Ensign: Sarah Palin Is Not ‘Experienced Enough To Be President Of The United States’
Ensign: Sarah Palin Is Not ‘Experienced Enough To Be President Of The United States’
Yesterday, Jeff Gillan of NewsONE in Nevada asked Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, if Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was “qualified to be President.” Ensign responded by saying that he didn’t think Palin was “experienced enough to be president“:
GILLAN: do you think she’s qualified to be President?
ENSIGN: well, I do not think that Barack Obama or her are experienced enough to be President of the United States – neither one of them, and Hillary Clinton was much more qualified to be President than Barack Obama was, but that who the nominee is. John McCain is much more qualified than Barack Obama and certainly Joe Biden is much more qualified than Sarah Palin is. I’d rather have the most qualified person at the top of the ticket, not number two.
Watch it:
Ensign is only the most recent conservative to challenge Palin’s qualifications for office. Just yesterday, former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, who is a top McCain supporter, said that Palin was not “prepared to take over the reins of the presidency.” Here are some conservatives who doubt Palin:
– In a recent New Yorker interview, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said, “I don’t believe she’s qualified to be President of the United States.” Palin “is arguably the thinnest-résumé candidate for Vice-President in the history of America,” added Hagel.
– On Meet the Press two weeks ago, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said, “I don’t believe she’s ready to be president of the United States.”
– In an interview with CNN earlier this month, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney stuttered and hesitated when asked if Palin is “ready to be President.” “That’s something which I — I believe the American people will, uh, assess individually,” said Romney.
– Last week, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who is one of McCain’s most ardent supporters, declared, “Thank God, she’s not gonna have to be president from day one.”
McCain, however, disagrees. He told Don Imus recently that Palin is “the most qualified of anyone recently who has run for vice president to tell you the truth.”
UPDATE: Secretary Eagleburger appeared on Fox News today to recant his statements from yesterday when he said “of course” Palin’s not ready to be Vice President. “I made a serious mistake yesterday,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking when I said it. … I was just plain stupid, and if I have given the flim flam artist Barack Obama some success with this, I am deeply apologetic. I did not intend it.” Watch it:
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“McCain, however, disagrees. He told Don Imus recently that Palin is “the most qualified of anyone recently who has run for vice president to tell you the truth.””
Recently for John McCain is about 4 minutes ago.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:10 pmthere are so many things flailin plain isn’t fit for:
preaching morals- her unwed daughter is knocked up.
public office- unless unethical conduct and neopotism are your thing.
the list goes on and on
October 31st, 2008 at 4:13 pmI am wondering what Bam Bam and Rapture Ready think? What say ye Wannabe Latin King and Daryll?
October 31st, 2008 at 4:14 pmI’m wondering how McCain feels about being relegated to the status of nearly dead.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:25 pmMost of the discussion is about whether Palin could function as president.
Let’s be fair, he’s also stating that Obama isn’t qualified as well.
Like a broken clock, he’s right twice a day. Once for his Palin by inference remark, the second “certainly Joe Biden is much more qualified than Sarah Palin is.”
What he failed to note is that Joe Biden is more qualified to be President than Mavericky McIIIrd is. He’s actually accomplished stuff in his 20+ years in the Senate.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:25 pmNevar.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:25 pmI hear he has sought the counsel of Bob Dole…
.
IMAGINE THIS:
Second in Command…
… Not qualified or experienced to be First in Command.
Second in Command…
… Not capable to step into First Command should there be a need to do so.
Second in Command…
… A job qualification yet to be learned by the wanna-be.
Second in Command…
… Is not like “RUNNER UP” in a beauty pageant.
.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:27 pm“I hear he has sought the counsel of Bob Dole…”
October 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pmWanna hazard a guess which prescription drug McCain will be hawking next year?
BTW, when is this guy gonna make lieutenant?
October 31st, 2008 at 4:34 pmToo bad Seconal isn’t around any more, John could sure use some.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:35 pmI have to admit that when Obama was first testing the waters for a presidential run (before he actually announced his candidacy), my thought was, “oh no — he’s not ready yet. After all, he just got elected Senator and he’s still young. He needs a bit more seasoning first.”
But he proved me wrong. Palin had the entire Republican machinery behind her when she hit the national scene a couple of months ago. Obama didn’t have his party behind him — at the time, Hillary was being regarded as “inevitable”.
Yet Obama slowly made a believer of me. He impressed me with his knowledge of the issues, his common-sense solutions, his patriotism (REAL patriotism, not just mindless jingoism), his understanding of the common person, and his temperment. And then when I studied his background, I realized he wasn’t the inexperienced neophyte I first thought.
Obama wrote his own speeches instead of merely parroting what his handlers told him to say. He has proved his leadership acumen and his managerial abilities. And he has been the undisputed head of his campaign (instead of obviously being led around by the nose).
Not only do I now believe he’s qualified to be President, I believe he will be a FINE President, and definitely the President our country needs.
If Sarah Palin had managed to do all that, I would have far more respect for her than I do.
It amazes me that there are those who still compare Obama’s qualifications with Palin’s and expect to be taken seriously.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:36 pmNevar Says:
Too bad Seconal isn’t around any more, John could sure use some.
It isn’t? Wow. A lot of people I knew in Modesto must have been sorry to see that happen — always assuming they were still alive.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:40 pmVoters agree about Gov. Palin’s experience…
From the CBS/NY Times poll:
All told, 59 percent of voters surveyed said that Ms. Palin was NOT PREPARED for the job, up 9 percentage points since the beginning of the month. Nearly a third of voters polled said that the vice-presidential selection would be a MAJOR FACTOR influencing their vote for president, and those voters broadly favored Senator Barack Obama.
If she can’t handle a hostile press, how is she going to handle a hostile enemy.
Sen. Obama has been questioned by the press, by Bill O’Reily, by Jon Stewart, by Rachel Maddow….and has yet to make a serious gaffe or mistatement.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:46 pmFunny. As near as I can tell Bible Spice isn’t qualified for anything.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:46 pmShe’s not smart enough to be President either.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:47 pmWhen is Palin going to be on the Jon Stewart Daily Show or Stephen Colbert’s Report?
Riiiight.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:49 pm“Local GOP Chairman distributes racist e-mail”
He claims he passed it on not paying much attention to it. People don’t normally forward things they haven’t read and understand.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:54 pmSure Zooey. But she’s “real” just like you and I. We can relate to her. She’s the kind of leader you wanna hang around at the laundramat with and discuss fabric softeners. These are the things I seek in a national leader. Nobody wants one of those educated elitists.There ain’t no arugala in a Palin dinner salad I reckon’. Thems folks are iceberg all the way…
October 31st, 2008 at 4:54 pmdbadass Says:
Sure Zooey. But she’s “real” just like you and I. We can relate to her. She’s the kind of leader you wanna hang around at the laundramat with and discuss fabric softeners. These are the things I seek in a national leader. Nobody wants one of those educated elitists.There ain’t no arugala in a Palin dinner salad I reckon’. Thems folks are iceberg all the way…
October 31st, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Bite me. :-D
October 31st, 2008 at 4:57 pmHere’s what another hockey mom has to say about Sarah Palin.
Don’t Speak for me, Sarah Palin
Hilarious!
October 31st, 2008 at 4:58 pmSorry Zooey. I didn’t realize you liked iceberg…
October 31st, 2008 at 5:00 pmWe all know that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be Vice President of the United States (much less President). Hell, I’m more qualified than she is. I would, however like to address the Senator’s response to Sen. Obama’s alleged lack of qualification. Senator Barack Obama is EMINENTLY qualified to be the President of the United States of America!
It’s my humble opinion that the answer I’m about to expound upon illustrates, perfectly, one of the fundamental differences between how Democrats and Republicans view the role of their President and their Government in general. I have asked several hundred people now what they think the job of the President of the United States is. 80% or so give me the same wrong answer: “To protect the United States”.
In point of fact, the Constitution is what protects the United States and the actual job of the President is threefold:
1. To protect, uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
2. To faithfully execute the law as set forth by the Constitution.
3. To assume, upon Congress declaring war, the mantle of Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
It has been my experience that most Republicans (& some Democrats) I know have NO idea what Senator Obama did for the 13 years preceding taking office in the Illinois State Legislature. Upon completing his work as a very successful community organizer in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the country, Barack Obama attended Harvard Law School where he became the first ever President of the Harvard Law Review (widely considered the preeminent law journal in the world). After finishing his Juris Doctorate, Mr. Obama held a tenured teaching position at the University of Illinois Law School for 11 years in the subject which was his primary field of study at Harvard:
Wait for it…
Constitutional Law!
This man knows more about the Constitution than any other 3 people in the room and that’s on the days that he’s standing on the floor of the United States Senate. Now, go back up and re-read the job description for the President (as outlined in the Constitution) above. Who better to protect, defend and uphold the Constitution than a man who is a bona fide expert on it? It’s a no brainer for me.
The Commander in Chief part is actually a great deal more about who is in certain posts in your Cabinet (SecDef, Chair. Joint Chiefs, etc.) and he’s a bright enough guy to call up Colin Powell or Wesley Clark and figure it out before reacting with his gut (which, we all know, is what Sen. McCain would do). At any rate, Senator Obama is exceedingly qualified to be President of the United States and what’s more, he has (unlike McCain) the temperament for the job.
October 31st, 2008 at 5:05 pm“I do not think Obama or her are experienced…” Would it be too much to ask public officials to AT LEAST be able to speak the language with some semblance of proper grammer? (Yeah, I guess it would. Nobody in this country speaks or writes grammatically, anymore.)
October 31st, 2008 at 5:28 pmdrive safe judyinnm…
October 31st, 2008 at 5:32 pmHas anyone asked Lieberman how he feels about his BFF saying Palin is the most qualified person recently to have run for vice president?
October 31st, 2008 at 5:33 pmjudyinnm Says:
Has anyone asked Lieberman how he feels about his BFF saying Palin is the most qualified person recently to have run for vice president?
Lieberman knows McCain well enough to discount anything that dribbles out of his mouth and down his chin.
October 31st, 2008 at 5:35 pmFlim flam?! Don’t hold back, you pompous ass.
October 31st, 2008 at 5:35 pmNevar Says:
“I hear he has sought the counsel of Bob Dole…”
Wanna hazard a guess which prescription drug McCain will be hawking next year?
October 31st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Ewww! Thanks, Nevar, you made me remember “down, boy!” :D
October 31st, 2008 at 6:11 pmIm from Las Vegas. Does anyone know what John Ensign did before being a congressman? A VETENARIAN
October 31st, 2008 at 6:29 pmThe people selected Obama through the primary process. Palin was hand picked by McCain. BIG DIFFERENCE
Amen.
October 31st, 2008 at 7:09 pmwhen they brought up Eagleberger Palin exclaimed: “I haven’t eaten one of those in weeks..”
October 31st, 2008 at 7:14 pm“– In a recent New Yorker interview, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said, “I don’t believe she’s qualified to be President of the United States.” Palin “is arguably the thinnest-résumé candidate for Vice-President in the history of America,” added Hagel.”
Hey she’s had more executive experience then the other PRESIDENTIAL nominee, Obama hasn’t been a govener. I call that a plus for the McCain Campaign.
November 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pmthethinker Says:
Sure she ran a town smaller than a lot of high schools and for two years a state smaller than 15 American cities. I hardly think that obviates her obvious STUPIDITY. The woman has no understanding of the first amendment and couldnt name a single Supreme Court decision other than Roe v Wade. I mean REALLY? Not Plessy v Ferguson or Brown v Board of Education? How about Miranda? Caribou bimbo is a JOKE. Obama isnt. It really is that simple
November 1st, 2008 at 10:15 pm