Fred Thompson, Tuesday, September 30, 2008
When John McCain selected Governor Sarah Palin, as his running mate, the Democrats and their far-left constituency let out a primal scream that could be heard from sea to shining sea. How dare he choose someone that they and their pals in the media had not had a chance to vet (i.e. libel, slander, and otherwise and otherwise eviscerate). Ah, but it was not too late. These seekers of “a new kind of politics” poured torrents of malicious abuse upon her and her family. ...Read more.
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More comment to follow, maybe. This is some quick thoughts: I am having anxiety about tom morrow's debate. Joe Biden may think that TV's were widely in use in American Homes in 1929 and may not know who was President when the 1929 stock market crash occurred, but he is probably a walking encyclopedia of foreign affairs. He probably knows who is the leaders of most of the worlds countries and heads of the opposition parties. He can probably tell you the details of every important treaty for the last 25 years. I have seen Biden on C-span. No doubt about it, he is informed and sharp.
On the other hand, Biden can be a smart-ass. I remember during the confirmation hearing of John Roberts, he kept addressing Roberts as "Judge." While that is OK, I guess, Biden seemed disrespectful and almost like he was trying to get Roberts to loose his cool and debate with him. In those hearing Biden struck be as somewhat of a jerk. However, I have seen Biden in other hearing where I thought he was just a plain spoken, no BS kind of guy who was trying to get honest answers from equivocating bureaucrats. So, while Biden is knowledgeable if he comes across as condescending and a bully, Palin may win.
If I was giving advice to Palin it would be, don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." Don't try to fake it. If you don't know the GNP of Azerbaijan, I want hold it against you. If you get asked a complex question I think you can say, "I would ask somebody in the state department to brief me and then do I would do the right thing." Or, you may say, "I have not been keeping up with all the details of that issue, and would have to learn more details and give it thoughtful consideration before responding." Don't just blurt out an answer.
The format should favor Palin. There is no time for Biden's long rambling answers. Watch for bias on the part of Quin Ifill. She is not an objective journalist. In a book she wrote, she exposed herself as a fawning fan of Barack Obama. On the other hand, she may bend over backwards to be fair to compensate for her bias.
The above article is by Fred Thompson, a man I admire and respect and who I would like to see become President. He give thoughtful consideration to the issues of Palin's qualifications and concludes she is qualified.
In a recent post I wrote that "I was seduced by Sarah Palin." If I was seduced, I guess I am still seduced. I like her. I saw her parents interviewed on a news program. I like her parents. She seems level-headed, smart, and energetic. I have been a little embarrasedembarrassed by some of her answers in interviews, however, I think she has the skills, principles and values we need. The experience and knowledge will come. Plus, I just like watching her. I feel good when she speaks. Irrational as that may be, I like to "connect" with a person. I really hope she does well in the debates.
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I disagree with your statement about Gwen Ifill. First, the book has yet to be completely written, and will be published on Inauguration Day regardless of the election winner. It's been stated it's a book that spans politics and race from the civil rights movement onward, and Sen. Obama only comprises one chapter.
ReplyDeleteThis link (http://www.debates.org/pages/ trans2004b.html) is the transcript of the 2004 VP Debate that she hosted. Take a look through that and she if you she think she would be a biased moderator. You might just owe her an apology.
see if you think she*
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt in mind Governor Palin is qualified to be President. If you use Biden’s analogy that she isn’t qualified then you would have to apply the same standard to Obama and he wouldn’t even qualify to be Governor. I also have no doubt in my mind that she will do well in the debate. She is the typical soccer mom who knows how much a gallon of milk costs. The news has not been able to smear her with their sleazy rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteAs for the debate tomorrow, I believe that Ifil is highly biased. She comes from a network that has repeatedly been on the wrong side of almost all social and foreign policy issues. You can see it in her face that when she mentions Osama that she smiles and then when she mentions Senator McCain she has a twitch in her head. Whenever she mentions Governor Palin she has a smirk and when she mentions Senator "Helicopter shot down by Al-Qaida Anti-Aircraft gunfire" Biden she once again has a smile. Overall I think the average American who cherishes working for a living as opposed to getting things at a reduced government subsidized price or for free will obviously vote for Senator McCain.