Will Palin Stand Up to Scrutiny?

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By George F. Will
Wednesday, September 3, 2008; Page A15
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The word "experience" appears 91 times in the Federalist Papers, those distillations of conservative sense and sensibility. Madison, Hamilton and Jay said that truths are "taught" and "corroborated" by experience. These writers were eager to "consult" and be "led" by experience. They spoke of "indubitable" and "unequivocal" lessons from experience, the "testimony" of experience and "the accumulated experience of ages." "Accumulating" experience is "the parent of wisdom" and a "guide" that "justifies," "confirms" and can "admonish." America's Founders were empiricists and students of history who trusted "that best oracle of wisdom, experience," which is humanity's "least fallible guide."
This Story
What's Fair Game With Sarah Palin?
The Support the Palins Really Need
Ms. Palin's Introduction
Class of '64
She's Nice -- but Not Ready
Impulse, Meet Experience
Palin's Learning Curve
McCain Comes Through
PostPartisan
Republicans Rush In
GOP Deals With the Storm -- and the Stork
The Lesson of Bristol Palin
The Cynicism Express
Northern Underexposure
How Palin Could Help
Experience? Never Mind
A Suicidal Choice for Clinton Supporters
Mr. McCain's Choice
Topic A: Assessing Sarah Palin
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A telling touch, that "least fallible." The Founders represented the sober side of the Enlightenment. They knew, as conservatives do, that all guides are fallible. Hence conservatism's inclination to discern prescriptions in traditions, which are mankind's slow adjustments to the accretion of experiences.
So, Sarah Palin. The man who would be the oldest to embark on a first presidential term has chosen as his possible successor a person of negligible experience.
Any cook can run the state, said Lenin, who was wrong about that, too. America's gentle populists and other sentimental egalitarians postulate that wisdom is easily acquired and hence broadly diffused; therefore anyone with a good heart can deliver good government, which is whatever the public desires. "The people of Nebraska," said the archetypal populist William Jennings Bryan, "are for free silver, and I am for free silver. I will look up the arguments later."
John McCain's opponent is by far the least experienced person to receive a presidential nomination in the 75 years since the federal government became a comprehensively intrusive regulatory state and modern weaponry annihilated the protection the nation derived from time and distance. Which is why McCain's case for his candidacy could, until last Friday, be distilled into two words: Experience matters.
McCain, who at 72 is 22 years older than Alaskan statehood, is 27 years and six months older than his running mate, who was 8 when Joe Biden was elected to the Senate. But in 1856, James Buchanan, 65, was 29 years and eight months older than his running mate, John Breckinridg

dale ulbrich of MN 10:52PM September 16, 2008

republicans dissing palin before her speech
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/03/noonan_and_murphy_meet_the_hot.html
even other republicans do not believe in this vp pick!!!

bitter indepent of NM 11:45PM September 03, 2008

Is Sarah Palin committed to Alaska First, not Country First?
The recent revelations regarding her recent membership in the American Independence Party would seem to indicate at least 'divided' loyalties. We await further clarification on reported membership, as well as the group's stated strategy of "infiltrating" the mainstream parties.

anyfreeman of CA 10:14AM September 02, 2008

Sarah Palin, is exactly what this country needs. She is not a millionaire like Obama, she isn''t a 35 year Washington D.C.pen pusher. She is a mom! And we need a mom in Washington! A mother, who knows what its like to have a son go to war, to run a family budget, to work hard for her family, and to nurture her children.
The McCain/Palin ticket represents as never before in US history the ordinary folks. Everyone knows a “Sarah Palin” whether it's your mom, wife, sister, or friend. This is why they will win, because they are America!

Ted of IL 4:56PM September 01, 2008

All this to lure women voters, yet it seems more than a bit fanciful to think women who backed Hillary Clinton -- pro-choice, anti-gun, environmentally aware and in favour of shifting spending from guns to health care -- would defect to Palin, who is against all those things, just because she's a woman. Does gender really trump principles to that extent?

bitter independent of NM 2:13PM September 01, 2008

A breath of fresh air indeed! I am a woman and will vote for her not just because she is a woman but because I believe that she has the guts and the smarts to shake up some Washington "empty suits". And, there are plenty of them!
Go Saraaaaaah! And do not worry about the rhetoric that you are not ready to be "Commander in Chief".... Obama is running for that position and does not have any executive experience or your guts to cross partylines. He accuses Senator McCain for having voted 95% of the time with the Republicans but what Obama is not telling us is that he has voted 97% of the time with his buddies the Democrats.
Obama speaks of all these "miracles" that he will perform once elected but he has failed - for a year now - to tell us how he is going to pay for it! I do not know how on earth he will reduce taxes for 95% of Americans as he promises and pay for the rest of his "miracle change" whithout blowing up the national deficit to quadrillions!!! All his speeches (rhetoric) sure sound impressive however he is not telling us something that we have never heard before by every politician who rans for President! Have you not heard any candidate in the past not promising good schools, good roads, more money in your pocket, less crime on the streets? Hey, we have heard it before!
Do not be afraid of the Washington status quo Sarah Palin! They will attack you plenty but that is because they are worried that you will shake things up! Trust me, they are not really worried about what will happen to the country if you have to become Commander in Chief should something tragic happen... 90% of Washingtom politicians do not even know what the Truman Doctrine was - let alone being experts for example in Eastern European geopolitical issues! Is anybody trying to tell us that all previous Presidents had a degree in Political Science or Foreign Relations? Yeah sure...I am going to laugh!
We need a hands on "outsider" to shake up Washington. The National Security and safety of our country first requires a real "patriot" in office with great judgement, who will surround herself with an excellent team. Sarah Palin is a true patriot, she has demonstrated excellent judgement during her career, and she has the guts to bring real change!!!!!!

Natasha of NY 1:34PM September 01, 2008

This campaign is the most average ever.
Remember, an average is just the center of the extremes.
Like, you know? If you are standing with one foot in a bucket of ice water and the other in a bucket of hot coals--on average you are perfectly comfortable.
On the Dem side we have a young inexperienced candidate for president with an old over experienced candidate for VP balancing the ticket perfectly--on average!
Conversely, on the GOP side we have an old over experienced candidate for president with a young inexperienced candidate for VP balancing the ticket perfectly--on average!
So, the average American voter has a choice between the perfect average on the one hand and the perfect average on the other hand.
This campaign is the most average ever.

HillbillyBill of TN 9:58AM September 01, 2008

John McCain's VP pick has initiated a clawing knot of terror in my gut that will not go away until he and Palin are defeated. To think that it's possible in 2008 for US women to fear the loss of intensely personal freedoms regarding their own bodies sounds more like a science-fiction horror story than a potential reality. Sarah Palin's choices are her own, and I respect them. Unfortunately, she does not afford me (or any other woman), the same courtesy.
The fact that she believes global warming is a hoax, has "never really given [the Iraq war] any thought", and probably can't find Rhode Island on a map, suggests that just when you think things can't get any worse, someone shows up who makes George Bush look like a superstar.
Adding insult to injury - our money isn't worth anything anymore so it will be much more difficult to relocate to another country if McCain/Palin win.

LHF of RI 6:47PM August 31, 2008

What happened to Obama's "change yo can be believe in"?
When given the change to get more money through direct donations or keep his word and go with government funding of his campaign, he flip flopped.
When given the opportunity to pick a VP from outside the beltway, he picked Biden who's been an insider for more than 30 years.
Sarah Palin has governed a state, taken on republicans, big oil, etc. and Won!
Obama's speeches are nice, but his actions have proven that he's not going to follow his own promises.
Given Palin a chance to be heard. Let's see if what she says holds true in her actions.

Renee of CA 2:53PM August 31, 2008

I take offense to the comment about Palin tapping the resentment of the Clinton loss. I am a Democrat, a "middle aged woman", who will be voting for a Democrat. My beliefs are left of center, thats how I vote. I don't change my party because of who is running or isn't running. I've never understood why people are clueless about the policies of a party and vote for "who" they like better. It never mattered to me who Obama was going to pick, although Biden was an excellent choice, I am voting for the party I believe in. People should educate themselves as to what each party stands for and vote accordingly.

Debbie of WI 1:35PM August 31, 2008