Does Sarah Palin's Lack of International Experience Disqualify Her?
Is This a Prerequisite for Vice Presidential Candidates?
That sounds fair...but, is this a standard Democrats and even Republicans have held to for previous V.P. Nominees?
To answer this question consider nominees from both parties over the past 40 years:
Democrats:
1968 Ed Muskie
1972 Sargent Shriver
1976 Walter Mondale
1980 Walter Mondale
1984 Geraldine Ferraro
1988 Lloyd Benson
1992 Al Gore
1996 Al Gore
2000 Joe Lieberman
2004 John Edwards
Republicans:
1968 Spiro Agnew
1972 Spiro Agnew
1976 Robert Dole
1980 George Bush
1984 George Bush
1988 Dan Quayle
1992 Dan Quayle
1996 Jack Kemp
2000 Dick Cheney
Very few, if any of the nominees for Vice President over the past 40 years have had any international experience beyond having a European vacation.
Of the Democratic nominees Sargent Shriver did serve two years as ambassador to France, while among Republicans George Bush, senior served as head of the CIA, which should provide international or foreign service experience.
Many of the others are woefully short of any foreign or international experience, and yet were accepted without challenge, as viable candidates for the job.
Is Sarah Palin being held to a higher standard than men considered for the same job or is it only Republican women who are held to this standard? ( as Geraldine Ferraro's experience was never questioned).
Some will defend this higher standard for Governor Palin by claiming that as Vice President she would be the successor to 72 year old John McCain and the probability that she may have to step into the job is relatively high.
If that is the argument Democrats making it should only recall Vice President Harry Truman who spent most of life running a haberdashery in his home town in Missouri. After a few terms as a congressman and with no experience outside of Missouri and Washington Truman was nominated and elected Vice President in Franklin Roosevelt's administration. At the time a rapidly failing Roosevelt suffered from multiple debilitating and life threatening ailments, one of which took his life, all of which was known prior to the election....and yet Truman was chosen to be his Vice President.
With little experience in governing, international affairs or leading a nation during wartime Truman rose to the challenge and is recorded in history as one of this nation's most effective presidents.
Governor Palin may well be no Truman, But certainly she deserves the same opportunity for success as Truman.
Published by Charles Willoughby
Retired professional engineer. Have traveled much of the world, but have concluded the USA is still the finest place in the world. View profile
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14 Comments
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PRIOR TO OFFICE :Senator 17 years.
AL GORE: BA, Harvard in Government with honors. Studied LAW Vanderbilt University Law School but left before graduation to run for his father’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives SERVED IN VIETNAM. PRIOR TO OFFICE: 17 years in House and Senate.
JACK KEMP BA Post Grad in Economics California Western University Military Service from 1958 to 1962. PRIOR TO BID FOR OFFICE: 53 yeas in White House politics before a presidential bid in 1988.
SARAH PALIN BA in Com after5 years 4 schools: Hawaii Pacific University; North Idaho College; University of Idaho; Matanuska-Susitna College.
A foreign vacation is better than nothing. At least it suggests she is interested in the world. Sarah Palin is a good business woman and she did have some experience in government; however, she is lacking not only in International Politics but also on Domestic Policy, Supreme Court matters, Constitutional law etcetera. The word experience here, as in most job interviews, is broad and includes not only hands-on but knowledge of which usually comes from education, life and positions. Just look at a few people, because face it in the post 9/11 era the emphasis on international in terms of both relations and economics has increased.
Committee on Foreign Relations DICK CHENEY ABD for doctorate in Poli Sci -University of Wisconsin-Madison. BA and Masters in Poli-Sci University of Wyoming, PRIOR TO OFFICE: Involved in politics 32 years including being Assistant to the President under Gerald Ford.
JOE LIEBERMAN: Yale, Dual BA in political science and economics and Masters in Law Yale Law
Kelly,
Perhaps you know something about Dan Quayle, Geraldine Ferraro, and John Edwards that I don't, but I don'y see any broad international experience in any of these. Edwards was prepared with taking points, but in all is an empty shirt, IMO.
With the exception of Agnew, most of the candidates you cite actually had broad foreign policy exposure if you listen to debates were very well versed in foreign policy. Not having operated in the international arena is not the same as not having foreign policy experience. Palin has demonostrated ignorance of even current foreign policy issues and doctrines. When you combine ignorance with the strong opinions she has also voiced on intervention in extremely complicated situations, there is significant cause for alarm. I ask myself now, if Agnew hadn't been forced to resign due to criminal conduct, would he have been able to finish out an administration marked by strong diplomatic progress (not just by political scandal) in the same even-handed manner as Gerald Ford?
Palin is confused; she wouldn't make a good president. Pro-life is fine. Pro-hunting is killing for sport and not a Christian value. She needs to go one way or the other, not both. Going both ways at once is an indication that she hasn't got a clue about what either direction wants.
A very objective and insightful analysis. I find it interesting that so many liberals are complaining about Palin's views on NATO, when Obama and Biden hold the exact same position. Also, the journalist who coined the Bush Doctrine phrase recently stated that Palin was right, and Gibson was wrong. Obama supporters in general are suddenly coming across as desperate and anxious. It seems like they are afraid if they objectively look Palin, Obama will lose the race. Unfortunately, the more his supporters expose the fact they can't back up their claims with concrete evidence, that they are based totally on feelings and emotion, the more it hurts Obama. The Democratic party has a record of blowing elections that they should be winning, and this one is no exception.
Sorry to disagree with you Carol, but simply having "Met a foreign head of state" adds nothing to a Vice President's qualifications...Nothing.
I would again suggest that any review of the candidates for Vice President over the past 40 years revelal few who have in depth foreign relations experience....not simply shaking hands with a foreign leader.
She's better at preaching the Bible more than politicking :>)
Palin is not qualified to be President. She doesn't know a thing about foreign affairs. Her comments on Russia and NATO are dangerous and foolish. Her lack of any sense of what the Bush Doctrine is about is frightening. Her comments about Israel being our friend and we can never second guess their judgment about whatever they think is necessary for their defense are obviously straight from Lieberman's mouth and lack perspective in so many ways I can't think where to begin stating what's unworkable about that approach. People need to separate the politicking from the issues and wake up and think about someone this ignorant of the world around her playing at being President.
Every actual VP for the last 87 years had met a head of state before running for office, i.e. had foreign affairs experience. Every actual VP in the 20th and 21st centuries had met a head of state except Calvin Coolidge and that was in 1921. Only 10 out of 46 VPs in the history of the U.S. had not met a head of state before being elected. Foreign affairs is the President's Constitutional responsibility and YES it is absolutely critical that the VP, first in line for succession to that office, have the requisite experience to do the job esp. when you consider the state of international affairs generally and specifically the conditions that could propel a VP into the Oval Office (assassination, for example). Obama is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has traveled abroad to foreign countries conducting gov't business. He is backed by Joe Biden who has stellar foreign affairs experience. McCain also has foreign affairs experience. He is also 72. Suppose he dies in office-