Joan Ganz Cooney | 08/29/2008 2:19 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

“He who laughs last, laughs best.” This is very serious for all of us, and I just hope we can put the finger pointing, bashing, nah-nah-nah stuff away now and get real. Our country and the world is in such peril that this election/selection will make us or break us. I will vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and fear that the tears won’t be tears borne of laughter if Senator McCain and Governor Palin are elected.

By Vivvy Stewart on 08/31/2008 7:56 am

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The problem is not that the philosophy of the Republican administration isn’t working the way it’s supposed to work, the problem is that it is working the way it’s supposed to work. They don’t believe that government has a role in solving national problems because they believe that government is the problem. They think we’re better off if we just dismantle government. The selection of Sarah Palin is a harsh reminder of the kind of government that Bush and republicans have been providing for the past eight years. Alberto Gonzales, Harriet Miers, Michael “Brownie” Brown, Michael Chertoff, Monica Goodling and many others have become symbols of what is wrong with the republican administration. These individuals do not represent the best and brighest of what this country offers, rather they represent the disdain and disrespect republicans have for govenment and the people they serve. Picking qualified people to serve in government matters.

By I.M. Kane on 08/31/2008 8:14 am

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I.M.: “Picking qualified people to serve in government matters.” Doesn’t it though.

By Marjorie C. on 08/31/2008 4:48 pm

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I believe the fact that we lack the Y chromosome tends to make us (apologies for the moment to the gents on board) more cynical and less willing to accept people and things at face value. Having said that, I feel those are positive attributes and not negative ones. Political correctness is what’s got us in trouble all these years. There is certainly gunfire going in both directions in this campaign…and right there are the things that get us off point!—The personal attacks and smears from either camp. Let’s pull back and try to focus on policies and track-records and get off the personal stuff. I include myself in this because I am guilty of it too. I feel that Senator McCain’s camp has made a really bad move. And, moreover, it has to do with what we all appear to agree upon 1) simply because Governor Palin is a woman does not guarantee that Independents and Hillaryites will rush to the Republicans and 2) the Constitution of the US asserts that the VP is critical as a support system for the President. All of those folks are human beings. They believe they are right and they are doing the right thing. Most of us know better but let ‘em go! Let’s focus on the issues and what truly matters to us and agree that slanderous talk will only steal precious time from us in the important task of putting Senator’s Obama and Biden into the White House. I’m going to try really hard. Pinkie swear?

By Bonita Caracciolo on 08/31/2008 9:21 am

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Good Morning to all, I have been following this wonderful place on the web for a few weeks since I saw Liz Smith and another founder on tv. This is the first time I have posted. I live in Kansas which can be very conservative and I feel McCains pick was pandering to the special interests that elected George W. and that Rove is now large and in charge of McCains candidacy . I feel like Gov. Palin is a slap in the face to women and is there because she is involved with big oil and wants to overturn roe v wade so now the christian right which I am a born again christian but do not subscribe to their politics will get out and support this ticket big time. I supported Hillary and it did hurt when she did not prevail but in Obama I get someone who believes in the causes Hillary fought for, Sarah Palin and John McCain do not. I think in Obama’s speech he spoke about judgment and temperament did McCain not just prove him right. My sister in law lives in Texas and the word they got down there was that Kay Bailey-Hutchison was considered but she was “too old” for McCain and she is also pro choice. For the Republicans what does it say about them? My conclusion is that Republican women with more substance and experience were passed over because they were too maverick on womens issues for this ticket and again we can all conclude who the powers that be are who are running this Republican party. That they don’t want women with substance and experience that are not in lock step with the people we have had for the past 8 years. gretchen

By g c on 08/31/2008 10:38 am

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I heard her say last Sunday that she wants to be governor of Texas. She didn’t want it!

By Star Lawrence on 08/31/2008 2:11 pm

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To all Hillary Clinton supporters (and I am one of you): Let’s put Our Gal on the Supreme Court! Vote for Barack Obama! Do you remember back when she was still Hillary Rodham? The American Bar Association listed her as one of the 100 best lawyers in this nation. Come on! Let us put her where she can help us for the rest of her life!

By MaryPage Drake on 08/31/2008 10:41 am

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Have any of you ladies read the story on www.dailykos.com about the pregnancy and birth of the child that Ms. Palin calls her own? It is extraordinary, in my view, and, if not true, represents the most amazing set of coincidences and poor obstetric care.

By Sam Mirando on 08/31/2008 1:32 pm

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Sam…Truth is stranger than fiction…you could not make this stuff up if it has any truth to it. Here is where I go for the reality checks. http://www.factcheck.org/ Eventually if not sooner we will get the truth on this but what a story !!! Rumour has it Michelle is pregnant and the dress she wore the final night of the convention was not the power dresses I liked. Calico print did not speak well for her unless she is with child.

By cookie Barra on 08/31/2008 8:27 pm

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We can look at the GOP vice presidential selection this way: Speaking politically, Sarah Palin will do for the female gender what George W. Bush did for the male gender.

By Dan H. on 08/31/2008 2:37 pm

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Not even close. GWB is not representative of men but Sarah with her 99 (see Faith Popcorn on this)Lives does represent woman. We of the micromanaging skills. She is extraordinary in her ability to raise 5 kids and govern. Bush could not even raise his hand. Still not voting for her. But one has to admire her for wearing a few different hats. http://www.faithpopcorn.com/

By cookie Barra on 08/31/2008 8:34 pm

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Cindy McCain came out with a brilliant assessment of Sarah Palin’s “foreign relations” experience on ABC’s “This Week.” “The experience that she comes from is with what she’s done in the government. And also, remember: Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia. So, it’s not as if she doesn’t understand what’s at stake here,” OMG!

By Maurine H on 08/31/2008 3:13 pm

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Sarah Palen. What an inspired way to decisively put partisan politics ahead of the needs of the country. Makes you wonder who’s country they are talking about when the say “Country First”; Our Constitutional Republic, or their corporate theocracy?

By Steve R on 08/31/2008 3:24 pm

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Palin selection sets the cause of women in politics back 25 years. By choosing some one so inexperienced, so untested, and so unknown, McCain brings up all the old arguments about women being given jobs because of their gender, not their qualifications. I supported Hillary because she was unquestionable qualified and a women. In his Vice Presidential choice, John McCain put his own political ambition above the safety and security of the United States. The requirement of any Vice President is to be ready, on day one, to take over as president. This requirement is even more important when the presidential candidate is 72 and has had four episodes of cancer. John McCain has failed to meet this base-line requirement. Very disappointing.

By Roberta Goldman on 08/31/2008 4:23 pm

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If Sarah Palin’s daughter is actually the mother of the newest Palin baby, then Sarah Palin not only lacks the skills and experience to become Vice President, she lacks the ability to tell the truth. It is interesting that the Alaska Department of State has now taken down all the photos of Sarah Palin and her family from their website, possibly because it is her 16 year old daughter who appears pregnant and not Sarah. A chapter lifted right out of “Desperate Housewives.” I really don’t care whether Sarah or her daughter is the baby’s biological mother, but I certainly do care about lying. And if Sarah Palin is lying about the pregnancy, this does not bode well for her willingness to be honest in any other area of her life, including her career.

By Maurine H on 08/31/2008 9:59 pm