GAFFNEY: Let Palin be Palin

I have no doubt Gov. Palin will demonstrate her complete lack of bona fides for the VP position at the debate. Even if Sen. Biden makes any number of verbal gaffes, Gov. Palin has demonstrated she has no acumen for domestic or foreign policy issues. Those calling for her withdrawal from the campaign are prescient. McCain Unstable; Palin Unable.

The Brilliance of Sarah Palin— Astute Observations on the Economy: “That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re all about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh — it’s got to be all about job creation too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reigning in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade, we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, um, scary thing, but 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today. We’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.” And another one on education: “I personally believe that, U.S. Americans are unable to do so, because some… people out there in our nation that don’t have maps, and I believe that our education, like such, as in South Africa and Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should… our education over here in the U.S., should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.., for our…”

Um, Yeah! Frank, you may be on to something. But to say "...While her state's geography, energy resources and role in the national defense give her a grounding - by osmosis, if nothing else - in some of the most important foreign and security policy issues of the day.." is to show a remarkable ignorance of osmosis.

It has already been established from the Conric interview that Palin is not presidential material. I presume also that she will be prepared by wrote-learning to answer in parrot-style likely foreign and domestic policy questions. Presuming she does her homework adequately, do we want a parrot a heart-beat from the Oval Office? John, pleae replace this sweet inadequate lady with some man or woman who is up to the job. She will lose the White House to the Democrats.

"turns out to be which of the minions of our time's Adolf Hitler we seek to appease, Heinrich Himmler or Joseph Goebbels." Give me a break. Ahmadinejad is to Hitler as George Bush is to George Washington. Godwin's law wins again- Georgetown should be embarassed to have you as an alum.

"...her state's geography, energy resources and role in the national defense give her a grounding - by osmosis, if nothing else - in some of the most important foreign and security policy issues of the day..." Gravitas by osmosis?

Gafney's point would seem to be that Palin should utter some mindless phrases, "American's are exceptional, I'll defend our sovereignty, and expand our national power and trust me to do it wisely" and she'll be ok and McCain will win the election. How vapid does he think the American people are? Reagan had been on the national stage as Gov. and Presidential candidate for years before becoming President. He knew what he was talking about and explained it in simple straight forward ways. Claiming Palin (who does genuinely appear clueless) can be Reagan by simple uttering some home spun sophistries is wishful thinking in the extreme.

rayreyns: Your second quote regarding Education was not spoken by Sarah Palin, but by Miss South Carolina at the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant. Your credibility would increase if the quotes you atribute to people were actually spoken by them.

"Just let Palin be Palin." I agree. "Perhaps so." --Palin, when asked if we may have to go to war with Russia because of the crisis in Georgia, ABC News interview, Sept. 11, 2008. "As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?" --Palin, interview with CNBC's "Kudlow & Co", July 2008. "Absolutely. Yup, yup." --Palin after being asked by People magazine if she was ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, August 29, 2008. "Well, it certainly does because our -- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia ... We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state." --Palin, asked by Katie Couric how Alaska's proximity to Russia gives her foreign policy experience, CBS interview, Sept. 24, 2008. "I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'" --Palin, as quoted by former City Council Member Nick Carney, after he raised objections about the $50,000 she spent renovating the mayor's office without approval of the city council. "Oil and coal? Of course, it's a fungible commodity and they don't flag, you know, the molecules, where it's going and where it's not." --Palin, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 17, 2008 "The fact is that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." --Palin, on the two companies which are in reality, private entities, Colorado Springs, CO, Sept. 13, 2008. "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska." --Palin, on her foreign policy insights into Russia, ABC News interview, Sept. 11, 2008. "Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that's with the energy independence that I've been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." --Palin, misstating the actual amount of energy produced by Alaska, which is only 3.5 percent, Sept. 11, 2008. "You'll be there to defend the innocents from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the deaths of thousands of Americans." --Palin, linking the Iraq war the 9/11 attacks while addressing U.S. soldiers leaving for Iraq, Fairbanks, Alaska, Sept. 11, 2008.

What is refreshing about Mrs. Palin is her character and honesty. She would make a better president than John McCain, and far better than the Chicago ACORN community organizer. "Uh...Um...Well, uh..." Wow! How inspiring! How presidential! Although we don't know whether she would make a good president, we do know what Karl Marx Obama would do to our liberties and economy: more of what he has already done through Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac (along with Dodd, Pelosi, and Shumer). I will take character over experience any day; and with Obama we get neither.

Regardless of how good or bad she does- Ifill has a vested interest in her failing- I will NOT believe that she can be an unbiased moderator when she has a book about Obama coming out in Jan! Financial interests should disqualify any moderator, regardless how great they are! This will not be a "win" for either party on Friday, as people learn about this!