...heaven help us...
Whew!! I thought it was just me. Apparently, others are also thinking "the emperor has no clothes."
But maybe this will give us a chance to get a little more insight into the workings of McCain's mind. I'm wondering here--and I'm not trying to be insulting or defaming the guy--if this man, who many think has exercised good judgment in the past, is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. And maybe it just hasn't been detected yet. When my mom was (unfortunately) my age (yikes!), some of the things she did were a little odd, and unnoticeable to others who didn't know her very, very well. Things like little lapses in judgment, and "different" behavior that one could not exactly put a finger on. I'll give you a couple of examples in a minute, and while you may not understand what the connection is now, maybe you will after I've explained why I'm so concerned. And furthermore, I would bet my right tit that Reagan had Alzheimer's when he was still president.
Examples of my mom's barely noticeable changes was diminished self-censorship (thinking before speaking). And some odd behavior one might think is just rudeness...my mom, dipping into the food at my oldest daughter's wedding reception...with her fingers...before the wedding began...and walking into the ceremony with a piece of chicken in hand. Or my mom telling my youngest daughter (age three) to quit going in and out of the house, and then locking her out. McCain's "Bomb Bomb Iran," and his expression of confidence in his stunning selection of Palin that left many of his supporters speechless and shaking their heads have made alarms go off in my mind; I had admired and supported him in the past. Are his friends afraid to question some of his decisions? Afraid to say that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes? I question his judgment in all things related to governing ME, when I feel like he may not be as sharp as he once was. And I am relieved to hear others who are much, much smarter than I am, expressing the same opinion of Palin as I am feeling. Now some are starting to speak up. I don't necessarily want Palin to withdraw, because I think that it will be very interesting (and funny) to see how this whole thing plays out. So while most eyes will be focused on Palin's upcoming debate with Biden, I think we should all keep a more critical eye on McCain. And pray enough people feel as I do, and do not vote for him.
This article is from CNN.com
September 29, 2008
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In a column appearing in Newsweek, world affairs expert and author Fareed Zakaria said he thinks it would be best for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, if Gov. Sarah Palin bowed out as his vice presidential running mate. Zakaria says McCain did not put the country first in making his V.P. choice, and he says Palin is not qualified to lead the United States.
CNN spoke to him about his commentary titled, "Palin is Ready. Please.”
CNN: “What did you initially think when Sarah Palin was announced as the Republican vice presidential nominee?”
Zakaria: “I was a bit surprised -- as I think most people were. But I was willing to give her a chance. And I thought her speech at the convention was clever and funny. But once she began answering questions about economics and foreign policy, it became clear that she has simply never thought about these subjects before and is dangerously ignorant and unprepared for the job of vice president, let alone president.”
CNN: “You don't think she is qualified?”
Zakaria: “No. Gov. Palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers, simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can. But if forced off those rehearsed lines, what she has to say is often, quite frankly -- nonsense. Just listen to her response to Katie Couric's question about the bailout. It's gibberish -- an emptying out of catchphrases about economics that have nothing to do with the question or the topic. It's scary to think that this person could be running the country.”
Here is their exchange:
Katie Couric: “Why isn't it better, Gov. Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?”
Gov. Sarah Palin: “That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the -- it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.”
CNN: “But Dan Quayle wasn't very qualified and that didn't seem to matter, did it?
Zakaria: “This is way beyond Dan Quayle. Quayle was a lightweight who was prone to scramble his words, or say things that sounded weird, but you almost always knew what he meant. One of his most famous miscues was to the United Negro College Fund when he said, "What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind. Or not to have a mind at all." Now he was trying to play off a famous ad that the group used to run, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste." And he screwed it up in a funny way. But read Gov. Palin's answers and it does appear that she doesn't have any understanding about the topic under discussion.”
CNN: “But she has a lot of supporters.”
Zakaria: “Look, I'm not saying that she is not a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. It is just we are talking about a person who should be ready to lead the United States at a moment's notice. She has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue, and this is a hell of a time to start.”
CNN: “Does it make you concerned about Sen. McCain as a president?”
Zakaria: “Yes, and I say this with sadness because I greatly admire John McCain, a man of intelligence, honor and enormous personal and political courage. However, for him to choose Sara Palin to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. He did not put the country first with this decision. Whether it is appropriate or not, considering Sen. McCain's age most people expected to have a vice presidential candidate who would be ready to step in at a moment's notice. The actuarial odds of that happening are significant, something like a one-in-five chance.”
But maybe this will give us a chance to get a little more insight into the workings of McCain's mind. I'm wondering here--and I'm not trying to be insulting or defaming the guy--if this man, who many think has exercised good judgment in the past, is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. And maybe it just hasn't been detected yet. When my mom was (unfortunately) my age (yikes!), some of the things she did were a little odd, and unnoticeable to others who didn't know her very, very well. Things like little lapses in judgment, and "different" behavior that one could not exactly put a finger on. I'll give you a couple of examples in a minute, and while you may not understand what the connection is now, maybe you will after I've explained why I'm so concerned. And furthermore, I would bet my right tit that Reagan had Alzheimer's when he was still president.
Examples of my mom's barely noticeable changes was diminished self-censorship (thinking before speaking). And some odd behavior one might think is just rudeness...my mom, dipping into the food at my oldest daughter's wedding reception...with her fingers...before the wedding began...and walking into the ceremony with a piece of chicken in hand. Or my mom telling my youngest daughter (age three) to quit going in and out of the house, and then locking her out. McCain's "Bomb Bomb Iran," and his expression of confidence in his stunning selection of Palin that left many of his supporters speechless and shaking their heads have made alarms go off in my mind; I had admired and supported him in the past. Are his friends afraid to question some of his decisions? Afraid to say that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes? I question his judgment in all things related to governing ME, when I feel like he may not be as sharp as he once was. And I am relieved to hear others who are much, much smarter than I am, expressing the same opinion of Palin as I am feeling. Now some are starting to speak up. I don't necessarily want Palin to withdraw, because I think that it will be very interesting (and funny) to see how this whole thing plays out. So while most eyes will be focused on Palin's upcoming debate with Biden, I think we should all keep a more critical eye on McCain. And pray enough people feel as I do, and do not vote for him.
This article is from CNN.com
Zakaria: McCain's VP decision is 'fundamentally irresponsible'
September 29, 2008
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In a column appearing in Newsweek, world affairs expert and author Fareed Zakaria said he thinks it would be best for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, if Gov. Sarah Palin bowed out as his vice presidential running mate. Zakaria says McCain did not put the country first in making his V.P. choice, and he says Palin is not qualified to lead the United States.
CNN spoke to him about his commentary titled, "Palin is Ready. Please.”
CNN: “What did you initially think when Sarah Palin was announced as the Republican vice presidential nominee?”
Zakaria: “I was a bit surprised -- as I think most people were. But I was willing to give her a chance. And I thought her speech at the convention was clever and funny. But once she began answering questions about economics and foreign policy, it became clear that she has simply never thought about these subjects before and is dangerously ignorant and unprepared for the job of vice president, let alone president.”
CNN: “You don't think she is qualified?”
Zakaria: “No. Gov. Palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers, simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can. But if forced off those rehearsed lines, what she has to say is often, quite frankly -- nonsense. Just listen to her response to Katie Couric's question about the bailout. It's gibberish -- an emptying out of catchphrases about economics that have nothing to do with the question or the topic. It's scary to think that this person could be running the country.”
Here is their exchange:
Katie Couric: “Why isn't it better, Gov. Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?”
Gov. Sarah Palin: “That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the -- it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.”
CNN: “But Dan Quayle wasn't very qualified and that didn't seem to matter, did it?
Zakaria: “This is way beyond Dan Quayle. Quayle was a lightweight who was prone to scramble his words, or say things that sounded weird, but you almost always knew what he meant. One of his most famous miscues was to the United Negro College Fund when he said, "What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind. Or not to have a mind at all." Now he was trying to play off a famous ad that the group used to run, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste." And he screwed it up in a funny way. But read Gov. Palin's answers and it does appear that she doesn't have any understanding about the topic under discussion.”
CNN: “But she has a lot of supporters.”
Zakaria: “Look, I'm not saying that she is not a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. It is just we are talking about a person who should be ready to lead the United States at a moment's notice. She has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue, and this is a hell of a time to start.”
CNN: “Does it make you concerned about Sen. McCain as a president?”
Zakaria: “Yes, and I say this with sadness because I greatly admire John McCain, a man of intelligence, honor and enormous personal and political courage. However, for him to choose Sara Palin to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. He did not put the country first with this decision. Whether it is appropriate or not, considering Sen. McCain's age most people expected to have a vice presidential candidate who would be ready to step in at a moment's notice. The actuarial odds of that happening are significant, something like a one-in-five chance.”
posted by Cinnabitch | 7:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home