Sarah Palin is Unqualified to Be Vice President

In an unexpected and (in my opinion) desperate bid to appeal to a wider range of voters, John McCain has chosen Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, to be his running mate in the 2008 presidential elections. At first, it seems this "maverick" move might have worked in his favor -- American viewed Palin as a Washington outsider, unaffected by typical partisan bickering and unburdened by messy associations with the Bush administration. She came across as a relatable, down-home hockey mom who just might have been the breath of fresh air our country needed.

Then she opened her mouth. There was a reason we didn't see her on the morning news and talk show circuit for a few weeks. When she did finally address the media, they were ecstatic -- not because of her political genius, but because of her now-famous flubs that quickly became late-night talk show fodder. For example, when asked about her foreign policy experience, she cited the fact that Alaska borders Russia and Canada. Not only is this not news, it does not count as experience. My state shares a maritime border with Cuba. Does that give me experience dealing with a Communist government? I have traveled to Europe and Mexico, and bought souvenirs while I was there. Does that give me foreign trade experience? Hardly.

When Katie Couric asked Palin what news sources she used to follow the campaign before she was tapped to sit second chair on the Republican ticket, Palin could not name a single one. When put on the spot, she couldn't think of one news program, magazine, or newspaper that covered politics. Even the Daily Show with John Stewart might have qualified. Better Homes and Gardens, or Hockey Mom Weekly, probably does not. When asked by Charlie Gibson if she believed in the Bush Doctrine, she fumbled for an answer until he explained to her what it was. How is someone who is not versed in even the most basic, well-known current policies qualified for the second-highest government position?

Sarah Palin calls herself a maverick, but in my opinion, her extremism runs in the wrong direction. She displays rather fundamental Republican ideals that are a little too "outside the box". When she was mayor, she attempted to have some books banned at the local library, and when the librarian resisted, Palin had her fired. Is that someone we want in office, supposedly upholding our right of free speech. She also has accused Barak Obama of "palling around with terrorists". That sounds more like a quote made by her favorite imaginary constituent, Joe Six-Pack, rather than a sophisticated and intelligent politician. Obama has been upfront with the fact that the he served on an education board with William Ayers. He is not his "pal" : Ayers is not going to be a cabinet member; Ayers and Obama don't go to bars or hockey games together. In my opinion, this quote along with her dislike of controversial literature demonstrates that Palin would be a hard-line conservative, and divide Washington in a time when it needs to be united.

Finally, the thought of Palin becoming leader of this country in the event of John McCain's death is even more frightening. In the words of Matt Damon, the idea of a folksy hockey mom becoming president is like a "bad Disney movie". Although I think she is intelligent, and a fast learner, she does not have the experience to be head of this nation.