This is a thank you and a repost of posts written by mboehm and vcalzone of MyDD. The thread is Gladiatorback's thread: Resume Comparison: Obama vs. Sarah Palin You can click on the link for Gladiatorback's breakdown. Gladiator did a good enough job, but missed some things in seeking to be pro-Palin. Granny is gonna kill me for knocking a better and more researched diary off the list. Someone else will knock me off in turn. But mboehm's summary made my heart soar in a way where I want to repeat it from the mountaintops. Thank you, especially, to mboehm, for finding the words for me and for others regarding the heart of the experience issue. Putting it in a diary makes it easier for me to find later when someone tries to bring it up elsewhere.
I also want to say that mboehm's summary is actually echoed in David Frum's National Review blog, and the weird concession of Ross DouthatRoss Douthat in the Atlantic Monthly where he 'concede(s) the resume war to Obama'.
no executive experience?
Obama built from scratch with no structural advantages and in competiton with other candidates, a $300+ million (unprecedented), 50 State campaign with 1,000+ paid employees and tens of thousands of volunteers. The management of this campaign has been considered among the best in American political history.
Plus, Obama has been under intense opposition and press scrutiny for 20 months and Sarah Palin for one day.
Obama prevailed over a talented pool of candidates which included the influence of a popular former two term President of the United States in the longest and most grueling primary campaign in history, earning about 18,000,000 votes. Palin defeated a group of corrupt politicians who had become out of touch in a deeply Red State, earning about 115,000 votes.
I know you mention this right off the bat but I want to repeat it. We have someone who was the President of the Harvard Law Review compared to someone who has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.
Our Moment Is Now
by mboehm on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 05:27:17 PM EST
and also (since I never looked at Alaska's oil royalties giveaway as a form of socialism, which is mighty weird -- and enlightening -- given that Alaska is usually comfortably Republican, but Republicans say they hate socialism):
Re: Resume comparison Obama Vs. Sarah palin
But Alaska's priorities, in particular, are different from the rest of the country. Take, for example, drilling. While the rest of the country might eventually benefit to a small degree from drilling, it would be an extremely positive and tangible boon to the Alaskan economy. Ditto the pipeline. So she would be more inclined to make that her top priority, even though it wouldn't really help the rest of the country that much.
Also, Alaska (as noted elsewhere on the site) has a big fund that props up the economy by metering it out to its citizens. This is essentially socialism. And Palin herself was a big, big proponent of tax increases on oil companies. This will not be something that will be included in her national platform.
Education, crime, drugs, homeland security, free trade, the military... these are all things that Obama would have spent far more time studying than any Alaska state legislator OR governor.
and
(Gladiatorsback) You make the assumption that she understands what is best for the country, and I don't believe that she does. Obama understands that the gun laws that work for Chicago wouldn't work for Cheyenne. She has a ton to learn before the debate, and very little time. Most Americans are not going to be willing to accept, "Well, I'm still learning about that" as an answer.
Sure, it's POSSIBLE that she might be able to understand the complex politics of the nation in a few months time or even four years time, but why would anyone possibly make that sort of gamble on the nation's future?
and
obama didn't learn about foreign policy in two years, he's been studying national issues and social policies for most of his adult life. His background is in constitutional law. And even then, he has made mistakes and had misconceptions. If Palin was known as being especially well-versed on something, anything, besides Alaska's oil reserves, I might be inclined to grant her leeway. But she isn't.
and
(Gladiatorsback) You still haven't updated to include any of this, btw. Obama's bipartisanship extends beyond John McCain. Richard Luger and Tom Coburn have both been mentioned. And Palin didn't oppose Bridge To Nowhere until she knew the funds weren't coming.
If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.
by vcalzone on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at various times in the afternoon