The Shock of Palin (Letter from a conservative)

[NYCGirl]

Andrew Sullivan quotes this email he received:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/the-shock-of-pa.html

I’ve voted a straight Republican ticket every year of my life since 1975, when I first came of voting age, but I was stunned and horrified by McCain’s choice of Palin. I simply cannot even consider voting for McCain after this choice, which speaks loudly of his own selfishness and fundamental frivolousness.

So I was shocked when I turned to the conservative blogs looking for others who shared my dismay and found a celebration going on. They really honestly believe that Palin’s “inexperience” and Obama’s “inexperience” are equivalent. I have had no luck at all in the past 24 hours trying to explain that Obama is quite obviously an impressive man (with whom I disagree on almost every major issue) with extraordinary qualities of organization, discipline and leadership. I see nothing in Palin’s record to suggest that she has any such qualities.

He is a man who has spent his adult life thinking serious thoughts about serious issues and having serious conversations about them with other serious, well-informed people; while Palin quite as clearly has done none of those things. He was the president of the Harvard Law Review; she was the point guard on her high school basketball team.

He has surrounded himself in his campaign with world-class people (with whom, again, I disagree on almost every issue); and though I am doubtless an elitist and snob for saying so, I doubt that she has even met a half-dozen world-class people in her lifetime.

While Obama might do a hundred things as President that I believe are bad for the country, I am confident that he would surround himself with experienced, informed, competent advisors and that he would make no world-destroying blunders. I cannot say the same about Palin and, in view of what this choice reveals about McCain’s character and judgment, I cannot say the same of him either.

[mnhtnbb]

1. The Eisenhower Repubs won't fall for McCain/Palin. The fundie/ Wall Street

Repubs are only concerned with their own lives so they will line up to endorse McCain/Palin.

[ForeignSpectator]

2. To read about that guy's dismay is nice but he is obviously an idiot.

Disagrees on almost every issue... "he would make no world-destroying blunders"... Well, your current gem of a president and his crew did their best to come as close to that as they could.

Obama is an "impressive man with "extraordinary qualitites of organization, discipline and leadership" but "he might do a hundred things as President that are bad for the country"... unlike Bush, huh?

Somebody wake that guy the hell up.

[NYCGirl]

3. Actually, I think that guy "gets it" much more than other conservatives.

Sounds like he's on his way out of the GOP. Awakenings sometimes take time.

[ForeignSpectator]

4. Yeah, okay that's true... seems like he might get ready to think a few things over

but it also seems like their ideology is actually still convincing him. And I understood that he would vote for McRust if it wasn't palin... so you have to wonder...

But you're right, he is ahead of those other zombies.

[Cassandra]

5. I have to say that if Obama's experience, thoughtfulness...

world class advisers, leadership and discipline produce policies that this emailer doesn't believe in, he might try examining his own beliefs.

[roguevalley]

6. poor Andrew. disagrees with every thing Obama believes? So

he hates the poor, believes in rich people getting richer and affirmative action and governmental help for the environment and people in need are not his ticket? He is as pathetic as ever. Good luck explaining to God how you don't give a damn. When you get to the pearly gates, get into the line with the big red R over it. It will be the loooooooong one.

[Cha]

7. It's really great that this "conservative" realizes

that Obama's experience is real for our country as opposed to the lying going on about palin's but it kills me when he keeps saying things like "Obama might do 100 things that he believes are bad for the country" but before mccain chose palin..he thought mccain's continuation of bush policies would do any good?

The republicans need to own rovebushcheneymccain's failure.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

8. His reckless, politically calculating judgement makes him unfit for command.