[Vision2020] Gov. Palin Foreign Policy Experience

Sun Aug 31 14:56:51 PDT 2008

For every label that says Palin has "executive experience" and Obama does not, the opposite can be said of "national experience".  Which does a president need more of?  But either of these are just labels or titles - you must look more deeply because "experience" is a very ambiguous term.

For Obama's "present" votes in Illinois, voting "present" in Illinois isn't the same a voting present in other states - if that state even allows for such a vote.  In Illinois, voting "present" is the counted the same as voting "no".

Palin: 20 months as governor of the 3rd least populous state in the US, before that a part time mayor and city councilwoman for a town of less than 9,000; Obama: Senator for the 5th most populous state in the US for a little less than 4 years where he has written 890 bills and cosponsored 1096, before that state legislator for again the 5th most populous state on the country for 7 years where he sponsored over 820 bills, and taught constitutional law for 12 years at the University of Chicago Law School.  Before her being named to McCain's ticket, the talk of her was moving UP to Senator or Alaska's lone House Representative.  

She has a BA in Sports Journalism which would disqualify her for being considered for most school principal or other executive positions. Obama has BA in International Relations from Columbia University. He later graduated with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991. That's top of his class at arguably the best school in the country/world. While at Harvard he was also president of the Harvard Law Review.

My questions to McCain-
 How did you determine that she was the best choice when only meeting with her once and talking to her once or twice?
 If you wanted a female running-mate, why did you not choose the more experienced Kay Bailey Hutchison?
 If Obama had chosen someone like Palin, what would you be saying about her?

Shawn

From: Jeff Harkins 
Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 8:15 AM
To: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com 
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Gov. Palin Foreign Policy Experience

Neither does the President.  Remember Donovan, the President proposes, the Congress disposes.

I have been unable to document Obama's genius.  Perhaps you could lead me to his peer-reviewed writings on the Constitution and international law.  

As to Palin, she does seem to have an impressive record in dealing with corruption in her state.  That suggests to me an ability to get things done.  Taking on a status quo and prevailing - that is significant.

I agree with you that leadership is important, but leadership has many dimensions.  IMHO, Obama has yet to reveal himself.  If press reports are accurate, Obama voted present some 163 times as a state legislator.  His record as a Senator is equally dismal. Again, if press reports are accurate, he has spent the majority of his time as a senator running to be a presidential candidate - most of his efforts prior to the primary season were all on our nickel.  Many of his past affiliations are disturbing - Ayers, Wright, etc. And so on and so on.

It is shaping up to be an interesting race - and McCain/Palin seem to be holding their own. And from the vitriolic and unfounded assertions being tossed around right here in our own river city, I can safely predict that by the time the rhetoric ends and the votes begin, there will be virtually no stone unturned.  We will all have a pretty good idea about all four candidates. Exciting huh!

See ya on the stump DJ.

At 10:44 PM 8/30/2008, you wrote:

  Palin has zero foreign policy experience. She has no authority as a governor to conduct international treaties or regulate international commerce. 

  Obama is not much more experienced than Palin. But Obama is a genius, has a JD degree from Harvard, and degree from Columbia. He is an expert on the constitution, international law, and has been able to do something that no other person has, politically defeat the Clintons in an election. Other countries love Obama, they have never even heard of Palin. Obama commands crowds ten times the size of the town Palin governed. How long someone has sat in a chair or held a position is not the skill set needed to be President. Leadership is the most important aspect of a President, and Obama has that in spades. 

  Best Regards,

  Donovan

  --- On Sat, 8/30/08, Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com> wrote:

    From: Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com>

    Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Gov. Palin Foreign Policy Experience

    To: "Chasuk" <chasuk at gmail.com>

    Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com

    Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 10:29 PM

Thanks!  You have such a way with words and such respect
for your 

neighbors.  Perhaps you have spent entirely too much time in
Warcraft.

My mistake on your European heritage.  From a correspondence a
year 

or so ago, I had been led to believe that you transmigrated from 

Europe to US.  You have made several references to how much you 

prefer Europe to the US.  It does make me wonder, if you love
the UK 

so much, why are you here?

At 08:28 PM 8/30/2008, you wrote:

>On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 20:09, Jeff Harkins
<jeffh at moscow.com> wrote:

>

> > Obviously better training than you, and common sense just
comes as

part of

> > our kit - but then you are European, huh!

>

>I'm European?  Since when?  I'd better get my passport
changed.

>

> > To my Canadian friends, the author of the original message
does not

> > represent the views of most Americans.  We have
absolute respect for

your

> > sovereignty, for your peaceful demeanor and for the
opportunity to

trade

> > with you.

>

>I have great respect and affection for Canadians, I just don't
have

>any respect for your idiocy.

>

>Chas

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