The Problem with Palin

Normally, nothing that happens in politics surprises me. I have seen and heard so many things over the years that were completely asinine that I usually just chuckle.

The Palin nomination shocked me. That’s saying a lot.

I understand that there are people who share the political views that Palin espouses. I don’t agree, but I understand some people do. What I don’t understand is how John McCain could nominate someone who is as uninformed as she appears to be.

Let’s look at the example that’s been beaten to death: The Bush doctrine. Charlie Gibson asked Governor Palin if she supports the Bush doctrine. She stared at him like he had just asked her to name the leader of each nation in Africa. He explained what it was then she went on to give her opinion of it.

The Bush Doctrine basically states that if a country cooperates with known terrorist groups the United States reserves the right to preemptively strike that nation.

This is probably the biggest shift in US foreign policy that has occurred during each candidate’s lifetime. Let that sink in for a minute.

I’m sure there are many intelligent people out there who don’t know what the Bush doctrine is. No problem.

The problem is that if you don’t know what the Bush doctrine is then you do not follow US foreign policy at all. I have heard conservative political commentators say that, if asked, they would not have known either.

That is quite possibly the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard in politics. It’s right up there with “I didn’t inhale”. Give me a break.

There is absolutely, positively, no possible way that any intelligent person could follow international news and not know what the Bush doctrine is. This, I think, is what a lot of people don’t quite understand.

It’s not necessarily the fact that she didn’t know. It’s that in order for her not to know she would have to be uninterested and uninformed.

It would be like applying for a sports commentator job and not knowing what the Heisman trophy was. It’s not so much that you need to know what it is. It’s that if you don’t know you are not a sports fan.

I know a lot of intelligent people are going to vote for McCain/Palin, and I say go for it if that’s what you think is best. I, however, will remain stupefied and a little insulted by the fact that John McCain put her name on the ticket.