Oops, the McCains Said It Again

While many people were going ga-ga over Sarah Palin being able to read, with feeling, the Bush team's talking points off the teleprompter on Wednesday night, the most telling prompt about her was being made by the man who chose her.

When Cindy McCain responded to George Stephanopoulos's statement on This Week last Sunday that Sarah Palin "has no national security experience" with the jaw-drop-inducing declaration, "Remember, Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia, so it's not as if she doesn't understand what's at stake here," most of us assumed it was just the foolish comment of a non-candidate who couldn't think of anything else to say about Gov. Palin's national security experience (for the good reason that there isn't anything to say).

But on Wednesday evening it became clear that this seeming gaffe must actually be a Republican "talking point." On ABC World News Tonight, Charles Gibson asked Sen. John McCain, "Can you look the country straight in the eye and say Sarah Palin has the qualities and has enough experience to be commander in chief?"

McCain responded, "Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that."

Well, that's a relief! The would-be president understands that Alaska is right next to Russia!

"I mean, please," Sen. McCain continued. "So, she is experienced."

Right. Gov. Palin's foreign policy/national security experience is living less than a thousand miles from Siberia. What more does one need to be commander-in-chief?

If that's all it takes, why not just cancel the election and draw the name of any Alaskan out of a hat and make him or her president?

Is ANYONE in the United States stupid enough to fall for that??

That, "my friends," is not straight talk. It is pure, unadulterated, crooked bulls**t.

At least McCain was accurate when he said in the ABC interview, "I mean, she's got an incredible resume."

She certainly does.

{Historian Robert S. McElvaine is Elizabeth Chisholm Professor of Arts & Letters at Millsaps College. His latest book is Grand Theft Jesus: The Hijacking of Religion in America .}

Comments

[TRIATHLON]

WILL RODGERS WOULD COMMENT!

Now Will Rodgers and Dwight David Eisenhower have to be listed as two of the most common sense clear thinking Americans of the Pox America Era.

Will Rodgers once wrote that “We have the best politicians that money can buy” and that truism has proven true to this very day. (NYC) New York City, and the (NYSE) New York Stock Exchange the big “C” Capitalist City State of the World, funds the purchasing, of both the production of big “C” Capitalist Legislation, and the talking points for the best politicians that money can buy, thru Washington, D. C. Lobbyist (former politicians), and funds the purchasing of their votes.

What a deal, professional politicians for hire, college graduates with majors in law, and minors in political science from well to do families, some the third or fourth generation of those best politicians that money can buy, from fixed districts, with a fixed election results, going back to the same lifetime job, with no term limits, no recalls, no accountability, able to fish in the intern pool, turn the pages to their desires, while taking a wide stance approach to government, all at Taxpayer Expense.

Will Rodgers a Common Man of Common Sense, whose words are true words of wisdom, that last thru time.

[martymartymarty]

Hey, at least his knowledge of geography is improving!

[lewes17266]

Biden has great foreign affairs credentials and an excellent record on behalf of women. This Pentecostal Holiness woman has zero foreign affairs experience and does not think a victim of incest rape should be allowed an abortion. She has a pregnant seventeen-year old daughter - this child was having sex when she was sixteen..S­IXTEEN. HOW can the Right continue groaning and crying out about "family values" and "the downfall of Judeo-Christian values?" Will the famous, millioniare Religious Right icons continue their dire warnings about their angry God who sends terrorists and storms because of our sins? Will their convenient imaginary God "lift His veil of protection" if we elect Palin? They better shut up now that they are all so exhilarated over this messed up Palin family! The hypocrisy is amazing. I wonder which Bible those holypeople are reading.

[Teritt]

These are scary, scary times, my friends.

[ezbreezer]

You forgot to mention how she's kept the rapacious Canadians from invading on the eastern front.

[anon004]

Yeah, and because Idaho has a border with Canada, the govenor of Idaho is automatically an expert on international trade, GATT, the IMF and tariffs. Who comes up with these talking points, Alfred E. Newman? If these people weren't actually attempting to get elected and run the country, it would be great satire.

[mmerose]

Yes, a well-defined percentage of the population defined as "authoritarian personalities" will swallow it whole and defend it to depths of irrationality very hard to stomach by those of us with even the slightest toehold on reality.

No, I have nothing to do with this book but I read it and it felt like it made sense out of a lot of crazy-making in my family. No hope for them, but it helped me: "Conservatives Without Conscience" by John Dean, who actually planned the book with Barry Goldwater, who was already asking, "who are these nuts and what have they done with what I thought was "Conservatism?"

[aballout]

She's also eaten at the International House of Pancakes which means she has an EXTENSIVE understanding of foreign policy!

I can't wait for the debates...

I wonder how fast she can read cliffs notes on the economy, health care, foreign policy, defense, history, education and the environment?