We need to let our voices be heard during the VP debates on Oct. 2, 2008. Sarah Palin is being put in a "cone of protection" by McCain to help her avoid any gaffes. Join me below to see some of the questions PBS debate moderator Gwen Ifill should ask Palin.
Q: In early August, you committed to fully cooperate with the investigation involving the firing of the state public safety commission. Why have you and your husband now decided to not cooperate with the investigation that was initiated by panel with a republican majority? What concerns do you have that Alaskans and the rest of the country may think you have something to hide?
Q: Your office in Alaska is now under the management of the McCain campaign, according to news reports. How do you explain this to the people of Alaska who elected you to serve them?
Q: In response to a supporter in September, you responded that the supporter could play "stump the candidate" about a policy or a country. What did you mean by that? What questions about foreign policy and economics would you consider off base, inappropriate or outside of your level of expertise?
Q: The nation's financial markets took a tremendous hit a few weeks ago. What experience and or credentials do you have that can help a McCain administration deal with managing inflation, credit markets, consumer confidence and unemployment which are considered the traditional fundamentals of our economy?
Q: John McCain has written an article in a health care publication promoting the idea of privitizing our social security system. The McCain website has also promoted privitizing social security. He has also said that he is against privitizing social security. Can you tell the American people your position as well as the current position of the McCain campaign?
Q: On a couple of occasions, you have mentioned that your foreign policy credentials are based on the fact that Russia has a remote island off the coast of Alaska. News reports have stated that you had a meeting with the president of Afghanistan. Other than introductory meetings with a foreign leader and visiting the troops in Kuwait and Germany, please provide the American people with more substantive examples of your foreign policy experience you acquired before John McCain selected you as his running mate.
Q: You have said that you are going to Washington to shake things up. What does that look like? The president and vice president don't have absolute power, so what approach would you consider to get others to cooperate with you?
Q: John McCain has said that you know more about energy than anyone in the United States. Both of you have said that Alaska provides more than 20% of the nation's energy. What in your background supports his claim about your expertise in energy, considering there are CEOs, governors and a host of others who have spent their entire careers - not just three years - in the energy industry. Independent sources have also said that Alaska actually contributes between 3 and 4 percent of the nation's energy. How can you square this up with your claim that Alaska provides 20 percent?
Q: The McCain campaign negotiated for a more structured debate format because of their concern about your limited debate experience and they felt that you might be on the defensive. You have completed two interviews with mainstream journalists from the major networks since you were selected by the McCain campaign. You have not taken questions from media on the campaign trail or on the campaign plane. You have taken few questions from the American people. In essence you are going to an job interview and the company is supposed to rely only on your resume to make a decision. Given that the campaign has told America that you have more executive experience and energy knowledge than the democratic ticket, what message do you think the McCain campaign is sending to the American people about your qualifications, readiness and capability to address the serious issues facing the nation at home and abroad if you won't talk to the media and needed special conditions for the debate? The American people do not know you. How are they expected to have confidence in your ability given that there has only been one-way communication?
Q: What are your weaknesses?
Q: In an interview during the summer, you stated that you didn't know the responsibilities of the vice president. You also suggested that you wanted to make sure that the VP position would be productive because you like to stay busy. Please tell us what have you done since your selection that would demonstrate that you know and understand the role of the vice president? Also, if elected how would you address the responsibility of the vice president with the US senate? What in your background has prepared you for the role of president of the US senate?
There are numerous questions to ask. I'm sending these to Ifill. Below is one address that I found. You can also go through Washington Week, or you can click on one of the links at the PBS feedback page. Or write
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