REAL careful.
Yes, we can joke about Palin's inexperience, etc. But let's have a look at history, before we freakin' underestimate what's going on here. Never underestimate a politician.
Let's go back in time, looking at the Presidential and VP noms all the way back to 1976, and their varying amounts of experience.
National Experience - NE
Executive Experience - EE
We'll leave out local experience for the sake of easiness. The first figure will be national experience. The second will be executive experience. Starting in 2008.
Candidate NE, EE
2008
Obama 4, 0
Biden 35, 0
McCain 25, 0
Palin 0, 2
2004
Kerry 19, 2
Edwards 6, 0
2000
Bush 0, 8
Cheney 12, 4
Gore 24, 8
Lieberman 11, 6
1996
Dole 35, 0
Kemp 22, 0
1992
Clinton 0, 10
Gore 16, 0
1988
Bush 18, 10
Quayle 12, 0
Dukakis 0, 8
Bentson 23, 0
1984
Mondale 16, 8
Ferraro 6, 0
1980
Reagan 0, 8
Bush 10, 2
1976
Carter 0, 8
Mondale 12, 4
Ford 24, 3
Dole 15, 0
So what can we find out from this? Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush II all had ZERO national experience before they became President...and look at where it got them (like it or not)
As for executive experience, Palin has more than 11 of these men, including McCain, Biden, Obama, and Al Gore when he became Vice President.
Just a history lesson, that’s all. My point is, never EVER underestimate someone...and it seems as though many of you are doing that right now. Say what you will, but people underestimated many of the people on this list (I’m thinking Carter and Clinton, particularly) and it didn’t turn out too well for their opponents.
Let’s be careful, let’s be smart. And who knows. Maybe she’ll crack under the national spotlight. However, Carter, Clinton, Bush, and Reagan didn’t.