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Imagine Palin as President…

The more I hear from her, the scarier this scenario gets: Palin as President.

I have spent hours skimming interviews and news stories about Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. It is not outside the realm of possibility, given Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain’s age and medical history, and the potential pressures of a presidency, that Palin could find herself in the Oval office, and not as a “visitor.” It’s is something American voters must consider as they prepare to cast ballots in the November election.

I question her experience and her agenda, particularly on the global scale; her lack of visible experience on a broader beyond-Alaska governance, is slim; on the world stage it is nil. Her recent foreign travels found the press pool (CNN) being allowed 30 seconds or less of filming as met with foreign leaders.

Then I heard defensive words and a hint of national policy from Palin in an interview with ABC’s Charles Gibson (whom I greatly admire). Palin’s answers (the questions are evident in the answers):

  • “We are on a holy war … we are on God’s side … there is a plan and it is God’s plan…”
  • “I have the experience to be vice-president … I am ready …”
  • “I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell bent on destroying America and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table.”
  • “Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God.”
  • “I would never presume to know God’s will or to speak God’s words. But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that’s a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God’s side.”

Sounds lot like the extremist and terrorist “Holy War” “Jihad” mentality, which, when vented against us, is said to be wrong and perpetuated by “evil-doers.”

Gibson, in questioning Palin on “the Bush Doctrine,” had to first explain the 2002 statement to Palin to incite a semblance of intelligent response.

The Bush “Doctrine” ~~ his National Security Strategy (9.02):

“While the United States will constantly strive to enlist the support of the international community, we will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary, to exercise our right of self defense by acting preemptively against such terrorists, to prevent them from doing harm against our people and our country.”

Palin to Gibson:

“I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell-bent in destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made, and with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.”

As September 11th memorial services unfurled, Palin said that should Georgia join NATO, the U.S. may find itself waging war on Russia, if Russia invades Georgia. She also warned of the threat posed by a nuclear armed Iran and from Islamic terrorists. She subscribes to the Bush-like principle that “the United States has the right to preemptively strike another country the U.S. thinks will attack first.” She defended the Iraq War as a task from God, which makes her sound as fanatical as the Islamic terrorists. I couldn’t help wonder where all the soldiers will come from to fight these wars … oh yes, it would have to be the “D” word: Draft. She hasn’t suggested that, but hey folks, read between the lines. Our troops can barely withstand the repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, much less consider battles on new fronts. And then there is the matter of equipping them … and nowhere does she speak of diplomacy, or of alternatives to war.

More recently, it has come to light that Palin as Wassila mayor likely knew, and appears to have supported, her city’s billing of rape victims for the rape kit/medical exam that constitutes evidence for the prosecution. The rape kits cost approximately $1,000. That’s akin to asking a murder victim’s family to pay for the bullet before they prosecute a killer.

Palin may find support for her views in some corners of the country, but voters need to ask to how much experience, understanding, and ability does she really have on a national and a global scale before opting to have her second in line to determine America’s future. What happens if she is left to step into the Oval office?

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1 COMMENT

  1. As an Australian journalist, editing political stories every day, I’m really interested to read what people think who are not in highly visible media. The American elections get so much coverage here, you’d think it was a domestic issue!

    Really like your blog and your points of view. And I found your midlife re-education so interesting – what we study at midlife is pretty different.

    Sarah Palin’s views of God being on our side etc smack of jihadist rhetoric. No. Way. On. This Earth can I imagine her being VP. Except in my nightmares.

    A VP needs to be well travelled, well versed in foreign policy and with extensive experience of other cultures.

    Palin has zero of the above.

    Foreign affairs become domestic concerns. You cannot separate the two in this day and age. There is no insulation any more.

    From this end of the world, Obama is getting disproportionately more positive media coverage than McCain, and Palin’s getting more mentions in the media than Biden, mainly because of her controversy value.

    Part of the blanket Obama coverage in Australia concerns his novelty value as well, but there appears to be far less support for McCain’s policies here, generally.

    We watched the VP debate live, and yes, there appeared to be no clear winner. Palin’s nudge nudge, wink wink and folksy manner, chilled my blood.

    I hope Americans will turn out in force for November 4. PLEASE VOTE!! This is no time for apathy.

    My password is so convoluted I’ll never remember to get back on to this blog, but thanks for airing my view. I like your style!

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