Obama Camp's Attacks on Palin Are Laughable

Just a few thoughts on the latest series of attacks on Sarah Palin by the Obama campaign.

I have been a Sarah Palin for VP advocate for about two weeks now and I knew what the attacks would be like if she was selected. With Obama as the Democratic nominee, attacking Palin for her lack of experience is the height of absurdity.

Palin has about as much experience in office as does Obama. She served as Alaska’s governor for roughly two years. This is about the same amount of time that Obama has “served” in the Senate, when you consider that he has spent the past two years focusing on his run for the presidency, instead of his Senate duties.

Before she was governor, Palin was the Mayor of the small Alaska town of Wasilla. Again, the Obama campaign immediately criticized these credentials, essentially downplaying her experience because of the “small town” in which the experience was acquired.

Of course we all know what Obama thinks of those “bitter” small town types.

What is most important about Palin’s experience when contrasted with Obama’s is that all of it is executive experience. Four of the last five presidents have been governors and while the next Commander In Chief will not be one, knowledge of navigating an executive branch, regardless of how small or frigid it was, couldn’t hurt a U.S. Senator making his first foray into executive leadership.

What’s most amusing about the criticism of Palin coming out of Obama’s supporters, is how cynical, supporters of the “candidate of hope” become when the diversity card is played against them.

Of course John McCain could have picked a more qualified candidate for the job. Of course the fact that she was a woman played a huge part in his decision. But you’re delusional if you think that Barack Obama would have been the Democratic nominee if he hadn’t been an African-American.

Obama won the nomination by racking up big margins in sates with large black populations, who voted for him over Hillary Clinton by a margin of 9 to 1. Had Obama been exactly the same person, with the same political record and same rhetorical skills, but with white skin, he would have been trounced by Hillary Clinton, who had the black vote wrapped up before Obama came onto the presidential scene. Three or four other Democratic contenders likely would have beaten him as well.

Speaking of Hillary, the more “experienced” candidate of the two wasn’t all that experienced either. We saw very clearly however that Democrats and young people in particular, often favor diversity over real experience and a proven legislative record. Once again, this record of achievement is something that Palin has and Obama lacks.

It all cuts both ways. If Obama is going to criticize Palin for her lack of experience, and they have roughly the same amount, isn't he criticizing himself in a roundabout kind of way?

Similarly, if Obama is arguing that he has the right judgement to be president and McCain doesn't and Obana's running mate, Joe Biden, supported the initial invasion of Iraq, by default, doesn't Joe Biden have poor judgement as well?

Over the next few months I believe that Americans will come to know and like Governor Palin. It will be interesting to see if the Obama camp has the audacity to criticize the experience of the candidate at the bottom of the GOP ticket when it is roughly equal to that of the candidate at the top of the Democratic ticket.

-Dan Joseph

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