Rudy Speech Contradicted McCain Adviser On Experience
Here's a little tidbit from the GOP convention we forgot to blog last night. From Rudy Giuliani's speech:
"Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on the job training."
...and here's top McCain adviser Charlie Black on Sarah Palin last week:
"She's going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he'll be around at least that long."
To be clear, this is more than just a fun little gotcha. It's another sign of how absurd and untenable McCain's argument that our commander in chief requires national security preparedness now looks in light of his choice of Palin as back-up president.
Either the president needs decades of experience to be effective or he doesn't. Choosing Palin as Veep candidate is effectively an admission by McCain that the latter is the case -- or, worse, it means McCain put someone within reach of the presidency that he believes isn't up to the job. There's just no other way to look at it.
McCain camp response "No, she will not take a paternity test!"
September 4, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure if you all are aware of this site but I've seen it referenced a few times and most recently today from ABC News. It's a blogger from Alaska. Quite a bit of Palin news on here if you've got the time to dig through everything.
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/
September 4, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll take that and raise you this:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/
As someone born and raised in small town Alaska Mudflats explanation on the political nature of the Alaskan public and his take on the AIP is second to none. You can read it here:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/the-alaska-independence-party-we-are-outta-here/
September 4, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've been following this one pretty regularly lately.
http://divasblueoasis.blogspot.com/
They were the first ones that I saw to talk about the fact that McCain had staffers on their way to Alaska after the pick.
September 4, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg: you're right but this is just a little trick of sophistry that you're playing.
And it also undermines the value of Biden pick if I take your thought to its logical conclusion.
Everything the Republicans say are the little traps that they set along the way, the more we get bogged down in them, the worse off we are.
September 4, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
What's fun is watching the Republicans get caught in their own traps.
September 4, 2008 10:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who's this we? You got a turd in your pocket?
And how does this undermine the Biden pick? You make no sense.
September 4, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is more accountability in the managerial ranks of the Pizza Hut in Barstow.
Seriously, at what point will it become acceptable in the public sphere to point out such blatant contradictions such as this?
September 4, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
So what are you going to watch, the opening game of the NFL season or John McCain?
September 4, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
... or Barack Obama on the O'Reilly Factor?
Yeah, I'm totally going to watch it -- even though it goes against the core of my being.
http://thepajamapundit.com/
September 4, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Same. It'll offend my sensibilities, but I'll watch Bilbo tonight.
With some minor channel flipping to check the score every so often. :)
September 4, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Last nights premier of Bones rocked and was far more realistic than Palin's speach.
September 4, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The entire night was one contradiction after another. Giuliani making a comment about Obama thinking people weren't cosmopolitan enough? Thanks, Mr. New York.
http://pufferfish.typepad.com/
September 4, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
You say contradiction. I say lie.
Bunch of God fearin' family values™ folks have no problem telling complete and total lies. Nice. Real nice. Anything for an applause line or a chant.
September 4, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't it amazing how having an unwed pregnant teenage daughter is now a sign of moral fortitude?
Can you just imagine if it was a Dem with Palin's background?
September 4, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
This was my favorite lie of the evening:
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2008/09/palin_and_special_needs_children.php
When is someone in the press going to call them on their hypocrisy?
September 4, 2008 10:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed, Danny, and Republicans should begin paying attention to the fact that repetitive behavior (and speech) can easily go from being a habit to being a medical diagnosis.
On the other hand, Republicans seem to enjoy living and thinking in a fact-free environment so they probably wouldn't be able to discern the difference.
September 4, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Outside the echo chamber...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/columnists/fergus_shanahan/article1647092.ece
September 4, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually that is the echo chamber.
September 4, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here is what some a Michigan indepentant's thought of Sarah Palin.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/michigan-indepe.html
September 4, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great comments.
September 4, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Her opportunity last night to reach anybody outside of the base was to establish some kind of credibility. She blew it, she went for the red meat in a snippy partisan way. Not the way to introduce yourself to the country - especially after 7 years of Bush. She coulda been a contender if they just had a little patience but the wounded pride and resentment on the right demanded immediate gratification.
Pit bulls do not make good neighbors.
September 4, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I caught that too, as I was hearing bits and snippets of speeches while attending to parental duties. Either Rudy refused to go with the new party line or they really didn't have enough time to rewrite all the speeches.
Kind of makes me curious what the first night would have sounded like if Gustav hadn't given them an excuse for taking an extra day to attempt to get everyone in line with the new themes and talking points.
September 4, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
"To be clear, this is more than just a fun little gotcha. It's another sign of how absurd and untenable McCain's argument that our commander in chief requires national security preparedness now looks in light of his choice of Palin as back-up president."
Except you keep failing to understand the main point. Your Presidential nominee is the one who needs training, our VP is our Presidents understudy.
September 4, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
So, 'understudy' is where the bar's been set?
I remember when Republicans actually had standards and a little pride about who they nominated for high office.
September 4, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Study" is right. So, when is she going to answer a question from the press?
September 4, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wrong.
Obama has proven himself over the last 2 years. He beat out a highly qualified field of challengers to win the Dem nomination.
Palin was picked out of nowhere to be McCain's VP and McCain has a life expectancy in negative numbers. She hasn't been vetted by the McCain campaign, the press or the American public. To have her one heartbeat (especially one McCain heartbeat that grows increasingly uncertain the older he gets) from the Presidency is a serious issue.
September 4, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Blah, blah, blah....you still haven't come up with a new argument? Just because you keep repeating the same crap, doesn't make it true - regardless of what the W. has taught you.
September 4, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
...that's the point. It is true. It's come to Obama vs. Palin in experience. Obama loses either way.
September 4, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, we've heard from the peanut gallery.
Next...
September 4, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
O you think so?
Just how stupid are you prepared to make yourself look in trying to defend this truly insulting and idiotic choice?
September 4, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't wait until November 5th, when you guys will be wondering how another one got "stolen" from you. This is gonna be so much fun.
September 4, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Blah, blah, blah...yawn. Try again. Seriously. Can you at least try and defend some of her lies?
September 4, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Read this post and then try again. Who's the understudy?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/bush-follows-ob.html
September 4, 2008 10:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I would accept that the Vice Presidential position could be considered a graduate course in serving the nation. But you have to first get your masters, bachelors and graduate from high school before moving on to earn your doctorate.
September 4, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bwahahaha!
September 4, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP seem to be ignoring quite a few FACTS. George Bush had executive experience. Heck, he was governor for 8 yrs of a state that was both big in size and in population. It was near to some foreign country too. And with W at the helm, the vast majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction.
September 4, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Palin really needs to make up her mind. If her family is off-limits, then fine. But then she needs to stop using them as props and exploiting her son's service in Iraq.
Neither Biden nor McCain ever bring up their son's service.
September 4, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll say what I said last night: that 5 month old baby should've been back home in his crib asleep. Instead, she chose to drag him out and use him as a political prop. Apparently Republicans think the only real qualification she has to be on the ticket is her baby-making abilities.
September 4, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
The next 2 months will be so much fun....
September 4, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
We finally agree on something...
September 4, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Where the heck are the avatars? I'm pissed.
September 4, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know how many of you have seen this, but the Obama campaign does a pretty good job of dismantling Palin's speech:
http://www.samefacts.com/archives/campaign_2008_/2008/09/palin_v_reality.php
September 4, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very nice.
September 4, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
How about a series of ads with the mantra"'Stranger Than Fiction" then go down the list of assertions juxtaposed against the truth.
What gets these poseurs up in the morning is the idea that they are something they are not.
Never Never Land Nevermore.
September 4, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll say what I said last night - this is still a joke and a bad joke.
That wasn't a good speech -that was a snarky, cutesy smear job from a completely inexperienced and unprepared bad joke.
September 4, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is so much ad material in her speech. Calling out each of her lies will be a lot of fun.
September 4, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Everything she said was a lie, including "a" "and" and "the."
September 4, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, yeah.
But I think there are some very salient lies - like her lack of support for special need schooling, support of earmarks and the ties to Ted Stevens - that will resonate very well.
September 4, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
O I agree totally - I'm just thoroughly disgusted that they think this isn't an insult to women.
I hope a lot of women are as pissed as I am and I would bet anything that they are.
She's an insult to our intelligence and everything we've worked for.
September 4, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I see quite the ad from "not the time on the job training" juxtaposed with the "She'll learn at the feet of the master" quote.
September 4, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Josh made the point last night that the republicans may regret having Rudy on in primetime and I have to say I agree. His speech, along with Palin's, certainly got the crowd fired up but how effective were they in reaching out to independents and undecided's? I have to agree with most of the posts here in that they were a turn off to anyone who is not a die-hard republican.
What's funny is that last night was the perfect opportunity for them, and Palin in particular, to court the vital undecideds/independents:
- primetime television, large audience
- no counter points, you have the floor to yourself
It shows that they just don't get it.
2 final points:
My wife (pretty centrist) commented about how snarky and smug Palin sounded.
She also said that, after all of the discussion of troopergate, having seen Palin speak she can see that there is definitely substance to it and can easily believe that she tried to have Wooten fired.
September 4, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Poor old Rudy. Can't he shuffle off the world stage gracefully now that his speech is over? Please?
September 4, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink