Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Would Your Mother Make a Good VP?

I got asked in a telephone poll yesterday whether I viewed Sarah Palin favorably. How do you answer that? Fortunately, the pollster was pretty loose and accepted my non-responsive answer of, Yeah, I'd like her to stay my governor.

You may love your mom and still not think she'd be a good vice president or president.

Rating Palin as a Person

My first personal interaction with Sarah Palin - an early political talk and question and answer session at the University of Alaska Anchorage being the one in which I actually talked to her - left me feeling both impressed and a little skeptical. She was unpretentious, didn't pretend to know things she didn't know - she just said, "I need to learn more about that" or "What do you suggest on that?" I'm generally a pretty good judge of whether people are genuine and if she wasn't that day, she got past my crap detectors. But it also seemed like she had a long way to go to beat the Republican establishment, and then the former Democratic Governor. But she did both. So I'm cautious about underestimating her now.

But it's possible to evaluate someone differently for different roles. The public person I saw was someone I liked. I don't agree with things she believes, but she listened to others and didn't have any of the facade politicians normally have. I realize that people in Wasilla saw a lot more, if not cunning, at least very focused drive to get what she was after.

All in all, I think she's smart, but has been raised in a limited environment where she was overly influenced by fairly narrow religious beliefs. I personally don't think abortion is a good thing, but I think it is morally much more ambiguous than right-to-lifers would have it. The fewer the number of abortions the better, but ultimately, each woman has to make that decision for herself. But someone who truly believes there's a soul from the moment of conception, probably has a moral duty to stop abortion. But teaching creationism alongside evolution? That's just ignorance in my mind. But I think that Sarah is smart enough and curious enough that she could grow beyond her roots on some of the more stifling beliefs.


Rating Palin as a Governor

Running for governor she took on her corrupt party leaders. It didn't hurt her cause that the FBI raided some of their offices and indicted some of them during the campaign. And then she did stand up to the big oil companies in Juneau. First on the petroleum profit tax increase and then on the Alaska Gasline Incentive Act.

In some ways these were ethical stances - the oil companies had done their best to buy the legislature through campaign contributions, trips to Prudhoe Bay, and other junkets, and through Bill Allen (pled guilty) on the PPT bill and the gasline. She had good advisers on this and stood up to the oil companies. But basically, she wants to drill ANWR (no Alaskan politicians think they can oppose drilling and win), and fought protection of polar bears that might threaten offshore oil drilling. And in recent weeks (is it really only weeks ago this came out?) her firing of the head of the troopers was the first public glimpse of another side of Palin.

All in all, while I didn't vote for Palin, I think by standing up to the Republican party and the oil companies, she probably did a lot more good for Alaska than her Democratic opponent would have done. Up til now, she's been a good governor and that's why she's got such high ratings.

Rating Palin as a VP or President


Most people who eventually run for president have had pretty broad life experiences in their college and early post college years a time in their lives when they are still forming their moral understanding of the world. I don't think Palin had those kinds of experiences until she was in her 40s as Governor, an age when it is harder - though not impossible - to change. Only then did she make her first trip outside the US (not counting Canada I assume), did she deal with people outside of Alaska on serious issues. (There could be other experiences I'm unaware of, but I doubt there was much significant interaction with people different from Palin.)

The Republican spin machine is ludicrously calling black, white in their effort to paint Palin as experienced. Despite their claims that being head of the Alaska National Guard gave her commander-in-chief experience and that Alaska's proximity to Russia gives her important international policy experience, any Alaskan who knows anything, knows that's total nonsense. I doubt that Palin could have named more than one or two current Russian leaders before last week, or could have picked out Georgia on a world map. (I'm not sure she could have picked out the state of Georgia on a US map.) Or could tell us about the Russian Revolution, even when it was, let alone who played leading roles. (Most Americans couldn't do that either, but most Americans aren't running for vice president.) When I read Ropi's blog, I'm amazed at what a modern Hungarian high school student studies. In many ways I'd say Ropi's knowledge would make Palin's knowledge of the world embarrassing. That's not to say Ropi is in any way ready to be a US Vice President, but I'd dare say his basic knoweldge about the world, about world history, and even his least favorite subjects like math and biology, are well beyond what Sarah Palin or even most American high school graduates know.


So, as you can see, evaluating Sarah Palin isn't that easy. It depends what you're evaluating her for. I think that socially I'd enjoy her company and conversation at dinner [aside from the fact that she's the VP candidate.] We have different values and beliefs, but she's bright and it would interesting to hear what she has to say about what she believes.

For her performance as governor, I give her high marks so far. The Monehan affair is a sign of her lack of experience in the ethics of organizational protocol, especially governmental organizations, where merit systems are the standard. Whether she would have (under normal circumstances) learned and adjusted in response was one of the things that would have told us whether she was just a fluke who came along at the right time with the right qualities, or whether she had the potential to grow into a serious stateswoman.

As a potential Vice President, and thus a potential President I have to assess her against very different criteria. A gifted ice skater who's sent to the Olympics without a lot of training and competitive experience could do well, but the odds aren't good. Our Olympic tryouts wouldn't let that person in. Palin hasn't tried out. She hasn't competed beyond the Alaska championships. We're a state with fewer than 700,000 people! That means she really hasn't been tested at all in the big leagues. And we're talking about one of the most important jobs in the world. Scary is all I can say.

The Peace Corps, at least when I was in training, had a category called "high risk - high gain." It meant they thought the trainee could either be a super volunteer or a total washout. In Sarah Palin, at this point, I see the high-risk part, but I simply don't see the high-gain part. (Yes if my life was dedicated to fighting abortion and gay rights, and bringing back SUV's, God into schools and government, I could see the high-gain label, but that isn't me.)


What Happened to the Fighter Who Stood Up to Her Corrupt Party Leaders?

One more observation. The one thing most Alaskans would agree on about Sarah Palin is that she stood up to her corrupt party leaders, at a time when that really was risky, and declared her party chair unethical. She resigned saying she simply couldn't continue on the Oil and Gas Commission under the circumstances. That was a gutsy thing to do and bought a lot of credibility for her among Alaskans.

But what happened to that Sarah Palin? Now we see a Sarah Palin who is compromising those brave acts by following the orders of the likes of Karl Rove and his Orwellian soulless-mates. The Palin who spoke of cooperation and who worked with Democrats in Juneau, is now throwing mean, baseless accusations at Obama (Making "community organizing" into an epithet is consistent with the Republican game plan of poisoning every word that describes their opponents.)

The openness that impressed me so much when I first saw her has turned to deception about her record in front of the national audience and a week in hiding from the press. The old Sarah Palin would have giggled at the claim that her position of governor gave her serious commander-in-chief experience or that she was a Russian policy expert. Rudy Ruedrich (the Alaskan Republican Party chair she outed as corrupt) must be wondering how that strong-willed Sarah Palin has turned into the docile, obedient student of the even more corrupt Karl Rove and gang.

One explanation is that Sarah Palin is a superb actress and brilliant strategist and her fight against the Alaskan Republican party was a devious Machiavellian plot, and Lyda Green has pegged Palin right all along. (A great example of Palin's amateur status is her giggling on the radio talk show when the hosts called Lyda Green a bitch (hmmm, I never thought I'd cite Dan Fagan as a reference, but he paints the picture of the audio I heard when it was available) instead of telling them they went way over the line. That YouTube tape now has this message: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by a third party.")

A more likely explanation is that Palin is absolutely no match for the level of play in national Republican circles and that being on McCain's ticket has her totally compliant to the Rovian team that sold George W. Bush to the American public. Twice.

7 comments:

  1. If she makes it in, Steve, Sarah Palin is going to sell Alaska out and say that it's good for the country. She does what she needs to do: sh-- rises.

    She's in over her head and we need to vote her out for her own sake!

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  2. Steve, just found you a couple days ago, thru another AK blogger. While I enjoy your writing, I believe I must have read an article on Palin's rise to mayoral power which you may have missed. In this account, the former mayor (prior to SP) says that there had been "no partisan politics" in former elections, until Sarah decided to run. She brought in the divisive culture issues, & a few outside Republican "advisors", LOL, to help her compete. Thus was born, the story goes, the Republican mayor of Wasilla.

    One other point I'd like to make, as an "outsider" and one from the far-lower 48: it's no surprise to those of us down *here* that she's VERY popular as an Alaska governor. Who wouldn't be, sending rebate checks of $1700 to the citizenry at the end of this year? I've seen at least 2 people (your locals) comment to this effect on the national news in the last couple of days. With the great possibility of more to come, with big-oil $$ in her sights (and Alaska being a wealthy state, compared to the vast majority!)it makes sense that this alone could bring about her popularity among the average citizen or "voter", wouldn't you say?

    One more thing, if I may. Re. the "change" you've observed in her over the last couple years or so ~ it's not unusual at ALL in a politician. Having seen her progress in the last 10 days or so, & done my own extensive research online, I'd say she's GOT a flair for the dramatic, & a good sense of timing, as well. Look what's happened to McCain, for God's sake? He's the one who SWORE repeatedly not to run a dirty campaign, not to mention change his entire platform & the basis on which it stands. Sorry to say, Palin's candidacy is an embarrassment to women, I being one, and having many fine friends & relatives of the same gender. I can't wait for this to be over, and the conservatives to get whipped, if possible.

    Again, enjoyed your piece, & I intend to come back ~ Thanks, E.

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  3. Well I wouldn't be happy if my mother would be a VP nominee. She is too worrying. :P

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  4. Anon 1 - thanks for commenting. I have nothing to add to what you said.

    Anon 2 - there's plenty out there for people to read, and I have read the stuff you refer to. I figure I can make my best contribution by saying what I've seen and know and letting people like you read it all, weigh it, and figure it out for yourself.

    Trying to reconcile the stories of her conniving with what I perceived as genuineness has had me thinking. I suspect that she is both genuine at one level and very ambitious at another level. It's easy to be open when you believe that what you did/do is ok. The trick is when you know that you need to hide some things. If you can still be genuine while you are hiding stuff, I start to worry.

    I don't know if that is where she is.

    About the last ten days: We know are seeing the Rovian political marketing machine at work. This could be one of their masterpieces, or it could turn into Frankenstein.

    Ropi - You comment about your mom. I know the post is pretty long. Perhaps you didn't see that you too were compared to Palin.

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  5. Come back to visit Seattle anytime Steve. The US needs more rational thinkers in today's sound-bite, reality TC world.
    Your's is one of the few blogs I'm reading these days because of your thoughtful and measured analysis.

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  6. SolvayGirl, Thanks for your kind words. (I'm trying to take compliments politley now after being accused of putting down Tea.)

    And I forgot to address Anon's point about Sarah Palin giving away money to the people of Alaska. Anon, she had sky high ratings before the energy rebates were announced. Besides, we fiercely independent Alaskans have grown to expect our government handouts. We've been getting Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) Checks since, what, 1984 or so?

    Most of the so called Conservatives who have been running this state are the 'gimme' type Conservative. Their basic principle that trumps all the others is "What's in it for me?" Whether they get money through the PFD, through corporate subsidies, through state monies to church organizations, through Uncle Ted's famous earmarks, all money coming to them is good money. One of the reasons Gov. Murkowski lost was that he cut some of that free money - to seniors and others.

    Mind you, the Liberals don't turn their PFD checks down either. And there are real, principled conservatives too, not many though.

    My point is that if the free money affects Palin's polling numbers, it's only a small blip in the most recent polls.

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  7. Yes, I saw it and thank you. It is really flattering and I agree with you, I am not ready to be VP. I want to be President. HEHE joke. I don't want to be politician. I commented yesterday in the evening so I forgot what I had wanted to write.

    ps: I like Maths. :P

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