Palin Is Ready? Please.

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  • Posted By: Glide @ 09/28/2008 10:25:25 PM

    Unbelievable....She is a governor, and the #2 spot on the ticket....How does the democratic #1 spot compare? LESS Qualified than her. The bias of the libs really came out on this one. Heck, McCain has more time in a POW camp than Obama has had in the Senate! I knew a guy that was yelling change, wealth re-distribution, and class warfare a few years back. Oh yea, people flocked to hear him speak, he "moved them"...Jim Jones. Keep drinking that Koolaid......

    • Posted By: OregonBlue @ 09/29/2008 12:43:20 AM

      Obama less qualified than Palin? Please - before he was a US Senator, he was the editor of the Harvard Law Review, a state senator, a faculty member at one of the best five law schools in the country, and also spent his younger years working directly on behalf of laid-off steel workers and others in need. Plus, he has traveled extensively, written two books, and so far has run one of the most impressive campaigns in American political history.

      Some of this might sound `elitist.' I hope it does! If I were an owner of an NFL team, I'd be looking for the guy with the super-strong arm and split-second decision-making ability to lead my team. I wouldn't care if their story resonated, or they seemed like a good person that I'd like to have a beer with. So as an owner(=voter) of the United States, I'm going to look for the person with the best intellectual, leadership, visionary, knowledge and inspirational abilities. Thank goodness we have such a candidate this time around. I'm tired to our president being the village idiot.

      • Posted By: rlmcca @ 09/29/2008 1:20:30 AM

        Yes, Obama did work as a lecturer at one of the best law schools in the country--but he never published one thing. He never wrote one law review article. And yet he found the time, and the need, to write TWO autobiographies before the age of 50 and before even winning his party's nomination. Who does that? As far as I can tell, the only sort of person that would do such a thing is someone consumed with his own sense of self-imporatnce. In spite of the fact that he has few , if any, real accomplishments.

        • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/29/2008 2:17:09 AM

          Why are two pregnancies never alike? What is the definition of success? What is the definition of accomplishment? Now, lets put accomplishment next to success next to pregnancy, and what do you have? Give up? None of them have the same definition everytime it happens to someone.

    • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/29/2008 12:36:05 AM

      Kool aid is old news. Move forward to today. Tell me why does George Will and other prominent journalists on the ride side of the spectrum also asking Palin to stand down? When you do the research, then come back and reply to me. Go back several hours and I have listed people on the right who also question Palin being on the ticket. I think you missed your Kool Aide

    • Posted By: Brother Steve @ 09/28/2008 10:34:25 PM

      And you keep clinging to that joke of a failed ideology known as "Conservatism" Ooooh! It's just like a snuggly wuggly blanket, and if you drape yourself totally in it like yourself, then you don't have to see reality.You are living proof that ignorance totally is bliss! Sarah, can we get some more ice cubes for our kool-aid over here?

  • Posted By: Love LA @ 09/28/2008 10:42:51 PM

    B. Hussein Obama was at William Ayers (the man that was part of the Weathermen, the one that killed a policemen with a bomb that now teaches at a university, the one that stands on the American Flag) home the night he announced his Democratic nomination. That's more than an "possible affiliation". You're only as good as the ones you associate with. With him not wanting to put his hand over his heart during the anthem or wear a an American flag is enough not to vote for him.

    • Posted By: Mimi13 @ 09/28/2008 11:28:25 PM

      You know, Obama was all of 7 years old when Bill Ayers was a weatherman. The Bill Ayers that Obama knows is a Distinguised Professor (title, not a descsription) at the University of Illinois and a national expert on Education. This is the Bill Ayres that Obama know. If sitting on a charity board with Ayres for a couple of years makes Obama suspect, wouldn't that apply to all the faculty at the University of Illinois who work with him day after day -- year after year? What about the members of other committess that Ayres sits on? What about the legion of students who have taken his classes? Are they all terrorist suspects? It seems to be that you cannot tie Obama to Ayres radical youth without catching up a whole lot of people -- many of the Republicans, I might add -- in the same net.

      • Posted By: rlmcca @ 09/29/2008 1:10:40 AM

        It doesn't matter how old Obama was when his domestic terrorist friend Bill Ayres was committing his acts of terrorism. The fact is that Ayers is still not the least bit remorseful, and so I would have to question the judgment of any politician who worked closely with him--as Obama did. If Ayers expressed regret for the fear and pain that he caused, it might be a different story. But Ayers has not, and so he should be treated asa pariah.

        • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/29/2008 2:13:08 AM

          Your argument of association is beyond weak. Thats like saying if you voted for Bush, I should forgive you because he never appologized to me for being an idiot.

  • Posted By: Hmmm. @ 09/29/2008 2:00:06 AM

    What I want to know is why the current administration is not taking the blame for milking the country and refusing to deal with all the issues Mr. Zakaria has mentioned?

  • Posted By: Hmmm. @ 09/29/2008 1:58:39 AM

    What i really don't here is why the current administration is not really taking the blame for milking the country economically and refusing to deal with all the issues Mr. Zakaria speaks of?

  • Posted By: Ron Paul For Pope @ 09/29/2008 12:39:17 AM

    The makers of Paris Hilton's "political ad" said she memorized the whole two-minute thing. I thought she did a pretty bang-up job of it.

    Right now, I bet Steve Schmidt is begging God to let Palin do half as well.

    McCain could have saved his candidacy and party if he had just nominated Paris Hilton.

    • Posted By: jc1231 @ 09/29/2008 1:54:07 AM

      hahaha that's too true. but i think she was a little upset w/ him for using her in the commercial. but with her i'd almost consider it.....for a second then i'd snap back into my democratic senses lol

  • Posted By: Bill M @ 09/29/2008 1:46:40 AM

    So often it takes the most guts to say the state the most obvious truths. Truly the emperor has no clothes! Remember the stupor the country was in before Steven Colbert said everything we all knew was true about the Bush presidency but would never say? It was the beginning of the end of Bush, and artlicles like these are the beginning of the end of Palin, and, sadly, two good choices for voting for the president.

  • Posted By: jc1231 @ 09/29/2008 1:44:21 AM

    FINALLY!! some one is putting it out there that she's a know nothing and was used as a political strategy that's now gone awry. she can't be taken seroisly and john mccain will be the oldest president and this woman could be leader of the free world....seriously...leader of the free world?!? she jus got good at leading alaska!! she doesn't have a clue what's going on with the world and we really don't know anything abt her -besides that her daughter is pregnant but she still doesn't advicate sex ed and her baby has down syndrome and she's married to the invisible man cuz i've seen him like twice? this whole election process is abt who's fit to lead who knows what's going on, and who can lead this country in the right direction. mccain is out of touch and palin is ....well not ready .

  • Posted By: Left Coaster @ 09/29/2008 1:43:40 AM

    Thanks Fareed, for adding your voice to the rapidly expanding list of MSM punditry and columnists who've declared that Sarah Palin is nothing more than a political gambit by the McCain campaign to combat Barack Obama's massive popular appeal. Too bad nobody bothered to check if the woman had two neurons to rub together.

    P.S. The wife and I are BIG fans.

  • Posted By: jortega_21 @ 09/29/2008 1:18:59 AM

    it is obvious that McCain chose Palin to win over the female vote, which Obama clearly had over McCain. He also chose her for "image" to win over the swing voter (republicans are typically white collar caucasian male). She is brain dead...she is avoiding interviews to avoid looking like an idiot every time she opens her mouth. Biden could easily destroy her in the debate; but he will go easy on her and focus on McCain and his stance to avoid looking chauvanistic. I have always been an independent, but I have seen the catastrophes posed on this country by Bush the last eight years. The Republican party is utterly clueless; they are not living in the real world...wake up. Even if you make 250k plus ytd; your future is not bright w/ McCain. The American people are miserable in this age. I urge everybody to vote for Obama for the future of this country; put your party aliance aside and think about the future of your children and grandchildren.

  • Posted By: jortega_21 @ 09/29/2008 1:17:37 AM

    it is obvious that McCain chose Palin to win over the female vote, which Obama clearly had over McCain. He also chose her for "image" to win over the swing voter (republicans are typically white collar caucasian male). She is brain dead...she is avoiding interviews to avoid looking like an idiot every time she opens her mouth. Biden could easily destroy her in the debate; but he will go easy on her and focus on McCain and his stance to avoid looking chauvanistic. I have always been an independent, but I have seen the catastrophes posed on this country by Bush the last eight years. The Republican party is utterly clueless; they are not living in the real world...wake up. Even if you make 250k plus ytd; your future is not bright w/ McCain. The American people are miserable in this age. I urge everybody to vote for Obama for the future of this country; put your party aliance aside and think about the future of your children and grandchildren.

  • Posted By: zqll @ 09/29/2008 12:35:52 AM

    As for Ronald Reagan he ended the Cold War and freed millions of people behind the Iron Curtain by asking the Soviets (the evil empire, I know, I know, it made many US people who are lovers of totalitarian governments unhappy, but what the heck, they can't do anything about it now and they will just have grin and bear it!) to bring down the Berlin Wall and open up the Iron Curtain.

    Reagan freed millions of Eastern Europeans behind the Iron Curtain, something that liberals and Democrats can only dream about but never do. Talk a good game about change maybe, but help to free people? I don't think so. They forgot how to do it a long time ago.

    • Posted By: Ron Paul For Pope @ 09/29/2008 1:16:29 AM

      Reagan also co-founded the Taliban through his support of the mujahideen in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden got his start bankrolling OUR side in that war against the Soviets. In other words, Reagan and Osama bin Laden were on the same side.

      Reagan funneled arms through Pakistan, which siphoned off enough to keep itself happy. Meanwhile, its military dictator, Zia-ul-Haq, turned Pakistan into a radical Islamic state to shore up his support. This all happened with Reagan's knowledge and tacit consent.

      Reagan also championed supply-side, deficit-driven economics.

    • Posted By: labman57 @ 09/29/2008 12:55:24 AM

      To suggest that communism and the Berlin Wall fell simply because Reagan gave a speech is extraordinarily simplistic and naive. But then, you must be drawing your insight from the same comic book version of world history (good guys vs bad guys) that Palin uses.

  • Posted By: rlmcca @ 09/29/2008 12:51:48 AM

    And who are you to decide this, Mr. Zakaria? Palin has accomplished far more than your presidential candidate Obama has, and she's had the courage to take on the corrupt good ol' boy network. Not only has she taken them on, but she has beaten them. Anyone who "misunderestimates" her is making a big mistake--one that her previous opponents have also made. Has Obama ever challenged the notoriously corrupt Chicago political machine. Absolutely not--because he is the creation of the Daley-Ayers machine. Ancan anyon

    • Posted By: Cazador1972 @ 09/29/2008 1:13:47 AM


      The fact remains that for all her "executive experience" she cannot answer a simple question about the economy. We are walking VERY CLOSE to a depression and this woman doesn't even seem to have a basic knowledge of the economy. You cannot cram in a month what it takes bright people years to learn, even if she gets through the upcoming debate without looking foolish (a big 'if') that would be the result of cramming and not of a deep, disciplined understanding of the issues.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8__aXxXPVc

      Would you put all your investments in the hands of this woman? I wouldn't.

  • Posted By: rlmcca @ 09/29/2008 12:52:26 AM

    And who are you to decide this, Mr. Zakaria? Palin has accomplished far more than your presidential candidate Obama has, and she's had the courage to take on the corrupt good ol' boy network. Not only has she taken them on, but she has beaten them. Anyone who "misunderestimates" her is making a big mistake--one that her previous opponents have also made. Has Obama ever challenged the notoriously corrupt Chicago political machine. Absolutely not--because he is the creation of the Daley-Ayers machine. Ancan anyon

    • Posted By: labman57 @ 09/29/2008 1:04:22 AM

      I may be naive, but I find it disconcerting that if a person can lie through his/her teeth without batting an eye, avoid or deflect hard-hitting questions by continually returning to scripted, memorized talking points, and inflate/embellish their own accomplishments without an ounce of guilt, then that person is considered to be a skilled politician.

      Palin is extraordinarily gifted at intimidating her political opponents and has managed to replace one political machine in Alaska with her one of her own design. She routinely uses intimidation to demand loyalty from her subordinates.

      By that standard, I guess Palin has some skills. But frankly, I want to elect a skilled leader, not a skilled politician. She is all about morality, but cares little about ethics.

  • Posted By: Achilles22 @ 09/29/2008 12:58:50 AM



    Palin is an embarrasment to all Republicans - and more importantly all Americans. I'm sure she fooled the tiny population in Alaska after she was Mayor of a town as big as the bleachers at Fenway - but this is a whole new universe. We need to get real here and make McCain pay for his irresponsible poor judgement.

    Any Republican that can still support this ticket is doing anything but putting country first.

    Please is right - a great piece by Zakaria

  • Posted By: jerzyboy349 @ 09/28/2008 9:59:54 PM

    Yes, Mr. Zakaria, only the Ivy League culture of "know it all" elitists can save us from this mess. As if they weren't the ones who created the mess in the first place. I understood everything that Sarah Palin said during Couric's interview. It's all about job creation. Call me a bimbo.

    • Posted By: OregonBlue @ 09/29/2008 12:52:25 AM

      Why the heck would we want a leader who didn't know the issues - from both an intellectual and a "common sense" perspective?? If I were an owner of an NFL team, I'd be looking for the guy with the super-strong arm and split-second decision-making ability to lead my team. I wouldn't care if their story resonated, or they seemed like a good person that I'd like to have a beer with. So as an owner(=voter) of the United States, I'm going to look for the person with the best intellectual, leadership, visionary, knowledge and inspirational abilities. Thank goodness that in Obama we have such a candidate this time around. I'm tired to our president being the village idiot.

    • Posted By: Brother Steve @ 09/28/2008 10:02:42 PM

      Bimbo

      • Posted By: jarcher1 @ 09/28/2008 10:09:27 PM

        Motion seconded.

        • Posted By: 14themoney @ 09/28/2008 10:27:24 PM

          Yeah,Education is for wussies.

  • Posted By: wertheworld @ 09/28/2008 5:04:02 PM

    In 2003, the author was strong supporter of invasion of Iraq. He also stated that there were weapons of mass destruction. So much for intelligence.

    Ronald Reagan, as a governor had no foreign experiene and look at what he has accomplished. I am stunned at this insult to Sarah Palin.

    Former Democrat

    • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/28/2008 5:17:08 PM

      Regan had a brain on him. To compare Palin to Regan is an insult to all Regan supporters. You sound like Dan Quayle when talking about Kennedy, and was totally torn apart by Bentson. I mean, good gosh, I am not a total fan of Regan, however, he was brilliant in comparison to Palin.

      • Posted By: wertheworld @ 09/28/2008 8:47:26 PM

        Ronald Reagan was considered brilliant after his international accomplishments. If you had read the history of his presidency, if you would have learned that he was considered is charming, warm and a good communicator - not brilliant.

        Please read up on your civics.

        • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/29/2008 12:50:16 AM

          I understand that whole heartedly. That is why I said that I was no big fan of his. Next time I will elaborate more the context of what I was trying to say.

  • Posted By: AbsoluteTruth @ 09/29/2008 12:38:50 AM

    To Williamportor:
    Do you know how to spell arrogant? You better know how to spell before you call someone else stupid.

  • Posted By: MG of IL @ 09/29/2008 12:36:41 AM

    Thank you Mr. Zakaria for saying what every frightened American has been thinking. Hiding Sarah Palin for weeks on end and finally allowing her to be interviewed a couple of times has turned out to be a disaster.
    What will John McCain, the Republican party and American people do if she is allowed to continue in this campaign? I think her selection also says a great deal about the judgment and mental stability of John McCain.

  • Posted By: williamportor @ 09/29/2008 12:20:30 AM

    Sarah Palin is a typical Republican. Arrogent and stupid.

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