...well not really, but this is what I would tell him to say:
My Fellow Citizens,
As we stand together today as Americans and participate in one of the most awesome events that mankind has ever witnessed, the peaceful transformation of power from one President to the next. I ask you to take a moment to reflect on the road we have traveled, the trials we have overcome, and the battles we have fought and won. From protecting ourselves against hellbent extremist, to defending the world against those who wish to strip away our freedoms, our democracy, and our very way of life. For over 200 years this nation has served as a beacon of hope to those who long for a better life, and an impenetrable deterrent to those who would like nothing more than to enslave free men.
Yesterday we celebrated a national holiday in honor and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King. This man who served his country dutifully, honorably, and gave what can only be described as the last full measure of devotion to the cause of civil rights for all of us.
Dr. King spoke of a dream, a dream that was born out of hope for the future, not just for blacks, or for whites, but for us all as Americans. He spoke not of the stain of slavery, not of the shackles of the past, but of the rights of all men, of the hope of the future, and of the true power of this great democracy.
Today, as we stand amidst turmoil and uncertainty in the world, I say to you as Americans, once again, that we shall overcome. We have not lost our resourcefulness, we have not forgotten our determination, and we have not abandoned our principles. The essence of the American spirit was forged in the battles of the Revolution, through the assertion of man's natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We upheld our moral imperative and strengthened the Union by defeating the scourge of slavery. And in the 20th century we set an example of leadership for all the world to see.
So now we look forward. We look forward to a world of marvelous possibilities, and sobering threats. The next decade will bring us extraordinary achievement in sciences, medicine, technology, and trade. As a nation that never has rested on its laurels we will be at the forefront of these great discoveries. We will reach for the stars with ever greater fervor, knowing that they have never been so near our grasps.
And I say this now to the enemies of freedom, the enemies of democracy, the thugs, despots, and cowards who wish us harm: These United States of America will not back-down from what is right, will not acquiesces to the whims of the selfish and unsavory, and will not now nor ever cease in our defense of democracy and freedom.
It is time for a new page in our history. A new generation is emerging to assume this mantle of leadership. Never before have we had so many grand ideas, tremendous plans, or great minds. We will harness the power of our people, the power of that elusive homegrown trait we call "American Ingenuity".
My friends, now is the time to move forward, to improve not just the country we live in in but the world. Now is the time to fight poverty, improve education, and reverse climate change. Now is the time to create new jobs, new industries, and new opportunities for all, rich and poor, black, white, brown, Asian, African, and Latino.
The time has come to re-establish the relationships with our global neighbors that will help keep us safe and prosperous. We will model the way, we will speak with our words, but scream with our actions. There is no doubt that America is the greatest nation in the world, and it is our duty to live up to that mandate.
This means each of us must take on the responsibility of living up to what it truly means to be an American, just as our country must live up to it's reputation in the world. There will be challenges. There will be set backs and tribulations. But we will conquer these challenges together, unified in our love for our country, our insatiable desire to advance humankind.
Let us go forth from this moment in time, each armed with clarity of thought and purpose of action. This nation was not built by one, but by many. Now is our time to write the lines of history that will reverberate for generations to come. Now is the time for the next great generation. Throughout history we have always answered the bell, always been willing to solve the difficult problems, overcome the insurmountable obstacles, and answer the unanswerable questions. Now is one of those times, time for us to raise the bar, to do the unimaginable; to be Americans.
I pray that God put purpose in each of our hearts, so that all can go forward from this place, may God bless you, and may god always bless America.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Burris...Moron? Political Genius?
It has been a strange year in politics, a strange year indeed. This year has been filled with many surprises: the election of the first Black President, the defeat of Clintonian dominance, the victory of a comedian to a senate seat, and the emergence of a comedic vice presidential candidate. All in all, it has been an exciting ride. One thing that hasn't been surprising is the exposure of continued corruption in the Chicago political machine. Yes of course I am talking about our favorite governor with the funny name. It seems that being caught on tape soliciting money and favors in exchange for a senate appointment is not a harsh enough offense to drive one from the national spotlight. This should surprise but now shock us; think of the Alaskan Senator caught soliciting sex in an airport bathroom who still refused to step down, or the one time Speaker of the House and author of the "Contract with America", the man who brought moral reform back to popularity and all but crucified Bill Clinton who then himself fell victim to an affair. Yes we tolerate a lot from our public figures, corruption, lies, distortion, and even hypocrisy. I point all of this out because in all honesty I have no bone to pick with Governor Blagojevich rather, if their is any indignation to be had we must direct our disdain towards the ever unpopular figure Roland Burris.
Now I must admit that when it was first announced that the good Governor had appointed someone to fill the vacated seat I naturally assumed that he nominated himself. I could think of no better way to strike back at the media, his constituents, and the rest of the country then by sticking his middle finger loudly into the air and taking the seat for himself. It seems like the kind of thing that an egomaniacal lunatic like Blagojevich would do. Plus I reasoned, no serious, qualified, self-respecting politician would be caught dead accepting such an appointment. Well, I was half right. I think that it speaks volumes about Roland Burris that he not only is the choice but seems to have accepted that role with enthusiasm and relish. Based on his behavior I can draw only one of two conclusions: either he is in fact a complete and utter moron, or he is very politically astute, and places a great deal of faith in the law and rules of our nation. Either way, he is a moron.
There is no doubt that Burris knew that Blagojevich was using him as a pawn to prove that not only could he beat the bad wrap, but that he was still in charge. The Governor appointed him because he was a qualified candidate, but more importantly he was a qualified African-American Candidate. In doing so he knew that it would be extremely difficult for Senate Democrats to refuse entry to a man who would now be the sole Black Senator in all the land. So I understand the Governor's motives, but what the hell is Burris thinking? As I said before he is either a complete moron who somehow despite his many accomplishments is not able to deduce what even an elementary student could, or he really is a political genius who understands that he has zero chance of ever actually being elected to the Senate, so he should simply take this opportunity that has so graciously fallen in his lap. If this is the case he must have a very strong belief in justice and the rule of law as he seems to genuinely expect to be seated.
Now, while I am not going to go so far as to say that Mr. Burris's trust has been misplaced, I must point out that he was not sworn in with the incoming class today on Capital Hill, and in fact was barred from entering the Senate Chambers. So what to do now? To me the answer is simple: you have to give Mr. Burris his seat. He was appointed lawfully, meets all qualifications to hold the seat, and seems to be an upstanding American. Yes it is unfortunate that he has been appointed by a Governor who will likely be impeached and possibly indicted, but none the less the seat is his. There is no legal argument that can possibly prevent him from entering the Senate should he continue to insist to do so. All that said it is worth noting that if the state legislature in Illinois would have simply voted a special election than none of this would have ever happened. However, the many chicken-shit Democrats in Illinois did not want to put the seat up for an open race and risk potentially loosing their party's stranglehold on the Senate. This again seems ridiculous to me being that a Black Man who's name rhymes with a well known terrorist won this seat four years ago and just won the Presidency in an election in which the Democratic Party dominated nationwide. In fact the Republican Party was not even able to come up with a serious candidate for this seat four years ago and instead had to resort to running the carpet-bagging, bible-thumping, holier-than-thou sellout Alan Keys. Why would Illinois Democrats not be confident that they could hold this seat in an open election in this political climate? Who knows, it seems to be just another mystery of Illinois politics.
Now I must admit that when it was first announced that the good Governor had appointed someone to fill the vacated seat I naturally assumed that he nominated himself. I could think of no better way to strike back at the media, his constituents, and the rest of the country then by sticking his middle finger loudly into the air and taking the seat for himself. It seems like the kind of thing that an egomaniacal lunatic like Blagojevich would do. Plus I reasoned, no serious, qualified, self-respecting politician would be caught dead accepting such an appointment. Well, I was half right. I think that it speaks volumes about Roland Burris that he not only is the choice but seems to have accepted that role with enthusiasm and relish. Based on his behavior I can draw only one of two conclusions: either he is in fact a complete and utter moron, or he is very politically astute, and places a great deal of faith in the law and rules of our nation. Either way, he is a moron.
There is no doubt that Burris knew that Blagojevich was using him as a pawn to prove that not only could he beat the bad wrap, but that he was still in charge. The Governor appointed him because he was a qualified candidate, but more importantly he was a qualified African-American Candidate. In doing so he knew that it would be extremely difficult for Senate Democrats to refuse entry to a man who would now be the sole Black Senator in all the land. So I understand the Governor's motives, but what the hell is Burris thinking? As I said before he is either a complete moron who somehow despite his many accomplishments is not able to deduce what even an elementary student could, or he really is a political genius who understands that he has zero chance of ever actually being elected to the Senate, so he should simply take this opportunity that has so graciously fallen in his lap. If this is the case he must have a very strong belief in justice and the rule of law as he seems to genuinely expect to be seated.
Now, while I am not going to go so far as to say that Mr. Burris's trust has been misplaced, I must point out that he was not sworn in with the incoming class today on Capital Hill, and in fact was barred from entering the Senate Chambers. So what to do now? To me the answer is simple: you have to give Mr. Burris his seat. He was appointed lawfully, meets all qualifications to hold the seat, and seems to be an upstanding American. Yes it is unfortunate that he has been appointed by a Governor who will likely be impeached and possibly indicted, but none the less the seat is his. There is no legal argument that can possibly prevent him from entering the Senate should he continue to insist to do so. All that said it is worth noting that if the state legislature in Illinois would have simply voted a special election than none of this would have ever happened. However, the many chicken-shit Democrats in Illinois did not want to put the seat up for an open race and risk potentially loosing their party's stranglehold on the Senate. This again seems ridiculous to me being that a Black Man who's name rhymes with a well known terrorist won this seat four years ago and just won the Presidency in an election in which the Democratic Party dominated nationwide. In fact the Republican Party was not even able to come up with a serious candidate for this seat four years ago and instead had to resort to running the carpet-bagging, bible-thumping, holier-than-thou sellout Alan Keys. Why would Illinois Democrats not be confident that they could hold this seat in an open election in this political climate? Who knows, it seems to be just another mystery of Illinois politics.
Monday, January 05, 2009
2009 Hope for a New Year
As we roll into 2009 I think it is important for us all to realize that hope is not a strategy. Yes I know it is a catchy campaign phrase. It is great to "Believe in something better", and of course "Yes we can" (whatever that means), but my friends hope is not a strategy. After enduring one of the most tumultuous years in my brief and damaged memory, I look forward to a new year not with hope and expectations, but with a somber and pragmatic viewpoint. Yes we will see a much needed change of leadership (if there was any leadership there at all), it is likely that we will see our role in Iraq be significantly diminished (please don't be confused though, our role in the Middle East will only continue to grow), and we may even see a congress that actually accomplishes something. However, there is little doubt in my mind that 2009 will be a year of tough sledding, filled with trials, scandals, and continued death and destruction.
I know this paints a gloomy picture for those of you who would like to believe that by changing the last digit when you write the date that we will some how suddenly be rescued from the tepid economic situation we find ourselves in, or that on January 20th somehow our society will rise up and once again serve as a beacon of freedom and light in the world. The truth of the matter is that it took us a significant amount of time and work to put ourselves into this rut, and it will certainly take us a great deal of time to dig out. For those of you still looking for that elusive emotion known as hope I offer these five positive predictions:
1. The President will be Presidential Again:
You would think that with less than a month remaining in his term I would give the poor guy a break. Alas, you obviously have not read my blog before. Yes it has been an interested eight years with our boy Dubbya. It is quite possible that ol' Bush may have been the most underestimated President in the history of our country. When he took office we all knew that he was not that bright, but who could have predicted the sheer scale of the calamity that would insue? A multi billion dollar deficit, complete collapse of economy, the highest unemployment rates in decades, and oh yeah I almost forgot the wonderful contributions to foreign policy. Well there is one downside to the upcomming transition: no more "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches".
2. The Senate will Get a Lot Funnier:
Apparantly the further north you go, and the closer you get to Canada, the less in touch with reality the body politic becomes. From the state that brought you Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura, now emerges the one time comedian and victor of one of the closest senate races in history, Al Franken. Personnally I like Franken, but I can't get over a state that continues to choose leaders based on their tv personas. Now I know that California elected the "Governator", but come on thats California, what do you expect? Minnesota is supposed to exhibit that midwestern common sense and practicality that we are always hearing about. Seriously guys, I think the nine month long winters may finally be getting to you.
3. The Constitution will Come Back In-Vogue:
Our poor little friend the Constitution; never has a document been held in such high esteem and utterly ignored at the same time. Habeous Corpus? What are you talking about? A right to privacy, to face ones accusors, to a trial by a jury of one's peers, to not being tortured, err interogated rigorously, to an attorney, to humane treatment? Yes this poor document has taken a beating over the last few years. It's distant cousin the Geneva Convention also seems to be in a sad state of disrepair. Assuming the President-Elect keeps his word and closes the gates to Gitmo once and for all, we can expect at least some kind of return to the rule of law. What was the aim of the terrorist again? Something about disrupting our way of life and proving that our systems of law and government don't work....hmmm.
4. Sarah Palin will not Go Away:
Now I know that many of you have visions of Governor Palin sitting in her rocking chair on her front porch overlooking Russia. I have some good news for you, the Governor of Alaska a.k.a the punchline that just kept giving is not going away. I predict an ever growing national presence for America's favoriate hockey mom. While a sad statement about the Republican Party and America as a whole, her extended 15 minutes of fame will no doubt lead to more hilarious gaffes and a continued demonstration of her intellectual prowess. Note to self: make sure you know how many countries are in North America prior to running for national office.
5. We will Come to Know World Peace:
Yes thats right, we will come to know world peace in the year 2009. Hey, it's entirely possible. It is also possible that I couldn't come up with 5 positive things that will happen in this new year. Yes, I know I am a cynical old bastard, but hey at least I'm consistant.
I know this paints a gloomy picture for those of you who would like to believe that by changing the last digit when you write the date that we will some how suddenly be rescued from the tepid economic situation we find ourselves in, or that on January 20th somehow our society will rise up and once again serve as a beacon of freedom and light in the world. The truth of the matter is that it took us a significant amount of time and work to put ourselves into this rut, and it will certainly take us a great deal of time to dig out. For those of you still looking for that elusive emotion known as hope I offer these five positive predictions:
1. The President will be Presidential Again:
You would think that with less than a month remaining in his term I would give the poor guy a break. Alas, you obviously have not read my blog before. Yes it has been an interested eight years with our boy Dubbya. It is quite possible that ol' Bush may have been the most underestimated President in the history of our country. When he took office we all knew that he was not that bright, but who could have predicted the sheer scale of the calamity that would insue? A multi billion dollar deficit, complete collapse of economy, the highest unemployment rates in decades, and oh yeah I almost forgot the wonderful contributions to foreign policy. Well there is one downside to the upcomming transition: no more "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches".
2. The Senate will Get a Lot Funnier:
Apparantly the further north you go, and the closer you get to Canada, the less in touch with reality the body politic becomes. From the state that brought you Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura, now emerges the one time comedian and victor of one of the closest senate races in history, Al Franken. Personnally I like Franken, but I can't get over a state that continues to choose leaders based on their tv personas. Now I know that California elected the "Governator", but come on thats California, what do you expect? Minnesota is supposed to exhibit that midwestern common sense and practicality that we are always hearing about. Seriously guys, I think the nine month long winters may finally be getting to you.
3. The Constitution will Come Back In-Vogue:
Our poor little friend the Constitution; never has a document been held in such high esteem and utterly ignored at the same time. Habeous Corpus? What are you talking about? A right to privacy, to face ones accusors, to a trial by a jury of one's peers, to not being tortured, err interogated rigorously, to an attorney, to humane treatment? Yes this poor document has taken a beating over the last few years. It's distant cousin the Geneva Convention also seems to be in a sad state of disrepair. Assuming the President-Elect keeps his word and closes the gates to Gitmo once and for all, we can expect at least some kind of return to the rule of law. What was the aim of the terrorist again? Something about disrupting our way of life and proving that our systems of law and government don't work....hmmm.
4. Sarah Palin will not Go Away:
Now I know that many of you have visions of Governor Palin sitting in her rocking chair on her front porch overlooking Russia. I have some good news for you, the Governor of Alaska a.k.a the punchline that just kept giving is not going away. I predict an ever growing national presence for America's favoriate hockey mom. While a sad statement about the Republican Party and America as a whole, her extended 15 minutes of fame will no doubt lead to more hilarious gaffes and a continued demonstration of her intellectual prowess. Note to self: make sure you know how many countries are in North America prior to running for national office.
5. We will Come to Know World Peace:
Yes thats right, we will come to know world peace in the year 2009. Hey, it's entirely possible. It is also possible that I couldn't come up with 5 positive things that will happen in this new year. Yes, I know I am a cynical old bastard, but hey at least I'm consistant.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
I Was So Wrong...
My Dear Readers,
It is not often that I must humble my self and admit that I was completely and utterly wrong. However, this particular mea culpa is not only necessary, but quite possibly the most important apology I have made in my entire life. Yes, I got it wrong. There you go, I'm printing it here in black and white, I was WRONG. For those of you who read my previous post about Sarah Palin I apologize. I apologize unabashedly, profusely, and continuously. I sincerely regret and heartache ( and headaches) this caused you.
When I poked and prodded the good Governor for not doing interviews and press conferences I spoke out of ignorance. Please forgive me as there was no way that I could have predicted what would follow. Despite all of the coaching, all of the closed door sessions, the rote memorization, the flash cards, and even the tiny computer chip they placed in the back of her neck, Governor Palin still managed to amaze even me in her utter unintelligability (yes I know that is not really a word) when speaking with Katie Couric. As memorable as this interview was (I will spare you the sordid details, but will include a link to the transcript at the bottom for those of you with morbid curiosities) it almost pales in comparison to her wonderfully atrocious debate performance.
Now, I know what you are thinking; many a television pundit said the debate went well for the self-proclaimed "Bulldog with Lipstick". However, despite having expectations set lower then the hot sands of Death Valley, this "Maverick" (by the way where is Goose, Iceman, Cougar, and Merlin?) politician still managed to limbo beneath the mark. To be fair though, it is not her fault. Nobody told her that she was at a Vice Presidential debate and not a Hannah Montana concert...how was she to know that she was not supposed to be giving "shout outs"? I must admit it is difficult to talk about issues like Pakistan and Iran, that pesky curve in the earth makes it almost impossible to see those countries from her porch steps in Alaska. And yes Governor, we'll admit that we forgot that the cheer actually goes "Drill Baby Drill" because we were too busy realizing that big oil got us into this mess in the first place. Ultimately though, all of that is okay though, because when the going gets tough, and you are sitting at the head of the Senate, or (God forbid) in the Oval Office, I am sure that cute little wink of yours will make the all the difference with the likes of Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hugo Chavez.
So I come before you today my dear readers with my hat in hand, my head hanging low, and my reputation in shambles. For it was I who called on the perky little Governor to speak. It was I who encouraged her to unleash her brilliance on the world. It is I who forever stained the American psyche with the dribble of a small town mayor, a governor, a mother of five, a maverick, a bulldog with lipstick, and a fraud nearly the size of Alaska. Lastly, I must apologize to all of you who (like me) watch Letterman every night to see "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches". Now thanks to Governor Palin the Bushism's of the past no longer amuse me, instead it makes me realize just how smart ol' W is in comparison.
It is not often that I must humble my self and admit that I was completely and utterly wrong. However, this particular mea culpa is not only necessary, but quite possibly the most important apology I have made in my entire life. Yes, I got it wrong. There you go, I'm printing it here in black and white, I was WRONG. For those of you who read my previous post about Sarah Palin I apologize. I apologize unabashedly, profusely, and continuously. I sincerely regret and heartache ( and headaches) this caused you.
When I poked and prodded the good Governor for not doing interviews and press conferences I spoke out of ignorance. Please forgive me as there was no way that I could have predicted what would follow. Despite all of the coaching, all of the closed door sessions, the rote memorization, the flash cards, and even the tiny computer chip they placed in the back of her neck, Governor Palin still managed to amaze even me in her utter unintelligability (yes I know that is not really a word) when speaking with Katie Couric. As memorable as this interview was (I will spare you the sordid details, but will include a link to the transcript at the bottom for those of you with morbid curiosities) it almost pales in comparison to her wonderfully atrocious debate performance.
Now, I know what you are thinking; many a television pundit said the debate went well for the self-proclaimed "Bulldog with Lipstick". However, despite having expectations set lower then the hot sands of Death Valley, this "Maverick" (by the way where is Goose, Iceman, Cougar, and Merlin?) politician still managed to limbo beneath the mark. To be fair though, it is not her fault. Nobody told her that she was at a Vice Presidential debate and not a Hannah Montana concert...how was she to know that she was not supposed to be giving "shout outs"? I must admit it is difficult to talk about issues like Pakistan and Iran, that pesky curve in the earth makes it almost impossible to see those countries from her porch steps in Alaska. And yes Governor, we'll admit that we forgot that the cheer actually goes "Drill Baby Drill" because we were too busy realizing that big oil got us into this mess in the first place. Ultimately though, all of that is okay though, because when the going gets tough, and you are sitting at the head of the Senate, or (God forbid) in the Oval Office, I am sure that cute little wink of yours will make the all the difference with the likes of Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hugo Chavez.
So I come before you today my dear readers with my hat in hand, my head hanging low, and my reputation in shambles. For it was I who called on the perky little Governor to speak. It was I who encouraged her to unleash her brilliance on the world. It is I who forever stained the American psyche with the dribble of a small town mayor, a governor, a mother of five, a maverick, a bulldog with lipstick, and a fraud nearly the size of Alaska. Lastly, I must apologize to all of you who (like me) watch Letterman every night to see "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches". Now thanks to Governor Palin the Bushism's of the past no longer amuse me, instead it makes me realize just how smart ol' W is in comparison.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Oh Yeah, I want her to be President...
So one of the great things about our country is that virtually anyone can run for a prominent national office. That's right, anyone, regardless of how unqualified or just down right ignorant they are. This was demonstrated in 2004 when James Hart was placed on the ballot as the Republican candidate for a house seat in the Tennessee 8th district after gaining 78% of the votes in the Republican primary. Mr. Hart's platform espouses his fundamental belief in the debunked and absurd principles of Eugenics. Eugenics advocates believe in selective breading and forced sterilization as a mechanism to purify the white race. Hart is known to show up on the door steps of those in his district wearing a bullet proof vest and brandishing a handgun while shouting "White children need to be protected" (by the way he is running again this year as a write in).
So yes, anyone and I do mean anyone can run for high office in this country. What is disturbing this year is that unlike Mr. Hart who is considered even by the staunchest, right wing, gun-toting, (and even racist) Republicans as a joke, we now have a Republican candidate for the second highest office in the land who seems to have the education and understanding of an elementary school student.
After avoiding the press for several weeks and giving no interviews or press conferences (as of the publication of this post she has still only given two interviews and held no open press conferences...boy I wonder what they are hiding) Governor Sarah Palin sat down with ABC's Charles Gibson to share her thoughts and finally answer some questions. While it is evident that Palin can speak English (evidently we didn't set that standard for our current president), the words that seem to spill ever so quickly from her lips certainly don't convey any great understanding of the world around us. In perhaps the most telling exchange, Palin clearly demonstrated her knowledge of our current foreign policy stance:
GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine? PALIN: In what respect, Charlie? GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be? PALIN: His world view. GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war. PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?
So yes, anyone and I do mean anyone can run for high office in this country. What is disturbing this year is that unlike Mr. Hart who is considered even by the staunchest, right wing, gun-toting, (and even racist) Republicans as a joke, we now have a Republican candidate for the second highest office in the land who seems to have the education and understanding of an elementary school student.
After avoiding the press for several weeks and giving no interviews or press conferences (as of the publication of this post she has still only given two interviews and held no open press conferences...boy I wonder what they are hiding) Governor Sarah Palin sat down with ABC's Charles Gibson to share her thoughts and finally answer some questions. While it is evident that Palin can speak English (evidently we didn't set that standard for our current president), the words that seem to spill ever so quickly from her lips certainly don't convey any great understanding of the world around us. In perhaps the most telling exchange, Palin clearly demonstrated her knowledge of our current foreign policy stance:
GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine? PALIN: In what respect, Charlie? GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be? PALIN: His world view. GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war. PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?
PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.
Ok, so I am not sure that any further commentary on this is really warranted here, however, I will just for my own amusement (actually my own horror and despair) share just a brief thought.
While it is evident that Gov. Palin clearly had no idea what the Bush Doctrine is, or that it has been the guiding thought in our foreign policy for the last six years that is not the truly amusing (think scary) thing about her statements. She says that Bush is trying to "rid the world of Islamic extremism". Now, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that we invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq because they posed a imminent threat to the security of our country. Saddam Hussein was barely a Muslim, and by no means and extremist. Instead he was a terrible dictator who killed many of his own people, siphoned wealth from his country, and most importantly to us here in the United States, picked a fight with Bush the elder. It is this simple reason (oh and I hear there might be oil over there) that we have chosen to invade a country, kill countless numbers of civilians, loose thousands of our own sons and daughters, and spend over $400 BILLION in taxpayer dollars. What makes Mrs. Palin's statements even more ridiculous is her insinuation at the end of the exchange that President G Dubya had "legitimate and enough intelligence" to take us to war. What fantasy world are we living in here? This is the same woman who once spoke at her church saying that God supported us going to war.
The day that Palin was announced as the Veep candidate I received over twenty phone calls from friends and family asking who this lady was, and why she had been picked? To this day I still cannot answer those questions. I understand her appeal to glasses wearing soccer moms everywhere. Yes she is one of you, an every woman, who takes care of her family and her home. That is all well and good, but shouldn't we expect a little more? I know many women who are great to their families, who balance careers and children, and who are the better of their husbands in every way (have you all met my wife?). These women show character and poise, but I certainly don't want them running the free world. The leader of our country needs to be knowledgeable, rational, educated, and have that indescribable quality of gravitas. Beyond the war, the millions of wasted dollars, the desecration of our individual liberties, and the explosion of the deficit, perhaps the most damaging legacy of the Bush Presidency will be the fact that he made it okay to be ordinary, okay to be uneducated on the issues, inarticulate in public, and corrupt in seclusion. The bar has now been lowered, we can only hope that one day it will be raised again.
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