Debate Not Relate

The scariest thing I hear about the Palin nomination was that she would appeal to voters because they would be able to relate to her and she to them. I get that. There are many places where relatability is key. I am a recovering addict alcoholic and finding another group that relates to my struggles is/was key to my sobriety. When I am at school I find myself grouping with others whose kids share the same issues, interests. People tell me all the time that the More magazine article where I showed what my real body looked like in comparison to the air brushed images most women are fed, was important and made me relatable. That too is great. The problem is I may be relatable and share some of your experiences and concerns but you don't want me as president of United States. Relatability gets you nothing in a complex financial crisis. Relatability doesn't help you understand the Gordian knot of trouble in the Middle East. Relatability doesn't help you untangle the obscenity which is our health care and insurance system and relatability doesn't train the hundreds of thousands of new teachers and repair and rebuild the smashed infrastructure and schools where they work.

I couldn't hold my own for one minute in a debate on any issue with someone like a Barack Obama or Joseph Biden and neither can Sarah Palin. When the call comes at 3AM I want a mind who was at the top of their class, who has gravitas and a real intellect. I want a leader who is a scholar who can hold the history of civilization in his head and will read and learn from the past as he charts the future. Real debates, where issues are explored, are the only way, prior to an election, to get the two candidates and their running mates to share their ideas and plans for the myriad contingencies they will/might face. This isn't a test. We don't get a re-do. This is the hardest time this generation has ever faced and people are all scared about the economy, our health care and mostly our children's futures. That is what millions of Americans and I can relate to.

Comments

[joshsantana]

There's an identity thief going around national tv and that is John Mcaine. He is stealing Obama's identity as a change agent. No originality. No vision. Pathetic.

It is utterly disgusting to hear him say the word "change" only two months before the election. He cannot be a change agent overnight. It must come from the heart.

He ties being a change agent from being a maverick. I strongly disagree. He only became a maverick
after his party painted him being a father of a black child during the RNC primaries against Bush.
Realizing that he was humiliated by his party, he started being close to the Democrats.

His being a maverick was for his own interest and not for what is good for the country.

Think abouth it.. How many times has he changed his theme during this election?
First, he tried to imitate barack by this theme "A Leader you can believe in". When it did not
sell, he changed it to "Ready to Lead". When it did not sell, he resorted to "Country First".
Now, "change" what a loser. He does not have any platform of government. His platform of
government only depends on what the polls are showing. I hope, fellow americans, that we should pay more attention to this. who has a vision and the plan to move the country forward.

I am pretty sure it is not this guy who changes his cause depending on the polls.

[lifejunkie]

It amazes me how much his stumps have been sounding more and more like he's a democrat let alone him taking from the Obama campaign. On his "Face the Nation" interview this weekend he went on and on about working together and how he'll ask some of his members in his cabinet to work for a dollar a year, and that he'll also ask people who have struggled out there in the trenches to help people to volunteer in their communities. Now that he has his own "Rock Star" he will try anything to get what HE wants...

[AJBarnes]

The least you can do as an elite liberal intellectual is take the TWO seconds to research (even on this page) how to spell McCain's name correctly.

[SwampeastMike]

Jamie Lee,

Neither of us find ourselves fit to be President, but I have seen enough of your character to know that it has the same sort of grit I see in Governor Palin. At age 17 you were the best choice of girl when I saw you on the big screen in Halloween. You survived because you understood your power as the hottest thing around and refused to waste it on mere hormones.

Despite forever being associated with "Psycho Mom", you perservered and I suspect all fortunate enough to meet you leave with the impression of fine human being despite all the shite in her life.

You already have the realtion with Governor Palin--now open the real debate. You have both been dealt some very interesting cards from the same hand.

[texascommonsense]

You seem to be a nice woman, but seriously.­..... we would not want you for President either....­..........­.. thank you anyway. Sarah's experiences are JUST a bit different than yours - do you not even understand that - even in a small way....

[bikerdude]

The point of her article is that she KNOWS she's not qualified to sit in that VP seat. Although she can relate to Obama/Biden, it does not make her their equal in that situation. Palin should KNOW the same thing. Sarah is way, way out of her league. Think Dan Quayle here, folks...Sh­e's a gimmick, and should quickly be put aside. I fear any political party that would foist the likes of Sarah Palin and Dan Quayle on us...I won't even get into the Spiro Agnew tales...

[carolinamagnolia]

OMG! And Obama is NOT a gimmick? Puhleese..­.....have you seen this man try and talk when it's not scripted? There was a legitimate reason why he backed out of the Town Hall meetings..­....he can't think straight on his feet! Nothing pointed out his lack of experience more than picking Joe Biden. He should have taken up preaching instead of politics. Hopefully he will when he's looking for something to do next year.

[johnmorgan]

Palin is not qualified to be vice-president, and certainly not president. Do you not even understand that - even in a small way?

[georgiaR]

And Obama is not qualified to be President.

[ATruthBeKnown]

Jamie thanks for the sane commentary. In many ways America made its presidential decisions on personalities and "feel good". We did this before with Bush and Cheney. We sold our souls and our children's legacy.

WE have a country which has lost respect from others in the world.
WE have a country that is now below Japan, India, and China in education.
WE have a country with a crumbling infrastructure (bridges, roads, power grid, telecomm, water)
WE have a country that ships 700 billion dollars in trade for oil to countries that want to kill us.
WE have a country that has twice more debt that it did 8 years ago.
WE have a country at war with two other countries.
WE have a country that torture its prisoners.
WE have a country that votes on personalities vs. issues.
WE have a country that does not vote out politicians that do not support our best interest.
We have a country that treats women as 3/4 of a person in pay.

We have a country that can change things. I say we should wake up and vote the issues.

[chrinich]

precisely!

[AProudRepublican]

Baloney!

[rzan1]

I've already commented here, but I just wonder Jamie, have you ever considered running for office? You are really smart and articulate. I have heard you speak and am very impressed. You are also a great mom and an author of children's books that have been widely praised. You have a great head on your shoulders and have experiences that inform your entire life. Please think about it.

[TheAlchemist]

Let's hear it for DEBATES!

[enoughalready]

Speeches of late by GOP heads, Palin, McCain, Guiliani, Thompson - all of them degrading the community organizers in all of our neighborhoods and towns across our nation. I don't relate to the GOP because they simply don't relate to me and what I see happening on a daily basis all across the nation.

To make light of what millions of volunteers across this country do to make our communities better for the less fortunate on our days off, vacation days and yes those that do this as a full time job signals only one thing - the GOP is out of touch with the common American and the needs of the less fortunate. They don't see it because they don't walk the streets where the need is overwhelming.

Whether it's after school programs for at risk kids, food pantries, housing for the homeless, soup kitchens, and on and on - the GOP makes fun of those of us that do volunteer as if our work is worthless. They simply are without moral fiber for they won't even open their eyes to those falling through the cracks.

McCain and Palin should be appologizing to all of us that work to make our communities better not be degrading what we do. They are shameless.

[hankandted]

Great post! You clarified what has been so muddled. Thanks

[photochick]

Thank you Jamie. I've never understood why everyone is so hot to get a President "we could go have a beer with." I don't want a President to be like me. I want someone smarter; someone with more patience; someone better educated; more knowledgable; with a more poetic soul. I want someone who's MORE than most of us.

[lifejunkie]

We should pick a president the same way we'd pick a brain surgeon, not the way we pick a winner for American Idol.. I forgot who said that, but I love it :-)

[chrinich]

well said!

[emmaspeaks]

The repub's pick someone you can relate to. What I find ironic is that she earmarked millions of dollars and JM says he's going to top that. I'll get them you and you will know who they are. Well, JM you don't have to look far, just turn your head.

[akatude08]

What would really be interesting as well as telling is if something happened to McCain before the election. You know the repubs would drop her like a bad habit. They definantely wouldn't exalt her to be the presidential nominee. They would then site the same reasons as most of us have already identified, SHE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE !!!!

[yenimarlen65]

I agree with you completely. An intellectual mind can examine all options and angles in his/her head before even moving a finger and know the possible outcome of all choices. Furthermore Palin should be preaching to her kids about making wise choices, such as if you are going to have sex, have safe sex. I am a mother of a 23 year son, a 22 year old son and a 16 year old daughter. I promote abstinence till marriage but I preach making an educated decision about their bodies. After all we live in a time and age when we should be realistic. Their bodies are not mine to control. You teach and guide your children to make right decisions and if you did your part as a parent, when they grow up, you sit back and watch them do you proud. You can't make changes when you have a man that is a retired Navy Captain who is used to following orders and using physical force to fight battles. I don't want to be a little McCain soldier. I want to believe that this Country can rise again and be the great Nation it once was. McCain would just lead us down the same path as Bush and even scarrier than that is the possibility of his untimely death during his term and Sarah becoming president. I want a President that will put people first and Country second.

[meljones]

Remeber when Regan said "Facts are stupid things"? Republicans figured out long ago that many people will buy anything in the right package. If you don't even believe in something as trivial as the "facts" you can say and do whatever you want because you are not tied to any form of truth or accountability. Sarah Palin is free to roam about our country and lie, lie, lie - not beholden to truth or even a tough interview. She's just another Rovian product - reading the tell-a-prompter of scripted lies to those who are too stupid or weak to even search for truth!Actually she IS the neo-con wet dream realised!!!!!

[reasonable111]

And Obama is the right package? Jeez, you'd think the guy is the messiah . He is not any more experienced than Palin, and has very questionable people associations also. And teleprompter /scripted speeches is Obama's M.O.

Jeez, take the partisan blinders off before making comments.

[Merckx]

Wake up. He has been on the front of the political burner for 2 years and has not failed a test.
Obama can hold his own with anyone in the world in a one-on-one conversation.
He has the education, skills and experience to lead this country in our time of need.
We are at the abyss and the Republicans are playing games. Such utter contempt for America and Americans. That someone like you would even attempt to defend such a God awful choice such as Palin is despicable.

[Maury66]

What does "/scripted" mean? Barak Obama writes his own speeches for important occasions.

Perhaps one should ask "jeez' to help with one's own blinders before suggesting it for others. Reagan did play loose with facts and statistics, repubs have long used propaganda like "states rights", "law and order", "silent majority", "moral majority", Willie Horton, even communism and atheism and "right to life". Sarah has started off lying thru a smiling face. KRo has engineered his share of these kinds of misinformation tactics. These are indisputable facts of past and recent history. The Democrats for all their faults have tried to enforce the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, not to mention Christian values of charity and equality. The right on the other hand has worked to achieve the opposite.

[castlerider]

Anybody who lied and says they were against earmarks, but actually worked through a Washington lobbyist to acquire them, and on top of that leaves their little town that was financially sound with a 22million dollar debt is not my idea of a qualified and proven executive. What really irks me is that she lied, along with the demeanng and inaccurate rants she gave at her debut speech, I am doing everything I can to educate people at how phony and hypocritical this lady and her whole right wing cabal are.

[photochick]

Oh boy. Get a clue will you. There is absolutely no comparison between Obama and Palin. Wake up.

[rzan1]

No, it is people like you have who have elevated Palin to the level of Messiah. it is laughable that you would say her experience is more valid than Obama's. She left the little town of Wasila 27,000,000 dollars in debt when she decided to run for governor 18 months ago. She believes that global warming is not man-mand but is the will of God. You have picked a real winner (sarcasm here) to support.

[jillyjane]

As a former small town mayor of a town of 6500- the same size as Wasilla- I can "relate" to Sarah Palin. And I can say with certainty there is no way the small town experience would prepare her to be ready to be President. There is NO NO NO NO NO comparison between being a small town mayor and being "ready on day one."

What this so-called presidential decision reveals about McCain is that he is willing to put political expediency ahead of national security and everything else. Scary. Really scary.

[Whipsmart13]

Don't forget her 2+ years as the Gov of Alaska where she had a $10B budget.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Thanks Jamie Lee Curtis. Once again you prove what a wise head you have on those pretty shoulders. You make thinking women proud. Sarah Palin's choice, for VP is an absolute insult to so many people, not women alone. So....she'­s currently MIA on the Sunday circuits. They can tutor and teach her until the day of the debates, and there isn't enough time to put the "stuff" there that needs to exist. The debates will tell, if there isn't a total implosion before then.