Gov. Palin's speech last night was well-delivered, but totally devoid of substance. While she seemed comfortable in the traditional attack dog role of a VP nominee, she did little to address doubts as to whether she is ready to be President should the need arise.
Aside from fleeting references to what seemed a petroleum-based energy policy, Palin didn't touch a single issue of consequence to American families. We find ourselves in the midst of recession and a housing crisis, in a war we can't afford and with a spiraling debt we can't seem to arrest, but you wouldn't have known it listening to Palin's speech. Then again, McCain's campaign manager did say, "This election is not about issues," so I suppose we should have expected as much.
(Crossposted from Our Republic)
And as far as one can tell, Palin is just as unqualified today as she was yesterday. She attempted to counter this argument last night by pointing to her experience as a small-town mayor. "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities," she quipped. Fair enough. But where I come from, officiating a snowmobile race doesn't count as an "actual responsibility," and America has tens of thousands of mayors. What makes her any better than the rest?
Apparently not much, at least according to McCain confidants Mike Murphy and Peggy Noonan. Yesterday on MSNBC, Murphy and Noonan, unaware that their mic was still on, essentially called Palin an empty suit chosen for political theater.
So when the McCain campaign is asked about Palin's inexperience, ethical problems, ties to secessionist organizations and, coming soon, her radical pastor, it's not because America's full of raging sexists. It's because she might become President -- and last night's speech did little to assuage concerns that she's not up to the job.