Palin flunks two GED Interviews

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Palin-flunks-two-GED-Inter-by-Steven-Leser-080928-500.html
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September 28, 2008

By Steven Leser

It is probably unfair to use the GED or General Equivalency Diploma as an example of something so easy an idiot (caveman?) could pass it, but in keeping with my opening theme of looking at Palin as if Chris Rock was doing the commentary, I'll just have to ask everyone's forgiveness.


Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric didn't ask Palin difficult, misleading or gotcha questions. To paraphrase Chris Rock regarding Michael Jackson, Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric tried their best, they asked Sarah Palin the easiest questions in the world, the easist GED questions in the world and Governor Palin could not pass the test. Katie Couric was like, "Governor Palin, do you really think that being able to see Russia on a clear day from your house means that you have foreign policy experience". And Sarah Palin said 'Yes!'. Couric said "Let me rephrase the question, "Have you ever been in any negotiations with Russians". To which Palin replied "It's very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America. Where-where do they go? It's Alaska."

As good as she is at trying to hide her reactions, Couric had this look on her face like she was thinking, "Are you CRAZY????"

Of course, if you go to Free Republic or any conservative leaning website, they talk about how Gibson and Couric tried to trip up Palin. Tried to trip her up? They did everything to help her but try to answer the questions for her. Couric gave Palin a free question to clarify her earlier remarks from the Charles Gibson interview on Russia and she could not come up with a better answer than the one she gave to Gibson a week earlier. How is that possible? How can it be that her handlers didnt make her come up with a better answer in advance? How can it be that she didnt spend time thinking about a better answer on her own?

Fareed Zakaria's latest article in Newsweek is even more critical of Palin's abilities than I am. It's titled "Palin Is Ready? Please." http://www.newsweek.com/id/161204 . Zakaria comes right out and asks "Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony? Is it too much to ask that she come to realize that she wants, in that wonderful phrase in American politics, "to spend more time with her family"?

Zakaria characterizes a Palin answer to Couric on the economy as "a vapid emptying out of every catchphrase about economics that came into her head. Some commentators, like CNN's Campbell Brown, have argued that it's sexist to keep Sarah Palin under wraps, as if she were a delicate flower who might wilt under the bright lights of the modern media. But the more Palin talks, the more we see that it may not be sexism but common sense that's causing the McCain campaign to treat her like a time bomb."

Come on Fareed, tell us what you really think! (p.s. I agree)

The overwhelming consensus that Palin is not anywhere near being ready to assume the duties of Vice President let alone and perish the thought of President, brings an interesting perspective to one of the tactics (yes, John, T-A-C-T-I-C-S) of John McCain in last night's debate where he tried to characterize Obama as unready and not getting it. Senator McCain, why don't YOU get it that the country is in the kind of financial and foreign policy mess that requires the best possible people running it and that because of your choice, instead we could get woefully unready Sarah Palin at the helm? That is bad judgment, Senator McCain, and YOU DON'T GET IT.


The last thing I will say about the two interviews I will say through a video from my favorite curmogeonly old man, Jack Cafferty

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


The question I would ask my readers is, if she is able to 'cram' enough information to make a passable show at the Vice Presidential debate, should that matter? We know how little she knows and we know that she isnt ready. If she is able to somehow come close enough in performance during the debate to Joe Biden, would that mean anything? I give a one in ten thousand possibility of Palin making a good show at the debate, but it is possible. Should that mean anything if it happens. Does that all of a sudden make her able to have what it takes to be President? Do you think the average American would think it means something? My opinion is that the debates add a little context to what we have already seen from the candidates. If we arent sure if someone is ready to be President or Vice President, but we dont think it is totally out of the realm of possibility, the debates help us see that one way or the other. I dont think the debates were meant for someone so unfit and unready as Palin to be able to have the best 90 minutes of their lives and be crowned as ready for the White House or Naval Observatory.


I say this nearly a week in advance, because I remember the farce that was Palin's appearance at the Republican National Convention. I realize that someone else wrote her speech and that it was telepromptered, and the performance didnt mean anything to me, but the punditry turned it into some sort of marvelous event and achievement. Is it possible for something like that to happen again. I hope not. I hope Sarah Palin displays exactly what her level of experience and readyness is at the debate and the punditry call it exactly what it is.

Nobody ... not even McCain ... can force her out.

Neither as a VP candidate, ... nor can McCain get rid of her if she becomes VP.

At this point, Palin is the only one who can decide to quit.


McCain better watch his back if Todd ever gets into the White house to finish the job for her.

But then again ... McCain is only in the race to get a State Funeral.

Something his dear father didn't get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzuIHjQYW2c

what would it mean if Palin pulled off a miracle? Could it be game changing?

Lacking a working knowledge of current events in this era of information overload is only achieved willfully. While politics is not my profession, I can hold my own in conversations because it interests me enough to tune in now and then. Palin's ignorance is so profound, you wonder what she was doing every weekday evening and Sunday morning that the news was on. Just a half hour a day, and she'd have muddled through those interviews. Instead, she's less informed-appearing than even the average American.

What do you think of my questions on the debate though. I am really worried about this. I know the chance of her being able to pull off a decent performance is slim, but the expectations are so low that if she doesnt dribble on the microphone, I am afraid it will be hailed as some sort of monumental performance.

I think anything short of a meltdown will constitute a victory for her, and Biden's got to be so careful he doesn't come off bullying.

It's frustrating that the expectations of the two are so different, you'd think they were running for different positions. That McCain is so infirm lends the only legitimacy that view, in which case Palin should held to an even higher expectation that Biden is.

In all honesty I believe that McCain had an excellent opportunity to win in this election prior to Palin. Yes he needed a boost after the convention but he has a die hard base in my opinion who would have shown strong support.

Palin is going to be McCain's ultimate undoing. RWers with any modicum of intelligence cannot escape the risk that Palin represents being a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I made this argument with my future BIL last night, who did not know a lot about Palin. I replayed part of the interview with her, and he just laughed at her answers. And then all I had to do was state the obvious. When you need surgery, you want the smartest one, the most skilled doctor doing your operation because your very life is at stake. Why do you not think that being President or Vice President of the United States of America and having the capability of having the very life of millions of people in your hands would not also require the same consideration. Then again pointing out that the woman he just saw in the interview if McCain wins the election, is a heart beat away from being President of the United States.

When it comes to Doctors, Auto Mechanics, Veterinarians, Research Scientists, Engineers, Financial Advisers, etc, who serve us, we want the very best, and the very smartest. OR in the case of government and business, we at least prefer those who have enough sense to hire the very best who have the capability to achieve the goals of the business or government.

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As I responded to another comment, are the expectations so low that if she doesnt start dancing around the lectern and acting like a Chicken, it will be a net win for her and McLame?

I originally posted regarding how the pundits and media will give McCain and Palin a pass no matter what. Even if it is a clear win for Obama and Biden. That hasn't happened though. I think there is going to be damage control, and a bit of cover up by the Pundits, but based on the coverage I have seen thus far for the media, I doubt that this is seriously going to stick.

There has already been far too much negative commentary by the most respectable right-wing in the media. These guys are not going to come back and say .. "Oh well our assessment was clearly wrong" after a sorry debate performance.

Now if Palin shows a clear grasp of the issues, this could still be a possibility, but I think Palin is legitimately out of her league.

:kick:
:rofl: