Palin draws skepticism even in conservative South

[susanbanks44]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — John Thomas has lots of reasons to support John McCain for president. Like McCain, Thomas is a former Navy officer. They're about the same age, and Thomas considers himself a political independent with a conservative bent.

But Thomas, a one-time supporter of President Bush, said McCain running mate Sarah Palin's recent interviews sealed his decision to vote for Democrat Barack Obama.

"She's not prepared at all," Thomas, 70, said as he loaded groceries into his car outside a Sam's Club warehouse store on the outskirts of Huntsville. He said listening to Palin argue that Alaska's proximity to Russia was a foreign policy credential "frightened me to death."

"I went out on the golf course Thursday and that was what everyone was talking about," Thomas said. "They're very frightened about McCain and his age ... and to have Palin a heartbeat away."

More:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gezIkfhso0sFygQM80NzDqsDNuwQD93I7IQG2

[susanbanks44]

1. "frightened me to death."

Count my mother, grandmother and the rest of my immediate/extended family in on that thought.

[silverojo]

3. Even if McCain lives to be 100

The fact that Sarah Palin is anywhere near the White House scares ME to death. It's like giving a retarded child a loaded gun...she's not in charge, but she could do a world of damage.

[Believing Is Art]

2. I hear a lot of people voting for McCain say that

Palin has more experience than Obama, and that having executive experience makes her even more valuable. I find that debatable; Obama may not have held office at the state or national level for long, but he has certainly been very active since obtaining office. His experience as a community organizer and heading the Harvard law review gives him executive experience, even if these weren't government positions. Graduating at the top of his class at law school and going on to teach constitutional law trumps a bachelor's degree in journalism; at least I would think so.

But even if I concede the point that Palin has more experience in Obama, there's also the question of knowledge, aptitude, and curiosity in the issues that face this nation. Palin has demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that she has none of these. Either she knows this and is too damned arrogant to drop out, or she is so utterly incompetent that she doesn't realize she has any business on the ticket.

The experience argument is moot. Someone can hold down a job for his entire life and if he doesn't know anything about his profession and doesn't care enough or isn't smart enough to learn, he's still worthless. And if he is in a position of extreme power, he's dangerous.