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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Sept. 4, 2008
/ 4 Elul 5768
Palin stunningly wrong choice by McCain
By
James Klurfeld
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Sometimes you just have to say that the emperor has no clothes. That's the case with Sen. John McCain's reckless selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Palin is utterly unqualified for the job of vice president. Period.
Forget about all the political analysis of the Palin selection and commentary about her personal family situation. The fact is that her experience consists of a stint as the mayor of Wasilla, with a population under 10,000 (something akin to being the head of a Long Island village); chair of Alaska's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; and less than two years as governor of a state that has around half the number of people of either Nassau or Suffolk County. According to what we know now, she has been out of the country twice. This is outrageous.
There have been some stunningly poor choices for vice president over the years, going back to Barry Goldwater's choosing an unknown New York State congressman, William Miller, in 1964, or George H.W. Bush's selection of Dan Quayle in 1988. One Republican operative who worked on that Bush campaign said the goal was to choose somebody who wouldn't overshadow Bush. "We succeeded beyond our wildest expectations," he said. But at least Miller and Quayle had some Washington experience.
I'm not making a judgment on Palin as a person. She obviously presents well, has risen quickly in Alaskan politics and has a bent for reforming government. But as vice president of the United States, a heartbeat away from running the country at a time of unusual peril? Especially for a 72-year-old presidential nominee? If you wrote a movie script about this, you'd be laughed off as ridiculous.
The real issue here is McCain's judgment. The selection of Palin has a seat-of-the-pants, let's-throw-the-dice look that is not reassuring. Yes, it shores up his conservative political base. Give McCain that. But if he believes that Palin will appeal to women who supported Sen. Hillary Clinton, that's a stunningly wrong judgment. The old cliche that the most important decision a presidential candidate can make is the choice of a running mate has to give even some of McCain's supporters serious pause.
If Palin doesn't have the experience to be on a national ticket, how then do the Democrats defend Sen. Barak Obama to head theirs? It's an absolutely legitimate question. The greatest vulnerability of Obama's candidacy is not that he is the first black nominee, although that will no doubt be a factor in the election. It is that he has spent so little time on the national scene. The greatest challenge Obama faces is convincing the American people that he is "presidential" - that he has the leadership skills to overcome his lack of experience.
But there's no comparison with Palin. Obama is a U.S. senator. He has gone through a grueling 18-month campaign, during which he has been vetted and tested, poked and prodded as only an American presidential campaign can poke and prod and test. And he came out on top, defeating a powerful front-runner. To the degree that a presidential campaign is an appropriate measure of what type of leader a candidate will be - and I'm not sure what exactly the correlation is - Obama has been through it. His resume is also impressive: Harvard Law Review, professor at the University of Chicago Law School, author of two best-selling books.
Over the years, the selection of vice president hasn't had a major impact on Election Day - although that has been less true recently. Both Al Gore and Dick Cheney had a positive impact on their tickets. But how this will play out politically isn't the point when it comes to McCain's choice of Palin. His choice of a person with no qualifications for the job, is.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
James Klurfeld is a professor of journalism at Stony Brook University.
Previously:
05/01/08: Carter, Hart ... and Obama?
04/12/08: Election year politics and the cost of war
04/02/08: Time for a '30s-style government mortgage role
03/11/08: Power rightly belongs to Dem superdelegates
03/04/08: A neophyte looks like a pro, and vice versa
02/22/08: The allure of Obama for young people
02/19/08: Obama sounds good, but words aren't enough
© 2008, Newsday Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
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