The Scary Sarah Palin Interview
 

Today's CBS 'exclusive' Sarah Palin interview is frightening. She cites what most people thought was a comment in jest: "living next-door to Russia" as her serious answer for what constitutes her foreign policy experience. Oh, and it's not just Russia. Canada is a foreign neighbor too!

Then there are the rambling comments about the "good guys" and "bad guys" in the Middle East. As part of her accelerated preparation for VP, Palin had a private tutorial on diplomacy with Henry Kissinger. She said she would use the Kissinger approach in dealing with the "bad guys", but she got the whole strategy backwards when she described it!

When I was teaching American History in a privileged high school environment, my students knew I respected each of them without reservation. But they also knew I could lose patience with those who answered that Abraham Lincoln was the President during most of World War II. I have nothing but respect for Sarah Palin, but her comments are just like those high school airhead answers.

That's scary!

Palin is clearly in way over her head. The thought of her being VP of the US is truly scary! The only reason she was picked was to help McClain get elected at any cost. But then again, how scary is the thought of McCain being president?

"Country First", hardly, try "Me First" instead.

An Old Texan Explains It
 

While I have been impressed with Sarah Palin's enthusiasm, speaking ability and energy, I cannot endorse her experience as being sufficient to serve "one heartbeat away" from the presidency of the U.S.

I received the following from a friend. In the interest of bi-partisanship, I'd say it applies to both Governor Palin as well as Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and if I thought about it further, probably a number of other elected and appointed officials in our government...

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas
rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor
struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got
around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being
President . The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a post
turtle.'

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what
a post turtle was. The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a
country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on
top, that's a post turtle.'

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he
continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself,
she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is
up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her
up there to begin with."

Trying to keep an open mind, but after watching the Curic/Palin interview & the Gibson interview, I agree Sarah is very unprepared for the job of VP or God forbid, the job of President of the U.S. It's clear that she knows little about U.S. history by the answers she gives (ex: Kissinger response). It was painful to watch Sarah trying to answer Curic's third request for Sarah to give some examples about McCain's attempts to reform government (McCain's been in Congress for 26 years and the chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee). Finally, Sarah's response to that question: I'll see if I can find a list to give to you (Curic). When Sarah's is flustered, she tries to skirt around questions by giving her "bottled responses", which do not have anything to do with the question. I think we're learning a lot about "confidence" lately (U.S. financial problems, etc.). I do not feel confident that the McCain/Palin team will make our next four years in government better years for all of us.

My post is not necessarily to make a case for Gov Palin, but I am amazed at the disregard for Sen Biden's constant inaccurate and inconsistant remarks, and I like Sen Biden, but I have the same uncertaintity about him as Gov Palin for sure.

I am also not a great supporter of Sen McCain but am totally scared by Sen Obama !

Point, I guess is that we have these 2 teams running...thats it folks. Until we get involved in the congressional elections this is what we will have.

Frankly, if you read about all 4 of them and their backgrounds and accomplishments, the ticket would be Sen McCain and Sen Biden, IF you are electing them based on the criteria you seem to be adhering to.

It seems that more than ever this election is about a direction toward socialism or capitalism. I think, and this is my opinion, that the dialogue about who is qualified and who is not should become almost secondary. Who will lead us to socialism or capitalism and what we want for this country is what should lead the requirements.

Just my opinion !

If There Is A Positive Result From The Financial Crisis...
 

...it's that we are very, very close to the maximum amount of debt that the U.S. can afford to issue to finance our government. Our national debt now closely approximates the entire Gross Domestic Product of the U.S.economy for an entire year. Our debt amounts to about 20% of the Gross Domestic Prouct of the entire world economy for a year. The number is scary its so large.

Even though the members of Congress resist PayGo requirements, would like to continue to use earmarks and fund pork-barrel projects, act as though military spending is simply a "given", and so forth--things are going to change in Washington. And if I'm right, the changes will be big time!

The financial markets will discipline our elected officials--and us--by exhibiting a reduced appetite for buying our debt. Put in very simple terms, the events that resulted in the terrible situation in the credit markets have badly damaged both the creditworthiness of the U.S. as well as our ability to provide leadership and influence to world financial markets. The effect of that will be that our new President and Congress will be forced to operate government on a balanced budget basis. There will be only two ways to accomplish what the financial markets will force us to do--raise taxes or dramatically cut government spending.

We won't like either one.

The Interview
 

In case you missed it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Yx-RhHb4g

I am not going to defend Gov Palin on anything but I suppose the lightness that we take with the MANY troubling answers from Sen Biden suggests that someone with all his experienece is allowed to make stupid comments,which is sort of ironic ! Not sure ironic is the correct word, but I suppose we are expecting more from Gov Palin than from a 1/4 century senator !

My initial impressions of Gov. Palin brought to mind feelings of "Northern Exposure." Now, listening to some of her recent comments, brought to mind feelings of "There Will Be Blood!"

I have a lot of respect for McCain, but Palin just isn't working for me. I imagine some of you have seen the picture of Palin on the internet that shows her in a micro mini skirt with a glass of wine. Combine that image with her remarks from the CBS interview, plus the fact that the campaign appears to be afraid to let her speak unscripted in public, and makes her appear like a complete airhead. Sorry, Palin supporters, but to me she appears to be in way over her head. I just can't imagine her VP, much less potential Presidential material.

Bucco:

I agree with you. I feel I am much better qualified to spend my money as I wish instead of our government. Freddie and Fannie is a good example where we let the government dictate that all Americans should qualify for a home mortgage regardless of income. I don't want to be more of a socialist country.

:agree::agree:

The debate between Palin and Biden will give us all a better basis for comparison between the two candidates.

Socialism Or Capitalism
 

In case anyone has missed it, we have just nationalized several financial institutions and are about to do the same with dozens more. That is, we are using taxpayers money to either own or financially support what had been private companies. "Nationalized", "socialized"...we are well down the path in a direction opposite capitalism.

What were the major causal factors? Lots of words have been used...greed being a good one, a broad erosion of our national business morality is an OK description as well. But as the result of political administrations that aggressively furthered "free market economics"...that is a minimum of governmental regulation or oversight in favor of free markets which were purported to be a more efficient system...greed flourished, moral standards in business declined and now we are where we are. Hopefully, we will learn from this expensive lesson.

After a long career as a banker, I can tell you with absolute certainty that regulation won't always prevent financial losses like we are experiencing. But regulation will definitely soften, minimize and contain such losses. The same can result from government oversight. But what's important about oversight by politicians is that it occurs at all. In the case of Freddie and Fannie it was the House of Representatives that was responsible for providing oversight. But when politicians act only with partisan intent, strong regulation would have worked better. Now instead of overseeing Freddie and Fannie, we the taxpayers now own them! And we will own them for a long, long while. Yes, we've socialized two of the largest financial firms in the U.S. More are probably on the way.

Which plays directly to the hand of Sen Obama who is, bar none, the single most liberal socialist candidate for high office this country has ever had ! Let the hand outs in the name of "our country's reputation" begin !

The Couric/Palin interview was shocking. Palin looked like a Barbie doll with
a prerecorded tape running. I thought Couric was having a hard time not correcting Palin's pronunciation of Iraq and Iran. Couric's face kept an almost constant look of stunned disbelief on it. Kahuna, post turtle does indeed come to mind. As for the debates, will there be one?

Again, not meant as a defense for Gov Palin, but do we give Sen Biden a pass on his very serious gaffes because he has been around so long ?

Kahuna:
I like your reply on our problem with Freddie and Fannie . We both know some of the major players in House or Reps that should have more than some idea on what was going on. Now the same people are going to still be in power ?
It just doesn't make sense !! I am against any bailout because of bad moves by banks and yes just stupid people.
I work with an individual who had his son just buy a house about two months ago with 3% down payment. This is part of the reason we are in this position.
How can either party lie and tell us we will get a tax cut ? I just don't see how.

Or, for that matter, Obama? I still can't get over his proposal to bring the Georgia issue to the UN Security Council, apparently totally oblivious to the notion that Russia could veto any resolution.

Recall that Obama had previously stated that a basis for his foreign policy experience was that he had lived abroad when he was young. That, to me, is on a par with Palin's exeprience based on her view of Russia from the Alaskan shoreline. And Obama wants to be President on day one, not VP.

I "THINK",..not sure of my facts on this but heard that a week or so ago he promised...campaign promise...that he would put up any legislation 5 days before he signs it on the internet so that americans could read it. Didn't President Clinton start that in the 90's and arent we still doing that ???

I could be way out of line here but this is one of the major reasons for my objection to Sen Obama. He is without a doubt a socialist and so far left and that is the group that wants the american dream available to more people. Sounds good but just like most socialist programs it does not work...part of what we are going through now is the insistence in the 90's that we make home ownership available to more people. OF COURSE there were those on Wall St who siezed on this chance and made a ton but seems to me the principle was born in the 90's and even in the 70's with President Carter.

I did miss it. Thank you for the link. I watched both parts.

Turtle on a fence post is a wonderful analogy.

Bucco:

Once again you hit the nail on the head. You are correct with the socialist programs. They believe everyone should be able to own a home regardless of income. I like the fact that in TV most lenders required minimum of 25% down payment. Look at the repo rate compared to other parts of country.
If all the banks had the same regulations we would not be in this mess. I do believe it started with Carter.:cry::cry:

How many encumbents would pass....
 

the same scrutiny of the press, the media, the biased partisans and all others viewing each and every nuance with a microscope....not analyzing the subject....but only focusing on what they perceive or feel the subject did not do or say or look right.

Not many!!!!!!

Staged interviews, debates, scripted speeches, controlled appearances, et al in no way shape or form reveal the real person.

No matter who the candidate, they can say anything they want about what they want when they want....usually geared to the last poll or the last thing said by their opponent......

none of which has anything to do with what the office of the President of the United States can do/accomplish. Only when they wear the mantle of the office will they know what they can or cannot do.

Thrash all everybody does about experience....their are no candidates with the experience of the President of the USA....extrapolating what any of the candidates have done or say they will do does not translate into qualification.
Like it or not it is a year one of OJT......the only real measure will be, who ever it is and what ever is done or not done by their first State of the Union report.....everything between now and then is WORDS and PROMISES only and please don't forget the are coming from a politician (either side of the aisle....if their lips are moving they are saying what you want to hear.....nothing more).

BTK

Gov. Palin has shown great grace and composure in the Gibson & Couric interviews. Both of these alleged unbiased journalists may as well be wearing Vote For Obama banners across their chests anyway, as their position and preference are well demonstrated. Knowing that the interviewer, who controls the pace and questioning, is going to do their utmost to make you look less-than-stellar so that "their" candidate looks better takes guts to place yourself in such a negative interview environment.

There are a lot of slams on this board about the inferred bias of Fox News towards the conservative side. The sword cuts both ways here, as Gibson, Couric and several others in the network talking-head business are so far left they probably won't fly in airplanes because airplanes have right wings.

Say what you will about the interviews. It takes guts to know you are going to be set up from the beginning and do it anyway. Yes - the same would hold true for Sen. Obama or Sen. Biden to be interviewed by Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh.

To my memory neither senator has placed himself in that position despite requests for interviews having been made by these conservative types. That's either "good judgment' or "gutless," depending on your viewpoint.

BTK...good post !

A Couple Of Things
 

First, I thought Barack Obama did submit to a long interview with Bill O'Reilly on Fox News a couple of weeks ago. O'Reilly was tough, as you would expect him to be. I listened to it and thought it was pretty good.

Secondly, after watching both parts of the Couric-Palin interview I don't agree that Katie Couric tried to "set up" Governor Palin. If anything on the news reports of the interview that has been unfair, it's been the short sound bites extracted from the interview that have proliferated for over 24 hours now. Those were chosen to highlight gaffes that Palin made in her answers. Frankly, I thought Palin did a pretty good job for someone with her level of inexperience in foreign affairs. She was obviously coached with the questions and answers, but I thought she did pretty well under a whole lot of pressure.

I remain unconvinced that someone with Palin's level of experience and naiveté should be a heartbeat away from being the President. But at least she is far from being the slick, devious, almost evil person that currently sits in the VP chair. If I had only two choices for VP, Sarah Palin or Dick Cheney, I'd opt for the fresh, enthisiastic and obviously smart candidate over the person who has repeatedly demonstrated duplicitous and deceitful behavior in furthering his personal ideaology.

In a heartbeat!

As I remain unconvinced that someone with Obama's level of experience and naivete should BE the President. His experience with operational government (actually running things, making decisions, administering) is nonexistent, and having a rookie manager in charge of the third-largest bureaucracy (I think Russia's and China's may be a tad larger) is something I can't fathom. I wouldn't want that for any company in which I hold stock, why then would I want that for the USA Chief Executive?

Sen. Obama to me may be a decent VP candidate, and having the chance to understudy a while and learn how to be an executive/manager and how to discharge those responsiblities is a prudent step. He may be an excellent candidate for Governor of Illinois. If he can handle that, he then shows the capability for larger administrative tasks. He really does seem like an honorable man (although his policies seem a little too left to be viable), and getting a few operational callouses on his hands would season him somewhat. However, based on his total curriculum vita, he's like a competent bicyclist who has never driven the family car taking over a NASCAR racing team and competing at Daytona.

Yes, the same could be said in many ways of Gov. Palin. A lot has been said about her foreign policy knowledge (or lack thereof), but that's why there is an entire professional State Department stuffed with career diplomats and analysts, coupled with a Central Intelliegence Agency to keep tabs on it all. A good executive can manage such assets and advisors, but that is a skill one learns - it just isn't a trait locked in someone's DNA.

So, a rookie President or a rookie Vice President - is that the choice we have?

The Sad Thing Is...
 

...either one would almost certainly do better than W.

Can't have it two Ways!
 

Bucco, you keep saying your not defending Palin when you clearly are. You try to spin it to Biden, but I believe in a previous post you said it should be a McCain/Biden ticket???? Just a tad hypocritical, eh? I knew her true colors would show through -- McCain's are also. :crap2:

You're Kidding!
 

SteveZ! I guess you don't know dumb when you see it! :22yikes:

[QUOTE=Villages Kahuna;161853]...it's that we are very, very close to the maximum amount of debt that the U.S. can afford to issue to finance our government. Our national debt now closely approximates the entire Gross Domestic Product of the U.S.economy for an entire year. Our debt amounts to about 20% of the Gross Domestic Prouct of the entire world economy for a year. The number is scary its so large.

Not true by my source Kahuna!

Source: Dept. of Veterans Affairs; White House Office of Management and Budget

1941-45 WW2 106.2% of GDP
Korean War 1950-53 60% of GDP
Vietnam War 40% of GDP in mid 60's' dropping to low 20% of GDP in the 70's
Persian Gulf War 1990-91 mid 50 % of GDP
Start of Afghan War 2001 30% of GDP
Start of Iraq War 2003 35% of GDP
2008 38% of GDP
2009 projected at 39%
All is not what it seems with numbers when you base an opinion with them!:sad::sad::sad:

I have to make this short....my problem with this election is that we could possibly elect a radical liberal President because we are unhappy with the last 8 years !!!!!

I, for one, do not want a socialist government and no matter what you say that is our direction especially with Sen Obama as President.

On the VEEP...I would not want eithr Sen Biden of Gov Palin in the WH...how is that ? I was being sarcastic with the McCain/Biden thingand NOT hypocritcal.

I read where Russia is going to build a defense system for Iran....establishing sites in South America and that scares me. Vultures are surrounding us AS THEY SAID THEY WOULD...defeat us from within.....and what I hear instead of defending ourselves we want to be "well thought of"..wonder how much that will cost us ?

Sorry for the rant...as I have said before I am not happy with either ticket.....it seems you are thrilled with the socialist movement and it is just that, no matter what you say...socialism NEVER has worked...our system of capitalism has worked and we are hell bent on destroying it from with in !

Did anyone else notice how nice the forums were going without the constant chelsa slams.

It is nice to just exchange views and not swipes :)

Most of the time, just as I can often tell stubborness for the sake of stubborness.

Helloooooo!
 

Yes, Union1. I can see all 3 of your thought provoking posts went swimmingly! :1rotfl:

OMG!! :1rotfl::1rotfl:

Chelsea brings light and thought to this forum...whether you agree with her or not...I agree the same goes for Bucco and Benj and many others on both sides! We all have different personalities and have the right to express our thoughts the way we want. If we all were nicey nicey...it would be very boring...

I certainly don't think anyone on here is out to hurt another...well there may have been one or two and they are quiet now....


Some of us have sarcastic senses of humor or are VERY EMOTIONAL about our beliefs! Atleast we have a belief system...something to be passionate about~that is what makes an exciting debate!

I say keep going Chels...Bucco...Cabo...Cologal....Kahuna...I LOVE IT!! I know there are many more of you that I haven't mentioned.....keep it going....stay true to who you are! I am glad I did!

I was almost scared off by this forum...I was offended and hurt and decided not to post here anymore...BUT changed my mind...because I have something to say and am allowed to say it. I so enjoy this forum....it makes me think! It makes me laugh! It makes me want to come back....and write some more!!

SNL Sketch Palin/Couric interview
 

Okay Guys and Gals: :1rotfl:

This video is strictly for much needed laughs - not political.

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Li...n-open/704042/

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Here is the follow-up Curic/Palin interview.
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Li...n-open/704042/