Like everyone else on the planet, I watched Governor Palin attempt to debate Senator Biden last night.
In general, there wasn't a car crash of moose-killing proportions. It was just more of the same -- someone who was so far out of her league on the issues that she could not help but be as nervous as a baby seal at a polar bear pot luck. This came out when she kept calling General David McKiernan, our commander in Afghanistan, "General McClellan."
I worked for General McKiernan for a few months in 2002-2003. A damn fine officer who does his job and does it well. A good commander, loved by his troops, who has one of the hardest jobs on the planet. Thanks to the Surge and the war in Iraq, he's had to fight his war -- the real war against Al Qa'ida and the Taliban, those fellows who planned and attacked the United States on 9/11 -- with a bare minimum of troops, sketchy logistical support and one of the most hostile terrains on the planet. And he is doing a good job.
I never worked for General George Brinton McClellan, but I know who he was. McClellan was the commander of the Army of the Potomac in 1861-1862. He was beloved by his soldiers, but was far, far from a good commander. His Grand Army landed on the James River Peninsula in the spring of that year, and after a series of battles (called "The Seven Days" battles), was soundly thrashed by the Confederates led by Robert E. Lee. He was temporarily removed by Lincoln, only reassuming command after the debacle of Second Bull Run. He led the Federals at Antietam in September 1862, but after failing to destroy Lee's army, was finally removed by Lincoln.
Governor Palin, I know General McKiernan, and he is no George McClellan.
I hope that you can learn the difference. I believe that you were nervous and just plain got all mixed up, between the gosh darns and all those beauty pageant-winning winks.
But some things cannot be shrugged off with a snarky wink and a winning smile. Some things, Governor, are just too gosh darned important.
Like not knowing the name of the commander of our our troops in the middle of the decisive war of the fight against terrorism.
Read more reactions to the Biden-Palin Vice Presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers
And then again I wonder what actual hockey coaches think about "hockey mawnms"??? I bet there are a few of them that are annoyingly "know-it-alls" - what a really bad branding idea on the part of some political marketing genius...
A debate is judged on intellect, addressing the questions with clear detailed and concise answers which Biden did. She had the bar set so low that as long as she simply kept talking for 90 seconds her handlers and those only paying attention to her persona thought she did ok. Substitute entertainment for debate and you have the narrative-based reality show McCain / Palin campaign. The problem with that for the McCainiacs is that we can vote them off the island!
Hey, I can see the moon but it doesn't make me an astronaut.
Can I call you Joe?
~WolfLady~
***excitedly putting hand up**** "Oh, You BETCHA! Ooooh, oooh, teacher, I KNOW his name! Eat this, Mr old Smarty-Pants Biden!!
Yes. Quite. Except you didn't. And even if you did, intelligence is more than a simple recitation of names and facts. I know that chrome-dome river hippo Steve Schmidt has jammed a hose directly into your brain and is pouring facts down it like Cristal Champagne at a Fiddy-cent house party, but it doesn't seem to have made a blind bit of difference. In fact, it seems to have clouded your already muddy thought processes to the point that you simply begin to babble as the words tumble out, willy-nilly. Like a 5-year old jacked up on too much food-coloring. Cute, but more than 3 minutes of it, you want to call the grown-ups to have you taken away.
I think she was thinking of Scott McClellan.