DISQUS

Alisa · 1 year ago

Watching Sarah Palin’s interview made me wonder doubt how intelligent she is. I disagree with many statements that she made, and I think many of them were the results of extreme ignorance and very simplistic understanding of the world.

Can you elaborate?

Rogel · 1 year ago

Alisa, You are alive!!! :)
Did you need elaboration after watching the interview? It is obvious from the interview that she is either repeating the lines giver to her by her advisors without having any real knowledge or that she is simply quoting the hawkish line you can catch while watching faux (I didn't misspelled here :) ) news.

Alisa · 1 year ago

Of course I am alive. If I died I would certainly let you know:-)

It is obvious from the interview that she is either repeating the lines giver to her by her advisors without having any real knowledge or that she is simply quoting the hawkish line you can catch while watching faux (I didn't misspelled here :) ) news.

It was not obvious to me at all. You must know things I don't:-)

Rogel · 1 year ago

You must know things I don't

I very much doubt that!:) . However, I'll try to explain later this week my arguments about Palin's lack of substance about foreign affairs and National Security

Alisa · 1 year ago

I'll read that with much interest. However, in this interview, foreign affairs and national security were barely touched upon.

Rogel · 1 year ago

Did you follow the link, or did you watch the full interview? the part shown in the link provided above is mainly about foreign affair.

Alisa · 1 year ago

Heh, ABC keeps rearranging the videos. The one you are referring to (the one with the Bush Doctrine?) is no longer there, and it is not on the "full interview" either. Anyway, I did find it on Youtube. What is wrong with her answers?

Rogel · 1 year ago

Did you see the part that she declare willingness to protect Georgia with military power?

Alisa · 1 year ago

Yes. Are you expecting any conservative candidate to say otherwise while Putin is listening?

Rogel · 1 year ago

Yes, Obviously - but I still envision conservatives as Goldwater and Buckley so the problem is all mine.

Alisa · 1 year ago

I was wrong yet again. This one has segments that the others don't. It is the fullest version I have seen so far.

Alisa · 1 year ago

Rogel, it is one thing to say that she is a different kind of conservative from what you might like (in other words, that you disagree with the opinions she expresses, no matter how consistent they are with today's mainstream conservatism, and how sensible it is therefore to express them, especially for the foreign audience). It is quite a different thing to say that because of that you doubt her intelligence.

Rogel · 1 year ago

I didn't agree with Goldwater on some issues and a lot more of them with Buckley. The different between them and Palin's kind is that they had intellectual substance and knew what they are talking about. It is hard from me to believe that any of them would count the fact that you can see an Island that belong to russia as "knowing" and "Understanding" russia.

Alisa · 1 year ago

She said it as a joke, it was damn obvious. If she said that as governor of Alaska she is in charge of the antiballistic missiles (as she in fact is), it would have sounded really silly. You don't like the woman - that's entirely acceptable. But try to be objective:-)

Rogel · 1 year ago

I don't like any of them, not only Palin - and I'm saying that as objectively as I can :)

Rogel · 1 year ago

I don't like any of them, not only Palin - and I'm saying that as objectively as I can :)

Alisa · 1 year ago

The fact that you don't like them is not reason enough to question their intelligence.

Rogel · 1 year ago

But the fact that she doesn't know what is the "Bush Doctrine" is good reason, isn't it?

Alisa · 1 year ago

Neither did Gibson, or anyone else for that matter. Do you question Gibson's intelligence because of this? Granted, Palin is relatively poorly informed on foreign affairs (which doesn't have anything to do with intelligence either), but so were many other POTUS candidates, not to mention VP candidates. Has anyone at the time been grilling Bill Clinton on the matter? Has anyone asked Obama about the Bush Doctrine? Gibson did not.

Rogel · 1 year ago

When Gibson will be a candidate I'll worry about his knowledge and intelligence. Palin stated clearly that she support Bush's policy, she should know what it is. I believe I wrote "that intelligence was not a qualifying litmus test for the role of VP before - nor for the President." - so that does answer your question, no?

Alisa · 1 year ago

He did not ask her about his policy, he asked her about the "doctrine" - a term that turned out to be meaningless (see the above link).

If intelligence is not a qualifying litmus test for the role of VP, why bring it up with connection to this VP candidate?

Let me know when you had enough:-)

Rogel · 1 year ago

Enough? what is it?
The post was mainly criticism the stupid argument that Palin isn't a women instead of valid criticism of her ignorance or intelligence. Specifically to your question - knowledge and intelligence are not qualifying factors, but I hope it was.

Alisa · 1 year ago

Right, and I am with you thus far. My problem is your implication that Palin is less intelligent then the rest of them, and I beg to differ. Apropos, read this, it sums up the prevailing attitudes on the subject quite well.

Rogel · 1 year ago

I don't accept the premise that elitism is a bad for leaders. I would always prefer and educated, knowledgeable and , god forbid, intellectual on someone simple.
If Palin's great virtue is that she isn't elitist - it is a non-virtue for me.

Alisa · 1 year ago

It depends what is meant by 'elitism'. Of course knowledge, education and experience can be a great plus, but only to a person with natural intelligence and common sense, as well as a strong moral grounding. Joe Biden is a good example of someone who does not fit this description. Palin, on the other hand, comes across as someone who will learn very quickly. She actually has the advantage of having the time to do this as VP (if McCain is elected).

Rogel · 1 year ago

Don't let me start with Biden! (he already pissed me off but I wrote about it in different post). I guess it will be hard to convince you, even if I will bring the quotes of Palin talking about the bailouts (she didn't make any sense and had her facts completely wrong), nor her pork barrel history with the road to nowhere.
I think that McCain has no intention of using her for anything beside of this elections - and he isn't wrong. The problem is that he isn't young and healthy and voters have to think about the "what if" scenario.

Alisa · 1 year ago

Rogel, don't get me wrong: it's not as if I am saying that Palin is perfect, I am just saying that on the whole she is not half as bad as everyone else, as far as politicians go.