Sarah Quaylin

The New Republic: The Problem With Palin Isn't Lack Of Experience. It's Lack Of Engagement.

(The New Republic)  This column was written by Jonathan Chait.

Ever since John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, I've gotten confused about all the reasons I'm supposed to dislike Barack Obama. The previous reasons, in rough chronological order, were his lack of experience, his empty rhetoric, his flip-flopping, and his "celebrity." But Palin has made each one of those critiques moot. The "celebrity" attack on Obama has a particularly Dada quality right now as starstruck Republicans bask in the charisma of their adorable veep. (Coldest state, hottest governor, read signs at her rallies.) With her hunky husband, touching family life and plucky personal story, she is the candidate of the People. And by People, I mean People magazine.

The flip side for Republicans of losing most of their attack lines was supposed to be a series of virtues Palin would bring to the ticket: She's a reformer, a steadfast opponent of earmarks, a proponent of transparency and clean government. Subsequent reporting has revealed that Palin embodies the precise opposite of every one of these virtues. She appointed unqualified cronies, abused her power to punish personal enemies, and has displayed a Cheney-esque passion for government secrecy. Her boast of having put the state airplane on eBay was undermined by subsequent revelations that she failed to actually sell it on eBay.

The swift disintegration of Palin's anti-pork credentials has been especially amusing. After initially casting Palin as a dedicated foe of earmarks, and then having it revealed that she asked for and received enormous sums of earmarked projects, the McCain campaign has fallen back to the defense that she requested fewer earmarks than other Alaska pols. This is true: Even though Palin took ten times the national per capita average in earmarked spending, in this regard she still rates somewhat below average by the standards of the petro-kleptocracy of the state from which she hails. Yet this defense raises the question of why Ted Kennedy never thought to run for president on the slogan "He Never Took a Drink In His Life," and then, when challenged, point out that other members of his family are less sober than he.

The main complaint against Palin has been her lack of experience. That's fortunate for her, since "experience"--especially measured in a linear way--fails to capture exactly what Palin lacks. Yes, two years as governor is less than you'd like, as is four years as senator. The real problem, though, is that Palin has no record of thinking about national or international policy. Bobby Jindal, another Republican veep contender, has barely more experience than Palin, but he is a respected policy intellectual. Pat Buchanan ran for president without ever having served in elective office, but he had engaged more deeply than most presidential candidates in policy questions.

Engagement, not experience, is the difference between Palin's qualifications and Obama's. Obama has a longstanding interest in national and (to a lesser extent) international issues, and has answered questions on all those issues in extensive detail. Palin has dealt almost exclusively with parochial issues in a wildly atypical state. (Her fiscal experience, which consists of divvying up oil lucre, offers better preparation to serve as president of Saudi Arabia than the United States.) It's possible Palin has harbored a long-standing, secret passion for policy wonkery, but the few signs available thus far--her convention speech that spelled out "new-clear weapons," her evident lack of familiarity with the term "Bush Doctrine"--suggest otherwise. The Republican intelligentsia is frantically tutoring her while they run out the clock until November 4.

In lieu of opening Palin to regular questioning from the press corps, of the sort the other three candidates have all undergone many times before, the McCain campaign is helpfully leaking positive appraisals of her studiousness. "Despite the worries, [Palin] struck many campaign officials as more calm and cerebral than expected," reported Newsweek. "She was quick to ask questions, and to 'engage in a back and forth' with briefers." See, the McCain campaign says she's on the ball. That settles it, right?

But, somewhere in the recesses of my mind, this admiring appraisal of the prospective veep's intellect struck a familiar chord. With a quick search, I discovered that, indeed, the same was said of Dan Quayle in 1988. Twenty years ago, The Washington Post reported, "Bush aides, who were getting their first in-depth exposure to Quayle, were impressed by his attention span, the quality of his questions and the facility with which he moved through the agenda."

Other parallels stood out as well. Conservatives received Quayle's selection rapturously. L. Brent Bozell pronounced himself "ecstatic," and Jerry Falwell called the surprise pick "a stroke of genius." After a media frenzy, Quayle's speech was well-received. The convention hall burst into cheers of "We want Dan!" NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said that Quayle executed "flawlessly," and CBS's Bruce Morton called it "a good speech."

Questions about Quayle's readiness remained, but he did his best to turn them into elite condescension toward small town America. Quayle, in his acceptance speech, spoke movingly about the small towns in Indiana where he had grown up, and later disparaged Dukakis for "sneer[ing] at common sense advice, Midwestern advice."

Today, Quayle is remembered as a disaster. But, during the campaign, his supporters believed that media skepticism of Quayle had rallied ordinary Americans to his side. Dukakis "looks down on his fellow Americans. He looks down on Bush and Dan Quayle as--in his word--'pathetic,' " wrote right-wing columnist Michael Novak. "Thus, the 'feeding frenzy' of the press in New Orleans stirred a national backlash. It united all the scorned of America as one."

Conservatives are saying the same things about Palin. "Elite opinion," insisted McCain strategist Steve Schmidt, "looks down with contempt at people who are not part of their world." As Palin herself said, "If you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone." To the right, the mere fact that the press questions her fitness proves that she is one of them.

As the original rationales for Palin melt away, this bond has become unshakable. Her lack of qualifications turns out to be her greatest qualification.

[mswolfestock]

OMG - "she has displayed a Cheney-esque passion for Government secrecy."

That is all I needed to hear.

Like David Letterman said, "A Vice President who likes guns, what could go wrong there?" Well obviously plenty has already gone wrong with the old white guy''s pick.

[prohb]

You''re right on about Palin on this one!

[pvperson]

"Palin did not ''''seek'''' celebrity status"

are you kidding? Palin is reveling in her celebrity status, haven''t you noted that she now calls John and herself the "Palin/McCain administration"?

Ole John better hire a food taster.

[hotwitch]

"Today, Quayle is remembered as a disaster" Is that a fact, or just a leftist revision of of the facts. At least Quayle didn''t do a photo op driving around in a tank, looking like snoopy. And, a minor, point, but didn''t Bush and Quayle win that election?

[pvperson]

"ANOTHER LIBERAL MEDIA-SUPPORTED SLIME ATTACK!!!!"

What, there was a McCain ad here somewhere? Anytime I see "SLIME" in print anymore, I always think of McCain.

[perceptions5]

The New Liberal Fascist Republic...........give it a break everyone in the world recognizes your flaming magazine as just another one of the corrupt liberal news outlets in America.

Just like the CBS News which allows you to paste your lying liberal intolerant "fictional stories" on their website.

Bring DIVERSITY to our flaming staff of elite liberal retards....................

[noloyalisti]

perceptions5, it''s a good thing that every human with a brain knows that everything you just said describes conservatives. Let me spell it out: fascism is extreme right wing. Republicons support only the rich, so they are the elitists. Don''t put down liberals, Jesus was one as wrere our founding father.

Support stem cell research so we can grom brains for conservatives and Republicons. Thanks

[noloyalisti]

Even most Republicons, who still have a tiny bit of their brains and pride left, like Chuck Hagel know that Failin Palin is totally unqualified lipstick on the pig that is McSame.

[usapride70]

They just keep on proving just how left wing they are. CBS, ABC and all of the others just make me want to vomit. When in h*** did the liberals come to believe that they are Gods and the rest of us are beneath them. The MSM realy believe they are above us. Just keep smearing her, you only make it better for her.

[gunfighter51]

Is Sarah Palin the only thing the New Republic can write about?
The New Republic is obviously extremely concerned about Sarah to be devoting this amount of time attacking her instead of dealing with McCain.
Keep it up libs, this is a good thing.

[acjupiter]

cky Sarah is not a smear. She is an incompetent fool that I would not lect tio be Vice President of the local Three Stooges fan club. This demonstrates that old mCCain has gone senile. Get him help in nursing home.

[noloyalisti]

I think Gunfighter51 is right, by paying any attention to this incompetent mistake Failin Palin Quaylin, we are following along with the mindless right wing mainstream media. Let''s talk issues and McBush = McCain = Grand Oil Party = Fascism. I agree.

[acjupiter]

Here Republpigs read this
Former GOP senator calls Palin a ''cocky wacko''
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) %u2014 Former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee has called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a "cocky wacko" and said her selection as John McCain''s running mate has energized supporters of Democrat Barack Obama.
Chafee left the Republican Party last year after losing his bid for re-election and now supports Obama. He told an audience Tuesday at the New America Foundation in Washington that the Alaska governor has revived a "lackluster McCain candidacy."
"They''ve just thrown this firestorm, this tornado, into the whole presidential election," Chafee said in response to an audience member''s question about whether the Obama campaign should worry about Palin''s presence in the race.
He said her speech at the Republican National Convention had the unintended effect of energizing Democrats and Obama supporters.
"People were coming into my office, phone calls were flooding in, e-mails were coming in, ''I just sent money to Obama, I couldn''t sleep last night'' %u2014 from the left. To see this cocky wacko up there," Chafee said to laughter.

10:00:52 PM September 2nd, 2008

[netadmin1-2009]

Didn''t you people know that Palin is running for President against Obama - his 143 days of congress makes him fit to be King. Interesting the news doesn''t talk much about the lawsuit against him for not being constituionally eligible to be Prez of the United States. The only person being trashed right now is Palin.

[aceshigh333-2009]

As much money B.O. is getting and spending on taking Palin down. Palin is going to come out of this being requalified being VP by the Dem. party.
B.O. is scared. How is he going to repay all the favors and promises he made to special interst(well fannie mae is gone). No matter after Nov 4, the Polosi choke collar goes back on if she can get it over the special intrest puppet strings.

[tonyd_31]

It appears that Americans were not fooled by the GOP. It is a shame though that the GOP faithful is so simple minded and gullible. They told you that everyone would love her, that she will be able to siphon off some of the disenchanted Hillary voters. Well it is obvious that this pick was a mistake. I am so glad that he picked her.....Go Obama!!

[gretagreen]

If you think the country is doing well under Bush, then vote for McCain-Palin. If you''re sane, vote for Obama-Biden.

[noloyalisti]

I think that Quaylin Palin is fair game to be trashed. I mean that is the kind of family she is from and has. Also she is an incompetent comment on an equally incompetent pResidential candidate in McSame.

[tonyd_31]

They just keep on proving just how left wing they are. CBS, ABC and all of the others just make me want to vomit. When in h*** did the liberals come to believe that they are Gods and the rest of us are beneath them. The MSM realy believe they are above us. Just keep smearing her, you only make it better for her.

Posted by usapride70 at 02:08 PM

Here is a news flash for you rightwingers: ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC (is there any others missing besides FOX) you think is part of the left slanted media bias. Perhaps you might consider that this is the way it is. That most of America just might be more on the left than the right. It is a plausible explanation since all of the GOP faithful thinks the media is on the side of the left. :)

[tonyd_31]

Is Sarah Palin the only thing the New Republic can write about?
The New Republic is obviously extremely concerned about Sarah to be devoting this amount of time attacking her instead of dealing with McCain.
Keep it up libs, this is a good thing.

Posted by Gunfighter51

That is right, keep it up. Soon McSane and Palin polls numbers are going to be in the basement! Good job pointing out the real Palin. We already knew McSame was an old fool.

[Razzl]

When the case is obvious enough even the general public is going to see that a glam ditz is just a glam ditz and not a shining representative of scorned rural culture...

[sean7phil]

This is a moronic article.

Palin is not only very smart but is a capable politician and leader. Its clear that these posts are crammed by campaign workers for the Obama campaign.

Pailin will be an exceptional leader.

[amrt5016]

''The main complaint about Palin is her lack of
experience.''

How about lack of candor and honesty? Her experience sucks but her ethics is nonexistent.

What''s important about Sarah is what she does not know, not what she does know. There is plenty she does not know, that''s obvious by the way she''s being hidden and coached and her answers.

Can she be "trained"? Yes, so can dogs and monkeys, you can even train a bird to mimmick. The Republican party wags are the organ grinders here, with McCain standing in the background trying to capture something out of all this.

Laughable are the comments "I''m voting for her because she''s a woman, break the glass ceiling, and she''s being picked on because she''s a woman and it''s sexist or I''m voting for Palin" No, she''s being picked on because she really is a weak candidate. As to the glass ceiling Geraldine Ferraro broke that years ago. As to voting for Palin, sorry you''re not you''re voting for the ticket that just happens to have McCain as the Presidental candidate. You know "the old guy" that believed in no regulation and now does.

In adddition she has been proven in less than two weeks to be less than truthful,(she''s been caught in lies, so much for change)less than smart even with a lightweight interview with coaching and one must question her position on many items in question as both mayor and governor.

And no, we don''t get most of our oil from Alaska as per her comments would sugges, it''s about 2 to 3%.

Republican Kool-Aid being served in the refreshment area. More flavors to come.

[inventagod2]

The very fact that Palin is the nominee points to the RNC having Diebold firmly in their pocket.

[sculler1956]

hotwitch...
NO, Bush and Quayle DID NOT win that election... but what the hey... Thanks! for asking!

[redheadrant]

This is a silly article you site no facts to back up what you say. Obama may have been a senator for four years but he has been campaigning since 2004. Kennedy had a lot more problems than just his drinking, remember he let his girlfriend drown? redheadrantingcom

[redheadrant]

This is a silly article you site no facts to back up what you say. Obama may have been a senator for four years but he has been campaigning since 2004. Kennedy had a lot more problems than just his drinking, remember he let his girlfriend drown? redheadranting

[mominmaine]

it''s lack of intelligence...the woman''s a nimrod just like her runningmate

[redheadrant]

This is a silly article you site no facts to back up what you say. Obama may have been a senator for four years but he has been campaigning since 2004. Kennedy had a lot more problems than just his drinking, remember he let his girlfriend drown? redheadranting

[redheadrant]

This is a silly article you site no facts to back up what you say. Obama may have been a senator for four years but he has been campaigning since 2004. Kennedy had a lot more problems than just his drinking, remember he let his girlfriend drown? redheadranting

[opedanderson]

Obama will win this election. But comparing SP to Dan Quayle is ludicrious. Bill Clinton said it best "it''s a mistake to underestimate her"

And that is exactly what I see happening....

[standlee5]

I like Sarah.

[bryony1]

I like Sarah.
Posted by standlee5

I like Brad Pitt. That doesn''t mean I think he''d be good as a VP or, worst come to worst, president. Liking someone''s public persona isn''t the same as knowing they are qualified to do whatever they want to do, and Palin said to an aide, after she was elected governor of Alaska, that she wanted to be president. She also laughs at insults directed at the leader of her state senate, Lyda Green. On one occasion, she thought it was funny that Green was called a "***" and a "cancer" on Alaska. Green''s a breast cancer survivor. This isn''t a rumor; it was caught on tape and was included in a story run in Friday''s Washington Post and reproduced on CBS'' website.

Still like her?

[bryony1]

"Obama will win this election. But comparing SP to Dan Quayle is ludicrious. Bill Clinton said it best "it''''s a mistake to underestimate her"
And that is exactly what I see happening...."
Posted by opedanderson

Clinton''s quote is out of context. In what way did he mean not to underestimate her? For her lack of foreign policy knowledge? I guess she could have less than she does if she couldn''t see Russia from Alaska.

[ofbyfor2]

Nice smear attempt- a couple of comments;

1) Bush Doctrine has many meanings and can be interpreted many ways. It was a pathetic question by ABC.

2) Palin did not ''''seek'''' celebrity status - but the media went hysterical and more or less ''''created'''' a celebrity. Not like Obama who loves to be a celebrity and likes to mingle in Hollywood.

Posted by smebep at 12:12 PM : Sep 19, 2008

1) If she had made an honest attempt to define the ''Bush Doctrine'' in ANY of it''s possible meanings, no one would have faulted her, but she just had a ''duh'' moment.

2) She is no different than Obama on the ''celebrity'' issue. Get real. It''s the Republican ''base'' that made her a celeb, not the media. And I''m sure she wouldn''t turn away any celeb attention from, say, Charleton Heston or Ted Nugent, etc.

[ofbyfor2]

The New Liberal Fascist Republic...........give it a break everyone in the world recognizes your flaming magazine as just another one of the corrupt liberal news outlets in America.

Just like the CBS News which allows you to paste your lying liberal intolerant "fictional stories" on their website.

Bring DIVERSITY to our flaming staff of elite liberal retards....................

Posted by perceptions5 at 01:46 PM : Sep 19, 2008

They DO. They have the flaming rightwing nutjobs at NRO to provide infotainment for you guys.

[ofbyfor2]

This is a moronic article.

Palin is not only very smart but is a capable politician and leader. Its clear that these posts are crammed by campaign workers for the Obama campaign.

Pailin will be an exceptional leader.

Posted by sean7phil at 04:19 PM : Sep 19, 2008

McCain''s campaign is the one that pays its people to post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/06/AR2008080603589_pf.html

[sculler1956]

michaelt302...

No I think Sarah Palin is ACTUALLY the one confusing the first slot on the ticket with the second! But HEY! What would YOU expect, from a pitbull? Not much intelligence, obviously! But MAN!!! Does she look good in lipstick, or WHAT?

[cyndilu9]

If the Democrats had dared to present such a candidate as Sarah Palin - the Republicans would have jumped all over it like white on rice (i.e. look at how they continually try to down play all of Obama''s experience...where he has basically built up to this leadership position all of his life....and AT least has an active US passport).

The Republicans are the biggest group of hypocrites out there....they would never accept this woman on the left side....yet they staunchly decry ANY question of her readiness by right, left and center now. And their slogan is "country first"??? I think it''s win first....screw up the country....and use some other short quick slogan to trick people into thinking that Neo Cons are the "patriotic" people...and everyone else is wrong.

Look what Republicans have done to this Country? The richest among us got the biggest Tax Breaks....and of course everyone is paying the price for that now. They have started an unnecessary war....and pushed De-Regulation in the Financial Markets to the point that their cronism and greed has broken the back of the financial markets...and middle class citizens will pick up the bill.

Any ANYONE who is of right mind in this great Country is EVEN Considering voting for a Republican????

I truly hope Obama / Biden are elected by a landslide...so that they can clean up this mess.

[femaledem]

JUST READ ''SARAH QUAYLIN'' BY JONATHAN CHAIT..YOU WILLL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS COUNTRY IS HEADING..READ IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH...OBAMA/BIDEN PLEASE!!!!! UNLESS YOU WANT LEGS..LIPSTICK & LUNACY!!!

[vickieb57]

Sir, everyone has a right to their opinion. As my mother and Mr. Obama like to say, you can put lipstick on a pig, it''s still a pig! LOL

McCain/Palin ''08!

Rice/Powel ''16!

(Mr. Obama apparently can''t tell a pitbull from a pig. He''s getting ready to find out what the difference is!)

[lawyertom1]

Unfortunately, Palin is a pathological liar. Now, it turns out her minister is a royal nutcase [come on guys, really, outting witches?]. Palin has a vengeful streak that makes Cheney look modest. Holy guano, Batman, she crazy.

[scotch41-2009]

FELLOW AMERICANS.....DO YOUR PART IN NOVEMBER....STAY HOME AND DON''T VOTE...WE''VE HAD ENOUGH CLOWNS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.....

[kevingrze]

McCain is an old man who is confused, seems panicky all the time and would be a danger to our country''s welfare. Add Palin in the mix of a unqulified liar who seems arrogant and nasty and this Repug ticket is scary. They have no credibility, they have smears and lies. Anyone who supports that ticket are either Repuged brainwashed (*** the US of A) or stupid!!!

[im4honesty]

JOHN McCAIN: "I believe the fundamentals of the economy are strong."

THEN THE NEXT DAY:

"Well... I... err... ummm, what I meant was the fundamentals of the economy are the working men and women, and anyone who disagrees with me is against the American worker."

The question is:

ARE YOU STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR McCAIN/PALIN???

[skysoldier75]

The problem with Palin is BOTH a lack of experience AND a lack of engagement.

In short, she''s simultaneously a political amateur AND a shallow, simple-minded fool, combined.

[coronalu]

Attack, attack, attack! If you want to find something wrong, brother, you are going to, especially with me, because I am not perfect, I guess I am only one of the few people that understands this, because from reading some of these comments, you folks must want someone to walk on water for you and guess what, He already did. Now, if you want to put a little fairness in this, lets compare Obama and McCain, their experience. But of course this is something unheard of, to compare the McCain to Obama.

[jaykay3141]

Her religious and social views frighten me even more than her lack of experience. Speaking in tongues? The Iraq war is ordained by God? Book-banning? *** education = NONONONO? Genesis 1:1 as a science textbook? I don''t care if she''s red or blue, man or woman, smart or dumb. Those attitudes are just plain scary. She sounds like she''s been in some kind of time warp in 1623 Salem or the Inquisition!

We''ve already seen what fundamentalism has done to the Middle East. Every little sect hates all the other little sects over some doctrinal dispute ... and if you''re from a completely different religion you''re not even worth pond scum. Kids come out of schools chanting religious slogans but don''t know anything about math or chemistry. Are people REALLY so blind that they''d want those attitudes in the White House???!!!

[stealth54]

It''s so refreshing to see that Jonathan Chait can bend the truth any way to suit his reporting. Let''s get real here. If I, as a reporter, couldn''t give out fair and equal reporting I would quit. Come on Chait, you know that you have stretched thigs out of shape in this column. And don''t try to sell this to me. I am so tired of hearing the American people being called stupid by Obama and Biden. No we have a reporter doing the same thing.