Independents: What do you think of Palin?

Great Debates
21

I consider myself independent with libertarian leanings. I voted for a third party in 2004, mostly because of my incredible cynicism about politicians in general.
This year I was kinda looking forward to, because Obama and McCain seem like decent candidates who don’t make me sick.

Then I heard about Sarah Palin. The first think I thought was “He’s pandering. Why else would he chose a virtual unknown for his VP?” I initially felt that he’s trying to out minority Obama and appeal to disgruntled Hillary Voters. I’m still not sure he isn’t, though her right wing views make it seem obvious he’s trying to reassure the base he’s not too liberal. Strike 1.

The fact she doesn’t seem to have much experience bothers me, particularly after months of McCain accusing Obama of the same thing. Rank Hypocrisy. Strike 2.

Now I’m hearing more and more about how she’s apparently a religious righty. I’m not terribly surprised since the GOP is known for this and all their candidates have to pay lip service to even hope to get elected, but that doesn’t mean I like it. However, now there are rumors of her trying to ban books from the library. Censorship is a major pet peeve with me and if it’s true, McCain can kiss my vote goodbye. Strike 3.

The whole affair strikes me as a retread of the Harriet Meyers affair a couple years back. Trying to pander without actually taking into considerations if said person would be right for the job. It made me lose a lot of respect for McCain, who I would think would know better.

I may or may not vote for Obama(My vote is his to lose now), but I sure as hell aren’t voting for McCain as things stand now. The only way he could possibly rememdy that is to to her off the ticket, quickly and so hard it makes a Sarah Palin shaped hole in the wall, followed by an apology(and maybe an excuse about being doped up on medication at the time). But I don’t see that happening.

22

She has two years+ as Governor, Obama has 3 years+ as Senator, if she’s not fit to be Veep, then Obama’s not fit to be Prez.

23

I think this is an important point. Obama and Biden have both had time to think things through on national issues; Palin hasn’t. Obama and Biden have been, as Senators, active participants; Palin hasn’t.

How quickly she gets up to speed will be an interesting test.

24

She has 1+ years as governor (elected in November 2006, sworn into office, December 2006).

25

Since I’m the one who called her a dumbass, I’ll respond.

a) Creationism. These people are about as intellectual as the morons who believe vaccines cause learning disabilities. How dumb do you have to be? How sad is it that in America these individuals are referred to as intelligent? Have our standards for intellect fallen so low? Gods, China and India are really quaking in their boots. Oh wait, laughing at us.

b) University of Idaho? Give me a break. She’s intelligent in the way Paris Hilton and celebrities are referred to as intelligent.

In short, if I lived the life she has, and I’m a minority btw, conservative America would be calling me a welfare queen or trashy or a failure or questioning why I have so many children or why I, as a minority, have a pregnant teen daughter. Isn’t there some long thread on this board about statistics and “X” behaviour by any given race? When darkies like me pull this shit we’re just living up to our true nature and them “statismatical” numbers-funny how important science and maths are then.

People like Sarah Palin just make people who don’t want to improve their lives in any real manner feel better about themselves. It’s that nose-thumbing thing-well we may not have them BOOKSMURTS but look, we rule over all you pointy-headed scholars.

26

She’s also governor of a state that’s mostly populated by bears and moose. Most metropolitan counties in the US have populations the same size or larger to administer.

27

Pretty much the same here. After changing to independent, I have been blessed by very few phone calls as well. It would take a candidate of immense stature and experience for me to change to a party affiliation. Neither O’bama nor McCain fit that bill.

28

Look, slam anyone you like for Creationism and I’ve got your back. FTM, it’s pretty clear I’m not exactly on the Palin love-wagon.

But do you really think that the only reason someone might go to a state school is because they’re not smart enough to get into an Ivy League school? State Universities often offer world-class educations for a fraction of the costs of the Ivy League schools. I don’t know, nor do I care to do the research to find out, why she chose to go to a state school. But the possible reasons for such a choice could be just as likely to be financial as any thing related to smarts or book learning.

Or is it only rural schools you’re down on? Would it be okay if she were a graduate of CCNY, for example? UC Davis?

29

Lifelong independent here. Both parties piss me off for various reasons, though I seem to be leaning more liberal as I get older. Maybe it’s living in a blue state. Anyway,

[ul]
[li]Is she fit to be VP?[/li][/ul]
In my opinion, no way. Governor of a state with the population of Austin, TX doesn’t cut it for me. To be qualified for VP, you have to be ready for the possibility that the moment McCain’s hand leaves that swearing in bible, he might keel over. Unlikely, but possible. So that’s where the bar is.

[ul]
[li]If McCain dies, is she fit to be President?[/li][/ul]
Not right now.

[ul]
[li]Has McCain’s choice of her affected your choice of whom to vote this year?[/li][/ul]
Not really. I’d have voted for 2000 McCain, but he seems to have sold his soul for a shot at the Presidency. I’d already decided that I’m voting for Obama. Were I still undecided, her extremist pro-life and creationist stances would make that decision easier.

30

Palin’s a ‘religious rightie’, but she’s the Alaska variety, which is a far different animal than what you might find in the deep south. Alaska is the most Libertarian state in the country - they gave 5 delegate votes out of 29 to Ron Paul last night.

For example, she has nothing against creationism (too bad), but she thinks parents should tell their kids about it, or at most it should be an allowable subject for debate in the classroom if it comes up in proper context. She does NOT support adding it to the science curriculum.

Likewise, while the previous Republican Governor was on a crusade to re-criminalize Marijuana, and Palin said that she disapproves of legalization, she also admitted that she’s smoked it in the past, and that she was not interested in re-fighting the drug war and wouldn’t make it an issue in her government. Rather refreshing, that.

Also, when her own Republican colleagues in the state Senate passed a bill denying spousal benefits to same-sex couples, she vetoed it because she said it violated the constitution. How many Republican bills has George Bush vetoed? Zero.

I think her views are a little more complex than some of you are giving her credit for.

31

Where does the University of Iowa rank with you?

32

You realize that you’re talking about more than half the world’s population, who believe in some kind fo creation myth, right?

Look, lots of intelligent people believe in some stupid shit. Between conspiracy theories, “Gaia” theories, wicca, new age medicine, the power of prayer, I-Ching and Feng Shui, the left has its share of wacky idiocy as well. Go find out how many people believe in ghosts or some kind of spirit world. There’s some disconnect that goes on in otherwise-intelligent people that allows them to believe this stuff, and you’d better check your own set of beliefs before deciding that someone else’s are indicative of sheer idiocy.

This is exactly the kind of elitist crap that makes liberals look bad. Not all of us were born to wealthy parents or managed to go to private schools that guaranteed us places at Harvard or Yale. And there aren’t enough merit positions open to handle all the applicants with the qualifications of Barack Obama. And some people actually like small towns and quiet universities. It doesn’t make you stupid, or call your education into question.

The automatic dismissal of someone who got a degree from a state university is elitist crap.

WTF? Palin hasn’t drawn a dollar of welfare. She’s got a university education, and has worked her way up through the system on merit, without having a rich family to back her or pull strings. She’s blue-collar through and through, with a union member husband.

Your attitude is exactly what she was talking about when she took the shot at those who say nice things about the working class in Scranton, then ridicule them in San Franscisco. The Democrats claim to be the party of the working class, but at every chance they belittle them. You don’t really like the soccer moms in the midwest. You condescend to them. You want to use them to rise to political power so you can change the country in ways that YOU want, but you really don’t like the people you claim to champion.

That argument is going to sting the Democrats in this election, because it’s got a lot of truth in it. And Palin is the perfect messenger to carry it.

I rest my case. You’ve got nothing but hostility and derision for the very people Democrats claim to represent.

33

Not registered with any party.

I know very little about Palin at this point, and I’ll reserve judgement until I see her in the debate(s) and read more about her. But one thing I really like about her is that she’s causing so many of the hard-core lefties on this board to go into conniption fits over her nomination.

Does anyone else see the parallel with President Laura Roslin? She even looks like her a little bit.

34

Independent here. Would have voted for McCain in 2000.

I think she’s exactly what the GOP wanted and needed. Obama made a huge mistake in picking Biden and allowed the GOP to make the bold pick. I feel as if a McCain presidency is all but assured now.

As long as the dems keep underestimating her appeal and keep denying to themselves why she was the perfect selection for McCain’s VP, they will never even begin to stem the coming conservative tidal wave.

Personally, I find almost all of her political positions (what few we actually know about) at odds with mine. I also dislike her negativity and her eagerness to reach into the “liberal-boogeyman culture war” grab bag. Sure liberals can be wrong and misguided at times (like all people), but this constant “culture war” is wearing me out.

35

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

And someone in the ‘Cast the election’ thread pointed out that the guy who played Saul Tigh would be perfect as McCain.

36

Not registered with any party; voted for various parties over the years.

1-2*: Certainly not.

*There’s really no way for these questions to have different answers – being qualified to be President on a moment’s notice is part of being qualfied to be Vice President.

  1. Not really; I respected the old McCain but would not under any circumstances vote for the pod person who has now assumed his shape. If Virginia is in play, it’s over anyway, so my choices are to vote Democratic or Libertarian, depending on whether I primarily want to protest the Bush regime or the system generally.
37

I find your use of the words “creation myth” interesting. :slight_smile:

And I agree, lots of people believe some really whacky stuff, but hey, that’s their prerogative. What cranks me up is when people want to teach their particular brand of whackiness in schools. And I’ve noticed that it’s generally not the I-Ching and Feng Shui loonies who want access to the science curricula. If I’m wrong, we can join forces against the interior decorators trying to get Feng Shui into classrooms.

But for right now only one VP candidate has proposed teaching creationism alongside evolution.

38

I’m an independant.

I like her. I like her toughness. I like her edge.

I don’t like a lot of her policies.

I don’t see her as wildly unqualified to be president. I think character is more important than qualifications. It’s a job you can’t ever be really ready for.

But I still am planning to vote for Obama.

39

Yes. They both are qualified to be president only in a fantasy world when there is no other viable choice.
I like McCain but can’t understand why he chose to turn his campaign into an episode of Northern Exposure.

40

I am a registered independent that votes on issues and have voted for both parties, even third parties, though I lean conservative. Fiscal conservatism is my main issue (my other issue, pro-choice, I feel will never be overturned, so it’s not as high a criterion for me), but anyone who I feel doesn’t deserve to be in office won’t get my vote. I believe people should do what they say, and I always like the candidate with the clearer message.

  1. From what I remember studying about the VP in school, depending on the roles delegated to her by the President, anyone can be the VP. She will have to be ready to lead the nation if the President cannot assume his duty, so that’s a big strike against her, as I don’t think she’s fit to be President. I think Alaska is as good a testing ground as any state in the Union, but she doesn’t have enough of it, like Obama. However, I do like she is a governor and a mayor. I think both Obama and Palin could make good Presidents, but I strongly feel that neither of them their time is now. So, overall, I’m undecided that she is fit to be VP.

  2. No. I think she has something that we’re not seeing and couldn’t quantify if we saw it anyway. But, as the record stands, I don’t think she has enough to be President. She might be great at first-hand experience and whatever got her to where she is now might be a valuable asset to the job, but voting for her is going to require more than just a gut instinct.

  3. No. I’m still undecided. I need to see the debates. If McCain’s job was to energize the base, then I think he did a good job and stole a page from the Democratic playbook. If she is supposed to be groomed as a successor, I think McCain could’ve picked a whole lot better. Personally, I think he should’ve picked Romney, who I thought did as good a job last night as Palin.