Friday, September 12, 2008

Roger Ebert: THUMBS DOWN ON PALIN FOR VP

Hat tip to commenter IT for this one ...


I think I might be able to explain some of Sarah Palin's appeal. She's the "American Idol" candidate. Consider. What defines an "American Idol" finalist? They're good-looking, work well on television, have a sunny personality, are fierce competitors, and so talented, why, they're darned near the real thing.

There's a reason "American Idol" gets such high ratings. People identify with the contestants. They think, Hey, that could be me up there on that show!

My problem is, I don't want to be up there. I don't want a vice president who is darned near good enough. I want a vice president who is better, wiser, well-traveled, has met world leaders, who three months ago had an opinion on Iraq. Someone who doesn't repeat bald- faced lies about earmarks and the Bridge to Nowhere. Someone who doesn't appoint Alaskan politicians to "study" global warming, because, hello! It has been studied. The returns are convincing enough that John McCain and Barack Obama are darned near in agreement.

I would also want someone who didn't make a teeny little sneer when referring to "people who go to the Ivy League." When I was a teen I dreamed of going to Harvard, but my dad, an electrician, told me, "Boy, we don't have the money. Thank your lucky stars you were born in Urbana and can go to the University of Illinois right here in town." So I did, very happily. Although Palin gets laughs when she mentions the "elite" Ivy League, she sure did attend the heck out of college.

Five different schools in six years. What was that about?

And how can a politician her age have never have gone to Europe? My dad had died, my mom was working as a book-keeper and I had a job at the local newspaper when, at 19, I scraped together $240 for a charter flight to Europe. I had Arthur Frommer's $5 a Day under my arm, started in London, even rented a Vespa and drove in the traffic of Rome. A few years later, I was able to send my mom, along with the $15 a Day book.

You don't need to be a pointy-headed elitist to travel abroad. You need curiosity and a hunger to see the world. What kind of a person (who has the money) arrives at the age of 44 and has only been out of the country once, on an official tour to Iraq? Sarah Palin's travel record is that of a provincial, not someone who is equipped to deal with global issues.

But some people like that. She's never traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa, South America or Down Under? That makes her like them. She didn't go to Harvard? Good for her! There a lot of hockey moms who haven't seen London, but most of them would probably love to, if they had the dough. And they'd be proud if one of their kids won a scholarship to Harvard.

I trust the American people will see through Palin, and save the Republic in November. The most damning indictment against her is that she considered herself a good choice to be a heartbeat away. That shows bad judgment.

6 comments:

Malcolm+ said...

She'd been out of the country more than once. She's been to Canada. And we're still another country.

Fran said...

"You don't need to be a pointy-headed elitist to travel abroad. You need curiosity and a hunger to see the world." Oh how true!

I could not agree more with that... and everything else you said.

Thanks to the always insightful IT for giving life to this post here.

Brava to you both, beautiful women!

seraph said...

At least it is not for president she is running as is another appallingly inexperienced candidate!

Blessings

Seraph

Unknown said...

You have just explained why this woman is polling so well.

It scares me...so much so, I finally gave Obama money and volunteered for his campaign.

Jim of L-Town said...

Dear Rev. Russell:

Joe Biden, admitted plagarist, recently (like two days ago) asked a man in a wheel chair right in front of him to "stand up." Ouch!
By Biden's own admission Hillary Clinton was a more qualified candidate than he was to be vice president.
Thirdly, Biden introduced Barack Obama as Barack "America."
Today he released his tax returns for the past few years. He has averaged about $300,000 or more in annual income. His multi-year tax returns show charitable contributions of $3,600 (not for one year, for the five year period of the returns). That, I think we can all agree is a pitifully small amount of giving for someone who supposedly stands up for the little guy. With all his historically stupid things he has said he more than qualifies for the "bat s*** crazy" label, but I don't believe he is, any more than Sarah is.
I really am sorry this whole thing seems to be turning on the negative, but since so many seem bent on running down all Sarah Palin's shortcomings, fair's fair.
I can't wait to see her tax returns and see how her charitable giving compares to Mr. Biden. Want to bet who has been more compassionate and more giving of their own?
The more people run her down, the more I'm starting to like her, Roger Ebert aside.
My wife, a school teacher and dyed-in-the-wool Democrat will vote for Obama, but even she is weary of the attacks on Sarah and wishes they would stop.
I guess her impact has so scared the Democrats and pulled Barack off his game, the only strategy left to use is the politics of personal destruction.
Problem for the Democrats, that works both ways. William Ayres, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, etc.
And let's not forget that Barack told a crowd he had been to 57 states and only had one or two more to go(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws). That is so much like Dan Quayle, it's scary. One couldn't spell potato and the other doesn't know how many states there are.
It would be great if we could simply get back to debating the real issues and not try to decide who has been to the Eifel Tower more than the other.
I'm well traveled, but you know what, I haven't met a head of a foreign state either. They don't usually meet with tourists.
All that said, I heard Barack and John at the Columbia forum last night and came away liking them both.
Barack has a certain appeal that I can't quit give up on, but like Sarah, he's a little short on the experience stuff and he's actually running for President.

A sinner saved by God's Grace

Jim of Michigan

MarkBrunson said...

No. Sorry.

I just do not accept the exceedingly flawed premise that the "inexperience" of a junior senator from Illinois and chairman of a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee is in any way comparable to the abysmal ineptitude of a former mayor of a town of a few more than four-thousand and governor of a state which prides itself on being nothing like the "lower 48."

It is not just apples and oranges, but apples and igneous rock formations!