That's why I started the thread and posed the questions. The answers I posted were pulled directly from the thread.

 

The strongest response for why Obama is more credible and qualified basically boiled down to him being a better speaker and having a better grasp of the issues.

 

I never got an answer to questions 2 and 3, presumably because there was nothing to say. I'd much rather you answer the questions and tell me why I should believe otherwise, rather than a third grade response like the one you gave.

 

So, I'll ask you directly...

 

1. What has Obama done as a senator that is more impressive than what Palin has done as governor of Alaska?

 

2. What evidence is there that should lead me to conclude that Obama would be a more bipartisan president, more willing to work across party lines to get things done, than John McCain?

 

Answer the questions. If you can't, don't respond.

 

It's homecoming week at our school. We had powder puff football games tonight. I had to oversee four games, send a girl to the hospital who I am afraid probably tore her ACL and console the juniors for the last 30 minutes for losing, since they want the seniors to be disqualitied for wearing cleats, even though there is no rule against wearing cleats. So, no, I haven't been on since late afternoon. I'm tired and I have to teach seven classes (not 3rd grade, mind you, but high school ) tomorrow, but since I have been called out, I will respond.

 

1. I am not going to pretend to be greatly knowledgeable about Palin's time as governor. She has a high approval rating there, so I assume that the majority of people in Alaska are satisfied for what she has done for their state. However, I don't think that this is a relevant indication of what she can/would do when working as the possible president of the US. When your focus is on a state of some 600,000 people who live in a more isolated setting, I would hope her focus would be on the needs of those 600,000, not on the needs of the some 300,000,000 US residents.

 

Obama's focus, has, during the same time, been on the 300,000,000. He has co-sponsored bills on immigration, the prevention of election fraud, nuclear energy regulation, and lobbying disclosure. He has also worked for insurance protection for military families providing assistance to injured military family members. He has also done committee work on forgein relations and veteran's affairs.

 

Does this change your mind on Obama vs. Palin? Probably not - that's why I made my earlier comment about we will both have believe whatever we want as answers to these questions. Who has done more for the interests of Alaska? Palin. Who has done more for the interests of the US? Obama.

 

2. This question poses one of my dilemmas. I have always stated that one of the reasons for my consideration of McCain has been that I thought he would me more likely to work in a bipartisan nature, particularly the McCain of old. (I could pull that thread up from about six months ago, but I'll have to take the time to dig for it.) The "current" McCain has, I believe, made some slight concessions that have caused him to appeal to more conservative members.

 

One additional thought - you asked questions that, presumably, would get answers that promote an opinion of McCain/Palin over Obama. You didn't ask a few of the harder questions. What knowledge does Palin have of issues of the economy? Forgein relations? Immigration? Other issues pertinent to the overall US well-being? Perhaps you are already comfortable with answers to those questions, but to me they are revelent.

My post wasn't directed directly at TB&G. 5wide posed those 2 questions in the very first post, and he re-asked the questions, and still no one has answered...

 

I misunderstand the 4 1/2 hours in your post then.

I misunderstand the 4 1/2 hours in your post then.

 

It had been 4 1/2 hours since his post without a response. In all honesty, I missed the part in his post where he directed the questions straight to you, so I understand why some may say it was in reference to you, and for that I apologize.

It had been 4 1/2 hours since his post without a response. In all honesty, I missed the part in his post where he directed the questions straight to you, so I understand why some may say it was in reference to you, and for that I apologize.

 

I understand now. No problem and no need for the apology. :thumb:

It's homecoming week at our school. We had powder puff football games tonight. I had to oversee four games, send a girl to the hospital who I am afraid probably tore her ACL and console the juniors for the last 30 minutes for losing, since they want the seniors to be disqualitied for wearing cleats, even though there is no rule against wearing cleats. So, no, I haven't been on since late afternoon. I'm tired and I have to teach seven classes (not 3rd grade, mind you, but high school ) tomorrow, but since I have been called out, I will respond.

 

1. I am not going to pretend to be greatly knowledgeable about Palin's time as governor. She has a high approval rating there, so I assume that the majority of people in Alaska are satisfied for what she has done for their state. However, I don't think that this is a relevant indication of what she can/would do when working as the possible president of the US. When your focus is on a state of some 600,000 people who live in a more isolated setting, I would hope her focus would be on the needs of those 600,000, not on the needs of the some 300,000,000 US residents.

 

Obama's focus, has, during the same time, been on the 300,000,000. He has co-sponsored bills on immigration, the prevention of election fraud, nuclear energy regulation, and lobbying disclosure. He has also worked for insurance protection for military families providing assistance to injured military family members. He has also done committee work on forgein relations and veteran's affairs.

 

Does this change your mind on Obama vs. Palin? Probably not - that's why I made my earlier comment about we will both have believe whatever we want as answers to these questions. Who has done more for the interests of Alaska? Palin. Who has done more for the interests of the US? Obama.

 

2. This question poses one of my dilemmas. I have always stated that one of the reasons for my consideration of McCain has been that I thought he would me more likely to work in a bipartisan nature, particularly the McCain of old. (I could pull that thread up from about six months ago, but I'll have to take the time to dig for it.) The "current" McCain has, I believe, made some slight concessions that have caused him to appeal to more conservative members.

 

One additional thought - you asked questions that, presumably, would get answers that promote an opinion of McCain/Palin over Obama. You didn't ask a few of the harder questions. What knowledge does Palin have of issues of the economy? Forgein relations? Immigration? Other issues pertinent to the overall US well-being? Perhaps you are already comfortable with answers to those questions, but to me they are revelent.

 

:thumb:

 

That's all I'm looking for...an informative response to the questions I posed. I have no problem with either of your responses. And, you're right, barring some major, unexpected development, I've known that I'd be voting republican since the democratic nomination was narrowed down to the trinity of Hillary, Obama and Edwards.

 

We've all got our own opinions on these things. I put more stock in the fact that Palin has shown a willingness to go against the grain as a leader to do what is right (speaking of her supposed work of cleaning up corruption in Alaska). I can certainly understand the view that Obama's work on a larger scale (America vs. Alaska) is more important though.

 

But ultimately, comparing Obama to Palin is irrelevant to me. It still comes down to McCain and Obama for me. The VP candidates are of minor importance and not enough sway my in any election. I posted this thread because of all the hoopla Palin has received. If I didn't know any better, I'd think McCain was the VP candidate. It just seemed to me that some of the criticisms of Palin were things that could be said about Obama...in that sense, it seems that people are placing Palin's importance as a VP candidate on par with the actual president in this election.

 

That's part of the reason I didn't ask further questions, but I won't argue with you about those being relevant questions. However, you are correct that I feel fairly comfortable about them. I'm confident that Sarah Palin is an intelligent woman who can be brought up to speed on any issue that she's going to be heavily involved in during the coming months. I guess that's why I place more emphasis on past performance. I suppose its just a matter of preference.

 

I appreciate the response. Thanks.:thumb:

Just based on history, we have had 8 of 43 presidents die in office. That's about a 1:5 likelihood that ANY president will die in office. I think it makes Palin's ability to be president extremely relevant.

This is a bad argument. Of the 8 that have died 4 were assasinated. The 4 that died of natural causes...2 died of pneumonia, one from cholera, the 4th and last President to die of natural causes was FDR who died while in his 4th term as President.

 

How many have died of natural causes in the last 50 years?

 

In the last 50 years no President has died of natural causes while in office. Only one President has even died while in office in the last 50 years, JFK.

This is a bad argument. Of the 8 that have died 4 were assasinated. The 4 that died of natural causes...2 died of pneumonia, one from cholera, the 4th and last President to die of natural causes was FDR who died while in his 4th term as President.

 

Bad argument? Do you think any of the presidents who were assasinated expected to be assasinated? I wonder how many presidents had previously battled melanoma at the time of their inauguration.

 

 

In the last 50 years no President has died of natural causes while in office. Only one President has even died while in office in the last 50 years, JFK.

 

Eight out of the ten presidents over the last 50 years were at least ten years younger than John McCain when they entered office.

Bad argument? Do you think any of the presidents who were assasinated expected to be assasinated? I wonder how many presidents had previously battled melanoma at the time of their inauguration.

 

 

 

 

Eight out of the ten presidents over the last 50 years were at least ten years younger than John McCain when they entered office.

How many Presidents ride in convertibles with the top down know? Protection of the President was basically non existent. What do you think the odds are of a President being assasinated today?

 

Two of the Presidents that died of natural causes have been suspected to have been poisioned. Even if they weren't they died of basically food poisioning. Who dies from that now? FDR had a ton of health problems when he died.

 

It's a bad argument. Any President could be shot or die. The argument could be used against Obama by your reasoning.

How many Presidents ride in convertibles with the top down know? Protection of the President was basically non existent. What do you think the odds are of a President being assasinated today?

 

Two of the Presidents that died of natural causes have been suspected to have been poisioned. Even if they weren't they died of basically food poisioning. Who dies from that now? FDR had a ton of health problems when he died.

 

 

The line of argument here is interesting, because you're not making the case for Palin's qualifications to be Commander in Chief, you're making the case that nothing will happen to McCain, therefore it doesn't matter if she is unfit for the office or if McCain exercised poor judgment in her selection. Like I said, interesting...

 

 

It's a bad argument. Any President could be shot or die. The argument could be used against Obama by your reasoning.

 

 

I don't disagree, but Obama is not running with Caribou Barbie on the ticket. Big difference.

How many Presidents ride in convertibles with the top down know? Protection of the President was basically non existent. What do you think the odds are of a President being assasinated today?

 

Two of the Presidents that died of natural causes have been suspected to have been poisioned. Even if they weren't they died of basically food poisioning. Who dies from that now? FDR had a ton of health problems when he died.

 

It's a bad argument. Any President could be shot or die. The argument could be used against Obama by your reasoning.

 

You're right about the bolded. Joe Biden should be scrutinized to the same level that Palin is being looked at. ANY presidental candidate should be evaluated on their ability to step in, should the case warrant it.

The line of argument here is interesting, because you're not making the case for Palin's qualifications to be Commander in Chief, you're making the case that nothing will happen to McCain, therefore it doesn't matter if she is unfit for the office or if McCain exercised poor judgment in her selection. Like I said, interesting...

 

 

 

 

 

I don't disagree, but Obama is not running with Caribou Barbie on the ticket. Big difference.

I will just usethe Obama defense of she is 35 and an American citizen. Seriously, I don't know if she would be a good President or not. It doesn't matter because she isn't running for President.

 

Let's see, Biden ran for the nomination and got all of about 4 votes. Sounds like voters feel he would make a good president.

You're right about the bolded. Joe Biden should be scrutinized to the same level that Palin is being looked at. ANY presidental candidate should be evaluated on their ability to step in, should the case warrant it.

Agreed and honestly I think they both failed at picking a good running mate.

Agreed and honestly I think they both failed at picking a good running mate.

 

They both could have made much better picks.

They both could have made much better picks.

Of course both partys could have made better picks for their nominations.

Of course both partys could have made better picks for their nominations.

 

My heart belongs to Bill Richardson.