Hagel questions Palin's readiness

Funny. But I remember Mr. Biden saying something very similar about Obama....

At least a republican of name is willing to admit the truth..

Palin is a joke and so isn't McCain.

McCain can spread lies like jelly but when it comes to substance his jar is empty.

He is spot on with his analysis! NEWS CONFERENCES FOR PALIN!!! She needs to show what she knows in front of the national press corp. She is not doing it because she is a FRAUD and Mccain knows it!!!

I believe in calling a spade a spade and Chuck Hagel is a RINO.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."

This is a man that wanted to be Obama's running mate & someone finds the comments surprising...Obama who's only real experience is running for President
Amazing...Obama & Palin about the same age...only difference in experience is she has a little more...yet I guess because she is a woman we should question her

Neither candidate has any foreign policy experience going in, so these are rather bias statements on the part of Hagel. The media keeps going back and forth between foreign policy or executive experience between a VP and presidential a candidate. You would think there would be some concern in supporting a candidate who has no more then 143 days of public service to run the country. The most recent smear is about the Wall street financial district without mentioning that McCain co-sponsored the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005 which ironically was sponsored by Hagel. The bill itself never made it out of committee and was killed by Democrats when Barney Frank was the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee.

It's crystal clear that Biden is a liability to the Democratic ticket, and Hillary would bring scorned radical feminists back into the Democratic fold. (I'd wager that Hillary & Co. would not vote for an Obama/Biden ticket, allowing McCain to win so Hillary can run on her own in 2012.)

The question would then be, if Hillary becomes the Democratic VP nominee, and Obama/Clinton win, does Obama suspect her plan to run against him in the 2012 Democratic primary?

Let me share some info with you that I have gotten from excellent sources within the DNC:

On or about October 5th, Biden will excuse himself from the ticket, citing health problems, and he will be replaced by Hillary. This is timed to occur after the VP debate on 10/2.

I have already seen a few short blurbs about this - the "health problem" cited in those articles was an aneurysm. He had two brain aneurysm surgeries in 1988. Probably many of you have heard the same rumblings.

In any case, this is a total manipulation of the American public and shows a complete disdain for our intelligence.

I'm curious as to why there is so much interest in Sarah Palin's experience as vice presidential candidate - but Obama's lack of any meaningful experience running anything seems to be okay - and he's running for the top spot?

OOSEE, I totally see with what you're saying...You're on target....
Wish you could blast this on national TV and create a whole debate about it...

In the US, minorities are told to work harder, try harder and Obama who was raised by a single mom, worked his butt off to be admitted to one of the best schools in the nation, became the first black president of his school, is running for highest office, and has done, ALL those things minorities are supposed to do is still NOT on an equal platform...

Granted, America has made some progress, but it's still a long way to go...We'll
get there as ONE Nation...

oosee needs to acknowledge Ta-nesi Coates (of The Atlantic) as the source of his post . . .

When Palin's lack of qualifications to be VP and potentially president are called into question, even by a fellow Republican, there are shouts that Obama also lacks experience. But it is the Republican ticket that is claiming that experience matters the most. So be it. McCain's 20+ years of experience in the Senate proves that all of his recent statements about supporting regulation to correct the financial crisis are pandering lies. His experience has been as a champion of the very economic policies -- deregulation, let the markets run wild -- that has caused this unprecedented mess. Despite all of his foreign policy experience McCain thinks Spain is in Latin America and is an adversary of ours, doesn't know the difference between Sunni and Shia, and doesn't know where Iran is (it does not border Pakistan, Iraq does). The great experience that Palin claims for herself is to have been a hockey mom, a pitbull with lipstick, and able to see Russia from parts of her state. She got a "D" in macroeconomics in college. How can anyone compare her lack of experience to Obama's or believe that McCain's qualifies him to reform the politics and economics that he has spent his life devoted to?

Good grief.

Those of you comparing Palin's expirience to that of Obama need to buy a clue.
Palin: BA in Journalism Univ. of Idaho (one person cited 4 but I have read reports in this paper that she attended a total of six colleges).
Mayor of Wasilla, AK more moose than people raised taxes to fund sports center which is operating at a loss
Governor of Alaska: 20 months took on established good old system and replaced it with her own. When this campaign started she had been gov. 1 month. Claims to have opposed 'Bridge to nowhere' but initially supported it and took federal earmarks anyway. Sold a stated plane through a broker for a $500,000 loss after failing to sell it on ebay three times.
Obama: BA Columbia Poli Sci and concentration in Foreign affairs Cum Laude
Community organizer in Chicago
Harvard Law school; President of Harvard law review; First Black president
Went back to Chicago to practice law and teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago.
Two term state senator (sponsored key healthcare legislation)
U.S. Senator
Sponsored legislation for government transparency (which palin did not know about and suggested today)
Hagel is merely speaking the truth, he has actually put his 'Country First' by being a statesman rather than a politician.We need more of these people!

John McCain probably vets vice presidential candidates the same way he vets wives: older/more experienced women score "no thanks" – young/pretty women score "Hey! wanna be my running mate". John McCain deserted his first wife, who stood by him during his long years of imprisonment. Then she was in a car accident which left her crippled and disfigured. So John McCain, set on chasing after women 20 years his junior, trashed his marital vows, divorced his first wife, barely one month later marries a millionare, bleached blond, heiress 20 years his junior. And this from a man of honor?

John McCain only seems to know one way to judge women -- and that's based on looks. If John McCain wanted a woman on his ticket, he could have chosen a more experienced Republican senator or governor like Kay Bailey Hutchinson, or former Governor Jane Swift. Instead he chose Sarah Palin. Based on what? Instinct?

Chuck Hagle had his opportunity to run for President but he didn't. Why is he now belittling Palin's credentials in foreign policy? After all isn't McCain and Obama running to be President? Everyone's speculating that McCain will die in his first term and Sarah does not have the foreign policy credentials to lead. Biden is 60 and what if he dies within his first term as VP, then Obama the president has no foreign policy credentials either. Please be reminded that we are voting for John McCain and Barack Obama for President. Sarah Palin is educated and God endowed her with commonsense, to make wise decisions when she has to.

Hagel isn't a Rhino (Republican in Name Only), he is a true pragmatic conservative, but because he isn't a party loyalist.... hmm wonder who that sounds like "dan".... just calling a "spade a spade"

I actually hoped he would be on one of the tickets.

I agree with oosee's argument right up until the comparison to Obama. Don't compare oosee, compare Obama with McSame, remember someone doesn't have any economic experience and it isn't Obama and Palin is a joke, a nice looking joke, but still a joke.

OBAMA WILL MAKE A GREAT PRESIDENT.
HE ALWAYS CLEARLY LETS YOU KNOW HIS POSITION ON MATTERS OF STATE
AFTER ALL, HE ONLY VOTED "PRESENT" 324 TIMES WHEN HIS NAME WAS CALLED AND OTHER LEGISLATORS VOTED EITHER "YES: OR 'NO"

Sarah Palin may not necessarily be stupid, but her knowledge of both national and international affairs is etremely limited. I saw an interview she gave while running for governor in Alaska. She was in her element, and exceedingly confident. But she is in over her head in this case, and no amount of rationalizing and comparing her "experience" with Barack Obama's changes that reality.

A lot of people want to vote for her because of things they see in her and relate to. While that humanizes people, it does not mean that is a good reason to vote someone in to a highly critical office. In this case, the VP choice is even more critical in the event that something should happen to McCain if he becomes president. Whether one agrees with Obama's policies or not, he is well-educated, has notable accomplishments as a senator, and has taught constitutional law. He was also smart enough to select a VP who is well-versed in foreign affairs.

Please note that a lot of people voted for GW Bush twice, partly for the frivolous reason that they thought they would like to have a beer with him. Now, he has helped to make it so that many of them can't even afford the beer they would have wanted to have with him. There are too many critical issues that are staring us in the face for this to be a popularity contest.

As I have stated, Palin is not necessarily stupid--but a big part of being intelligent is knowing both your capabilities and limitations. Doing this well go a long way toward ensuring that you don't set yourself and others up for disappointment.