Skepticism isn't sexism

ST. PAUL
QUESTIONING Sarah Palin's credentials to be vice president isn't automatically sexist, any more than it is automatically racist to question Barack Obama's readiness to be president.

But, in this campaign, questions about experience and judgment are always cast as code for something else.

Maybe, as Bill Belichick would say, it is what it is: a reasonable part of the voters' quest to feel comfortable about their judgment when it comes to voting for the next commander in chief.

Some Americans are sexist, some are racist, and some are suspicious of presidential candidates who are also senior citizens. But the constant barrage of accusation to discourage legitimate inquiry is depressing.

This week, Republicans are labeling all questions about Palin's experience as sexist and elitist.

Some of the Palin coverage is sexist. A male politician isn't asked about his ability to be a good father. Michelle Obama takes the parenting questions, not her husband, the presidential candidate.

Some of the Palin coverage is ugly. Blogger speculation that the baby with Down syndrome actually belongs to Palin's daughter falls into that category.

So does the tittering about the truth about the Palin family - 17-year-old Bristol Palin is unmarried and pregnant. What does that have to do with Palin's qualifications to be vice president? Teenagers have unprotected sex, against the best advice of their parents and the Republican Party platform.

But questions about Palin's experience are absolutely justified. The bar is set higher for women. But given the country's unfamiliarity with John McCain's chosen running mate, there's nothing wrong with asking the same questions that are asked about male candidates for president or vice president: Do they have the experience, temperament, and judgment to do the job?

A week ago, most Americans had never heard of Sarah Palin. Now, this first-term governor and onetime mayor of a tiny municipality is being touted as the next Hillary Clinton, except that Palin is pro-gun, antiabortion, and has gotten where she is in politics without the benefit of a famous husband.

Palin can give the speech of her life at the Republican National Convention. It won't beef up her resume and it's amusing to watch top-tier Republicans like Rudy Giuliani insist otherwise.

When Giuliani was running for president, GOP opponents challenged the relevance of his experience as mayor of New York to serve as the nation's commander in chief. Yet Giuliani is vouching for Palin, arguing that her much-less impressive experience makes her ready to be vice president, as well as John McCain's successor, if necessary.

Questions about Palin's judgment during her brief political career are also relevant to assessing her qualifications as McCain's running mate. Palin should answer for the abuse-of-power allegation regarding her efforts to have her trooper brother-in-law fired. She should be asked to explain how a small-town mayor who hired a Washington lobbyist to bring home millions in bacon can be cast as McCain's partner against pork. And then there's the matter of Alaska trying to secede from the nation.

Questions about McCain's judgment are also fair. His running mate is a woman he and the country are just starting to know. It's going to take a while for anyone but the most ardent ideologues to feel comfortable with his selection of this political mystery woman.

By the way, McCain faces legitimate questions about his own experience. He showed courage and character as a POW. Why is it wrong to wonder if that experience automatically transfers to the Oval Office? Or to contemplate the impact of age on his mindset and energy level?

It's also fair to ask whether a former community organizer, state legislator, and one-term US senator has the right mix of experience and judgment to be president.

Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, has had the last 18 months to make that case. Over the course of the campaign, he debated tough opponents, and discussed complex domestic and foreign policy issues. People now know his biography and ideology. They have watched him confront criticism and handle campaign pressures. Even so, some still question his readiness.

Millions of Americans have good cause to second-guess their previous votes. Maybe this time, they are being extra-careful about getting it right.

Joan Vennochi can be reached at vennochi@globe.com.