Gotta Be Something in the Water
My good friend, David Bernstein, from the Boston Phoenix is personally outraged over John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate on the GOP ticket.
And, if McCain had picked another old white guy, like Obama did, the pages of the Phoenix would have been filled with phrases like "McSame's rich, white guy club" and "after an exhaustive search of the nation's Caucasian country clubs".
Let me put this simply: To criticize a candidate for picking a running mate that he thinks will help him win votes in the election is retarded. What does Bernstein think Obama had in mind when picking Biden to share the ticket with him?
Obama talks about change, about taking the country in a new direction, about doing away with business as usual in Washington, DC. Then what does he do? He chooses for a running mate one the most entrenched Washington insiders today's "lowest approval ratings ever" Congress has to offer.
If Obama sincerely believes that "change" is really what this country needs to "heal itself", then his VP pick is a shining example of "putting political ambition above the good of the country".
Bernstein, of course, sees nothing wrong with the Democrat nominee's VP selection, experience or qualifications for the job he is seeking, and begins his defense of Barack Obama's "qualifications" thusly:
As if you need to be a lawyer to be president. I went back and checked to see if Article II of the Constitution had been amended while I wasn't paying attention. Nope, still no mention of any educational requirements whatsoever.
I hate to be the one to break this to you, Dave, but a lot of folks see Palin's non-lawyer status as a BIG plus. I know I do.
Also, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Bernstein felt quite differently about just how much a degree from Harvard Law School reflected on a person's abilities when discussing the Supreme Court appointments of Obama's fellow Crimsons, John Roberts and Antonin Scalia.
"Successful non-profit service"? Quick! Get this man's hands on the nuclear football!
Translated: Successfully weaseled himself into the inner workings of the corrupt Chicago political machine. Seriously, anyone who believes that "succeeding" in Chicago politics is a righteous achievement needs to have his head examined.
As does anyone who thinks that having an extensive record of voting "present" to avoid taking a stand on controversial issues is a sign of courage that one should look for in electing a leader.
For what? A week and half before starting to campaign full-time for president?
I agree. Sarah Palin is no Dan Quayle. But, like many, I also see that as a good thing.
As I stated earlier, and repeated in my comment to Bernstein's post:
Also, notice, how Bernstein conveniently "glosses over" Palin's more recent accomplishments as Governor of Alaska, by focusing on the "little political success" she had in some insignificant dust-speck of a town.
Just like his Golden Boy Obama did last night when being interviewed on CNN.
Then, Bernstein exudes more of that "outrage" he's feeling.
Needless to say, he's tickled pink that the Democrats' are looking to launch Barack Obama, the least experienced presidential candidate in modern American history, into the #1 slot, and to keep Nancy Pelosi "two heartbeats" away from the Oval Office in the #3 slot.
And, of course, no irrational, lefty, GOP-hating column would be complete without baseless name-calling and imagination-based predictions of racist or sexist attacks coming from the mouths of evil Republicans. Again, just like Obama.
Ooh...such biting humor. Palin's a former beauty pageant contestant. I get it. That's really witty.
Not.
If I didn't know David Bernstein, and this piece was all I had to go by, I'd swear he wasn't a day over 19 years old and had typed this up from his dorm room.
This selection, so obviously political, so obviously insulting and condescending to women (I can make the right-wingers happy, and win swing votes because broads will vote for a dame!), is ultimately a flat-out statement that John McCain doesn't give a rat's ass about this country.
And, if McCain had picked another old white guy, like Obama did, the pages of the Phoenix would have been filled with phrases like "McSame's rich, white guy club" and "after an exhaustive search of the nation's Caucasian country clubs".
Let me put this simply: John McCain has put his political ambition above the good of the country.
Let me put this simply: To criticize a candidate for picking a running mate that he thinks will help him win votes in the election is retarded. What does Bernstein think Obama had in mind when picking Biden to share the ticket with him?
Obama talks about change, about taking the country in a new direction, about doing away with business as usual in Washington, DC. Then what does he do? He chooses for a running mate one the most entrenched Washington insiders today's "lowest approval ratings ever" Congress has to offer.
If Obama sincerely believes that "change" is really what this country needs to "heal itself", then his VP pick is a shining example of "putting political ambition above the good of the country".
Bernstein, of course, sees nothing wrong with the Democrat nominee's VP selection, experience or qualifications for the job he is seeking, and begins his defense of Barack Obama's "qualifications" thusly:
Barack Obama is a Harvard Law graduate...
As if you need to be a lawyer to be president. I went back and checked to see if Article II of the Constitution had been amended while I wasn't paying attention. Nope, still no mention of any educational requirements whatsoever.
I hate to be the one to break this to you, Dave, but a lot of folks see Palin's non-lawyer status as a BIG plus. I know I do.
Also, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Bernstein felt quite differently about just how much a degree from Harvard Law School reflected on a person's abilities when discussing the Supreme Court appointments of Obama's fellow Crimsons, John Roberts and Antonin Scalia.
...who spent years in successful non-profit service...
"Successful non-profit service"? Quick! Get this man's hands on the nuclear football!
...spent seven years representing much of the nation's third-largest city in the upper legislative house of one of the state's most populous states...
Translated: Successfully weaseled himself into the inner workings of the corrupt Chicago political machine. Seriously, anyone who believes that "succeeding" in Chicago politics is a righteous achievement needs to have his head examined.
As does anyone who thinks that having an extensive record of voting "present" to avoid taking a stand on controversial issues is a sign of courage that one should look for in electing a leader.
...and has then represented that state as US Senator.
For what? A week and half before starting to campaign full-time for president?
Comparisons to Dan Quayle are also way off: Quayle had a long and impressive political resume when Bush the Elder picked him.
I agree. Sarah Palin is no Dan Quayle. But, like many, I also see that as a good thing.
Palin? Up until a couple of years ago, her resume featured a BA in journalism, some commercial fishing, a little TV sportscasting, and a little local political success in a town roughly the size of Boxborough.
As I stated earlier, and repeated in my comment to Bernstein's post:
Whether you approve or not, Sarah Palin represents Middle America, and embodies what Abraham Lincoln had in mind when he spoke about a "government of the people".
Also, notice, how Bernstein conveniently "glosses over" Palin's more recent accomplishments as Governor of Alaska, by focusing on the "little political success" she had in some insignificant dust-speck of a town.
Just like his Golden Boy Obama did last night when being interviewed on CNN.
Then, Bernstein exudes more of that "outrage" he's feeling.
It is an outrage that John McCain would place this person next in line to be President.
Needless to say, he's tickled pink that the Democrats' are looking to launch Barack Obama, the least experienced presidential candidate in modern American history, into the #1 slot, and to keep Nancy Pelosi "two heartbeats" away from the Oval Office in the #3 slot.
And, of course, no irrational, lefty, GOP-hating column would be complete without baseless name-calling and imagination-based predictions of racist or sexist attacks coming from the mouths of evil Republicans. Again, just like Obama.
Fortunately, my guess is that if the Democrats just keep their mouths shut, lifelong misogynist John McCain will end up demeaning her himself -- perhaps he can suggest that she enter the Miss Buffalo Chip pageant?
Ooh...such biting humor. Palin's a former beauty pageant contestant. I get it. That's really witty.
Not.
If I didn't know David Bernstein, and this piece was all I had to go by, I'd swear he wasn't a day over 19 years old and had typed this up from his dorm room.
