Top Republican says Palin unready

[__Kratos__]

Senior Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has voiced doubts about Sarah Palin's qualifications for the vice-presidency.

John McCain's running mate "doesn't have any foreign policy credentials", Mr Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald.

Mr Hagel was a prominent supporter of Mr McCain during his 2000 bid for the US presidency, but has declined to endorse either candidate this year.

He was opposed to the Iraq War, and recently joined Mr McCain's rival Barack Obama on a Middle East trip.

'Stop the nonsense'

"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States," Mr Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald newspaper.

And he was dismissive of the fact that Mrs Palin, the governor of Alaska, has made few trips abroad.

"You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."

Mr Hagel also criticised the McCain campaign for its suggestion that the proximity of Alaska to Russia gave Mrs Palin foreign policy experience.

"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia'," he said.

"That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."

BBC North America editor Justin Webb says Mr Hagel's opinion of Mrs Palin will have an effect on independent voters.

More of the article here: Link

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At least they're all not screaming for her.

[Incorrigible1]

Senator Hagel was considered a possible running-mate of Obama's. I'm quite satisfied, personally, with the performance Hagel has provided as my Senator.

[Startraveler]

And a possible running mate of Michael Bloomberg. Lots of people have fantasies about him, apparently.

[Startraveler]

Also, a bit of Mercurio's column is relevant here:

Meanwhile, don't be surprised to see Republicans dim Palin's spotlight over the next month. Since the GOP slowly began to lift the veil on her last week, the governor's ratings have started to dip.

Her weaknesses on the trail were on full display Wednesday night in Grand Rapids, Mich., where she participated in her first town-hall meeting with McCain. Asked what specific skills she'd bring to the White House on foreign policy, she insisted only that she'd be ready: "I have that confidence," she said.

Perhaps realizing that "readiness" and "confidence" aren't widely recognized as "specific skills" on the global stage, she continued: "If you want specifics with specific policies or countries, you can go ahead and ask me. You can play 'stump the candidate' if you want to," she snapped. "But we are ready to serve."

That was Sarah Palin, folks, not Tina Fey.

On Tuesday, for the first time in the Diageo/Hotline tracking poll [PDF], more registered voters said Palin is unprepared to serve as president -- a new high of 49 percent. What's more, 35 percent of registered voters now say Palin is "very unprepared" to serve -- up from 28 percent who said so in the sample completed immediately after the GOP convention.

Likewise, since Palin's introduction in St. Paul, the proportion of registered voters who see Palin as a common politician (as opposed to a reform-minded maverick) has steadily increased. A majority (54 percent) still describe her as "a different kind of leader who offers a fresh, new perspective and inspires others." But an increasing number of voters describe Palin as "just another politician who offers no new ideas and engages in negative politics."

Palin's favorability ratings have encountered comparable erosion. Although her positive rating is now at 47 percent, her overall unfavorable ratings have jumped in a week from 24 percent to 36 percent. Over the same period, her unfavorable ratings have doubled among men and independents -- from 18 percent to 36 percent and from 15 percent to 30 percent, respectively. Palin's "strongly" unfavorable rating among independents has also doubled, to 16 percent. And while her favorable/unfavorable ratings have held relatively constant among Republicans, her numbers are plummeting among Democrats; she now scores just a 16 percent/66 percent among them, down from 22 percent/45 percent just after St. Paul.

[Caesar]

And a possible running mate of Michael Bloomberg. Lots of people have fantasies about him, apparently.

I would vote for Obama if Michael Bloomberg was on the Republican ticket. I think Palin was a great pick

[IrishAidan07]

Palin is far better than Biden, in my view.

Biden absolutely disgusts me.

[supercar]

Top Republican says Palin unready

Top Democrat Says Obama Unready(and it's his own running mate)

On August 8,2007 Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden gave an interview with Newsweek magazine. Here is an excerpt:

QUESTION: In a recent NPR interview, you said that, in retrospect, you weren’t ready for the presidency in ’88. Is Obama not ready now?

BIDEN: I think he can be ready, but right now I don’t believe he is. It’s awful hard, with only a little bit of experience to have a clear sense of what you would do on the most critical issues facing us today: what to do about promoting America’s place in the world. It is not something that lends itself to—the trite phrase is—it’s not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/32423

[Startraveler]

Yes, why would a primary rival say something like that during the primary? If there's a reason, I can't think of it.

[IrishAidan07]

Yes, why would a primary rival say something like that during the primary? If there's a reason, I can't think of it.

Then you can't believe anything he says.

So Biden is a plagiarist and someone who, as you just noted, obviously says things simply because they are politically convenient at the time. Someone I want a heart beat away from the Oval Office? Nope.

And don't bring up the McCain flip-flops. McCain has nearly a three decade Maverick rating. Biden has a record of being a putz.

Anyway, carry on.

Edited September 20, 2008 by IrishAidan

[AROCES]

Chuck Hagel failed in his Presidential campaign, and was never selected for VP ever!

So who is more qualified according to those who elects and decides?

[IrishAidan07]

Chuck Hagel failed in his Presidential campaign, and was never selected for VP ever!

So who is more qualified according to those who elects and decides?

If you were as intelligent as Chuck Hagel, you wouldn't be on this forum. For that matter, neither would I.

But in this case, I think he is wrong.

Also, I didn't know Hagel ran for president?

Edited September 20, 2008 by IrishAidan

[Whangarei]

You know I think that Obama might just have it in the bag. This cocky attitude of the McCain Palin supporters reminds me a helluvah lot of the attitude the Democrats has when Kerry was running. They just KNEW that America wouldn't be stupid enough to vote for Bush again. And look what happened. This idea that of course Palin is a good choice just really does underestimate America. She's not ready and we all know it. The fact that this woman has never been abroad in any sort of meaningful way is going to make her a laughingstock to the rest of the world.

[IrishAidan07]

You know I think that Obama might just have it in the bag. This cocky attitude of the McCain Palin supporters reminds me a helluvah lot of the attitude the Democrats has when Kerry was running. They just KNEW that America wouldn't be stupid enough to vote for Bush again. And look what happened. This idea that of course Palin is a good choice just really does underestimate America. She's not ready and we all know it. The fact that this woman has never been abroad in any sort of meaningful way is going to make her a laughingstock to the rest of the world.

And I suppose the Obama/Biden supporters are, of course, angels.

[Incorrigible1]

Chuck Hagel failed in his Presidential campaign, and was never selected for VP ever!

So who is more qualified according to those who elects and decides?

The same could be said for the current Dem VeePee nominee..............

[IrishAidan07]

The same could be said for the current Dem VeePee nominee..............

Another Hagel supporter. Amen. Love that guy.

[Aristocrates]

Then you can't believe anything he says.

So Biden is a plagiarist and someone who, as you just noted, obviously says things simply because they are politically convenient at the time. Someone I want a heart beat away from the Oval Office? Nope.

For the record, no politician is as perfect and benevolent as your standards would seem to suggest; not even Obama, and especially not McCain. And I think its safe to assume that, if vp, Sarah Palin is QUITE a few theoretical heartbeats closer to the presidency than Biden would be, which in theory should scare the hell out of every American. What point are you trying to make exactly?

[Guardsman Bass]

And a possible running mate of Michael Bloomberg. Lots of people have fantasies about him, apparently.

Same with Michael Bloomberg. Apparently people have a hard time getting past non-telegenic, independent "Republicans".

Although I suppose in Bloomberg's case he's proven fairly competent as Mayor of New York.

[Incorrigible1]

Another Hagel supporter. Amen. Love that guy.

I've had the pleasure of voting for him. He rankles many in-state Reps, yet, on the issues that truly matter to me, he's been gold. Sad to say, I believe he's retiring next time around.

[IrishAidan07]

For the record, no politician is as perfect and benevolent as your standards would seem to suggest; not even Obama, and especially not McCain. And I think its safe to assume that, if vp, Sarah Palin is QUITE a few theoretical heartbeats closer to the presidency than Biden would be, which in theory should scare the hell out of every American. What point are you trying to make exactly?

How many of the above names - save Biden - have been accused of plagiarism...twice?

Yeah. That coupled with his double-talk is enough for me to despise him.

[Aristocrates]

How many of the above names - save Biden - have been accused of plagiarism...twice?

Yeah. That coupled with his double-talk is enough for me to despise him.

You're right, he's clearly a dumbass incapable of independent thought and judgment.

At least he's smart enough not to plagiarize from wikipedia

[IrishAidan07]

You're right, he's clearly a dumbass incapable of independent thought and judgment.

At least he's smart enough not to plagiarize from wikipedia

O.K.

And the last part I am wondering where it came from, but I will -- Moki -- soon find out.

Who, exactly, plagiarized Wikipedia?

Edited September 20, 2008 by IrishAidan

[Startraveler]

And don't bring up the McCain flip-flops.

Biden's plagiarism incident was twenty years ago and you refer to incessantly. McCain will literally say something at 9 a.m. and then say the exact opposite thing by noon. He doesn't seem to know what he thinks, where he stands, or what he believes in anymore. Yet you don't want to talk about what's happening right now. You'd rather focus on 1988. Where was McCain in 1988? Oh right: hanging out with his pal Charles Keating (those were his pre-maverick days, I suppose). How's that deregulation stuff going again? Oops, polling seems to favor regulation these days. And so, suddenly, does John McCain.

[HKCavalier]

O.K.

And the last part I am wondering where it came from, but I will -- Moki -- soon find out.

Who, exactly, plagiarized Wikipedia?

There seem to be some significant gaps in your knowledge of McCain, Irish. Might explain why you think so highly of him...

Edited September 20, 2008 by HKCavalier

[IrishAidan07]

Biden's plagiarism incident was twenty years ago and you refer to incessantly. McCain will literally say something at 9 a.m. and then say the exact opposite thing by noon. He doesn't seem to know what he thinks, where he stands, or what he believes in anymore. Yet you don't want to talk about what's happening right now. You'd rather focus on 1988. Where was McCain in 1988? Oh right: hanging out with his pal Charles Keating (those were his pre-maverick days, I suppose). How's that deregulation stuff going again? Oops, polling seems to favor regulation these days. And so, suddenly, does John McCain.

Obama & Biden don't flip-flop, at all? Is that what you are telling me?

I hope, God I do, you are telling me that.

And Biden is a dishonest schmuck - a charlatan. A disgusting cyst on the *** of humanity.

There seem to be some significant gaps in your knowledge of McCain, Irish. Might explain why you think so highly of him...

Well, Wikipedia is, you realize, an editable encyclopedia. I mean, could someone have put what McCain said in after the fact?

Edited September 20, 2008 by IrishAidan

[Aristocrates]

Well, Wikipedia is, you realize, an editable encyclopedia. I mean, could someone have put what McCain said in after the fact?

Although other media outlets reported the alleged plagiarism, the two passages below were dated at least one week prior to the Georgian and Russian crisis. The first two paragraphs of McCain's speech appear to resemble the Wikipedia article in the history dated July 24, 2008.

source

The text which McCain plagiarized (or 'used as a source') was apart of the wikipedia article at least 2 1/2 weeks prior to his speech (assuming it was given Aug. 11...I dont remember the date of the speech).

So no, the article was not changed to fit McCain's speech after the fact.

**edit: careless writing, lol

Edited September 20, 2008 by Aristocrates