaT on 09/03/2008 2:07 am

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In today’s New York Times - the first thing I read from cover to cover almost each day - Friedman tells all we need to know about the “green issue” in black and white. Everyone should take a look at Diana’s website if they haven’t seen the paper, as Friedman - one of my favorite writers, opens up on this issue - one that in recent days has noticably not been given the coverage that it had had in the past. It is a wake-up call. Carl Pope, who lives in a neighboring suburb and is the national Sierra Club head, is an impressive speaker as well as a very sharp man on environmental issues, naturally. Diana, we have to be twins. But it is you who not only reads, but who is our watchdog on line to send out the word on what should be said — and isn’t!

By joan larsen on 09/03/2008 2:29 am

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Thank you, Joan. I was just rebutting someone else who took me to task about this business of not properly vetting Palin. Told me enough already, but, you know it’s never enough, is it. I may remind everybody, and I will just tack this sentence in this post that we have had 4 years+ to vet Obama, through watching him on the campaign trail, his books, his paper trail all the way back to his Harvard days. I just don’t buy in to the thinking that we don’t know anything about him, because if we don’t, it’s our fault because of neglected homework. Joan, I think that it would be interesting to see just how far the Abramoff web extends, because I wonder who, in their little plot to hoodwink us with this charming lady, has the connections. So, I hope the mainstream media is doing a thorough job of their homework to see…you know, “what a web we weave…..”. OKay…Friedman has started focusing on environmental issues, and his book will be coming out very soon about the subject. I have been so frustrated in reading these postings that people would rather talk about hair, heels, abortion and parenthood than this looming disaster that is so huge that it overwhelms us as to where to start. I would think that Carl Pope is chomping on nails as to what is going on. Bush wants to open up more national forestland for timbering, snowmobiles and the like. And, Joan, if you are interested in a great daily e-newsletter, go to the Daily Green. It is packed with information. I always look forward to your postings and would just love to sit and talk with you over tea some day.

By DianaT on 09/03/2008 10:26 am