Sarah Palin: On Experience as a Campaign Issue, and the Likelihood of Immediate Succession
Posted by: Joshua White | 09/03/2008 9:28 AM
Over the past few days, the mainstream media has displayed unusual vitriol against presumptive Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin. Many observers--including well-regarded individuals on both sides of the aisle--have questioned whether her selection represents a significant folly on the part of Sen. McCain.
Gov. Palin is not a perfect candidate, and she clearly has some significant drawbacks. But from my perspective, she represents the best of the Republican Party, and her benefits outweigh those drawbacks. This is the first of several posts on Gov. Palin.
Perhaps most significantly, her selection effectively removes the "experience" issue from active discussion. What I mean by this is that her selection does not automatically call into question all past discussion on the matter, but it does make difficult any additional claims by the McCain campaign or the GOP that Sen. Barack Obama is unqualified to serve as President.
Some have speculated that not only is the experience issue off the table for future discussion, all past arguments are invalidated. This is not the case. While, from a practical perspective, Sen. McCain can no longer complain too loudly about Sen. Obama's lack of experience, there are significant differences between the situations of Sen. Obama and Gov. Palin--most notably that Sen. Obama, if elected, will actually become the President of the United States on January 20. It is highly unlikely that Gov. Palin will take office as President on that date if elected to the Vice Presidency.
Looking to history, it has always been at least a month between a Vice President entering that office and when he assumed the Presidency (on the occasions when such a succession occurred). Most frequently, a Vice President becomes President about 7 months into the President's term of office.
Above all, Sen. McCain's ticket feels more "balanced" than Sen. Obama's, with Sen. McCain's having the most experienced individual serving the top role, and the opposite with Sen. Obama. McCain/Palin, frankly, feels like how a Presidential campaign ought to be--An experienced individual serving as President, and the next generation "up-and-comer" serving as the number two. I think that voters will recognize that important difference.
Regardless, based on past experience, Gov. Palin will almost certainly have the time needed to prepare herself to execute the duties of the Presidency, should that need present itself.
Gov. Palin is not a perfect candidate, and she clearly has some significant drawbacks. But from my perspective, she represents the best of the Republican Party, and her benefits outweigh those drawbacks. This is the first of several posts on Gov. Palin.
Perhaps most significantly, her selection effectively removes the "experience" issue from active discussion. What I mean by this is that her selection does not automatically call into question all past discussion on the matter, but it does make difficult any additional claims by the McCain campaign or the GOP that Sen. Barack Obama is unqualified to serve as President.
Some have speculated that not only is the experience issue off the table for future discussion, all past arguments are invalidated. This is not the case. While, from a practical perspective, Sen. McCain can no longer complain too loudly about Sen. Obama's lack of experience, there are significant differences between the situations of Sen. Obama and Gov. Palin--most notably that Sen. Obama, if elected, will actually become the President of the United States on January 20. It is highly unlikely that Gov. Palin will take office as President on that date if elected to the Vice Presidency.
Looking to history, it has always been at least a month between a Vice President entering that office and when he assumed the Presidency (on the occasions when such a succession occurred). Most frequently, a Vice President becomes President about 7 months into the President's term of office.
Above all, Sen. McCain's ticket feels more "balanced" than Sen. Obama's, with Sen. McCain's having the most experienced individual serving the top role, and the opposite with Sen. Obama. McCain/Palin, frankly, feels like how a Presidential campaign ought to be--An experienced individual serving as President, and the next generation "up-and-comer" serving as the number two. I think that voters will recognize that important difference.
Regardless, based on past experience, Gov. Palin will almost certainly have the time needed to prepare herself to execute the duties of the Presidency, should that need present itself.
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