Like most people, I knew nothing about Sarah Palin until yesterday, beyond a slight familiarity with the sound of the name. In the past day, the Governor of Alaska has become the focus of national scrutiny. Republican strategists have pounded the talking points across the airways, while hosts and analysts have been cautious.
Within minutes of John McCain’s announcement of his running mate, everything was abuzz. His strategy was apparent: Bring in a hard right-wing woman and capture the hearts of disaffected Hillary supporters and evangelicals who see McCain as far too liberal for their tastes.
Since I’ve questioned Joe Biden’s bona fides within the niche of this blawg’s focus, it seems fair and appropriate to do the same for Ms. Palin. Unfortunately, this is not to be, since Ms. Palin has no track record from which to discern her position on law, order and punishment.
We know, thanks to Jonathon Adler at Volohk, that she wrote a New York Times Op-Ed opposing the listing of polar bears on the endangered species list. I hear that she’s anti-abortion, a PTA mom and a lifetime NRA member. Is this enough to speculate that she will follow the basic “tough on crime” agenda? According to OntheIssues, this is Palin’s views on crime:
If legislature passed death penalty law, I would sign it I support adequate funding for a strong public safety presence in Alaska. Feeling safe in our communities is something we cannot accept any compromise on. This includes policing in all its forms, the court system, prosecutors and corrections. If the legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it. We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive by shooting will never be able to do that again.
Source: Campaign website, www.palinforgovernor.com, “Issues” Nov 7, 2006
A white-bread Republican position, strong on order based on fear of crime. The only aspect that’s curious at all is her statement that “we have a right” to execute people. Clearly, she is deeply concerned with rights. Just not those of the people she would execute.
The only question will turn out to be whether Sarah Palin, “a heartbeat away from the presidency,” is someone we would want with her finger on the button (note: this is an old cold war reference, with which the slackoisie may be unfamiliar), regardless of her sex. Being deeply concerned with issues of latent sexism, this is how it should be. Only when we remove sexist concerns can we see people as people.
In the case of John McCain, the qualifications of his number 2 may be more significant than for Obama, since odds are greater that he won’t make it through the full term. He may be in robust health now, but he is old and there’s no way to ignore this fact.
What is curious is that the primary thrust of McCain’s arguments against electing Barak Obama is that Obama lacks the experience to be President. It would seem that he’s now blown that argument completely by taking in a governor of 18 months longevity in one of our more peculiar states. Since people ultimately vote for the top of the ticket, not the bottom, this would seem an incredibly poor trade-off, giving away his best argument against Obama for a VP who will only bring in the staunchest of die-hard feminists, willing to sacrifice every iota of principle to put a woman into the Naval Observatory. There may be some, but hardly enough to make it a good trade.
So while one should have deep concerns about Joe Biden’s somewhat schizophrenic views of criminal justice, at least he’s demonstrated a basic understanding of the issues and may be subject to thoughtful persuasion. Sarah Palin, not so much.
One thing that presents a very interesting question: How does Joe Biden debate Sarah Palin? No matter what he does, will it look like a bully beating up on a child? Will he come off as a pedantic old man lecturing a recalcitrant schoolgirl?
But the Presidency of the United States is bigger than just criminal justice issues, or even polar bears. At the moment, there’s nothing to suggest that Sarah Palin has any thoughts and competencies at all. But Laura Ingraham likes her a lot, and since she is one of the most nasty, despicable ignoramuses around, that tells me a lot.
Update: Check out David Frum’s Diary from The National Review. Therein lies the difference between honest, intelligent conservatism and the neocon crap that masquerades as thought to those who think twinkies are “darn tootin’ good.”
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