Wow. Sarah Palin didn't know what the Bush doctrine was. It's the policy that America should be able to attack countries pre-emptively to protect ourselves. The ABCNews.com website, inexplicably, didn't lead with that point, which struck me as the obvious headline from the first interview. Most of her other answers were passable but that's a rather stunning gaffe.
Around 8 minutes, 24 seconds:
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I'm no particular fan of Palin's, and I haven't watched the entire interview, but just in response to the "Bush Doctrine" question, it's more important to know whether she believes in preemptive military action than whether she knows that that's what the words "Bush Doctrine" mean. Her answer here is that a preventive attack is okay, when we know a threat is "imminent." But that doesn't go as far as the Bush Doctrine does. What about when the anticipated threat is NOT imminent?
David, not sure I agree that it's less important to know whether she knew what the Bush Doctrine is. Since that was one of the key changes in American foreign policy in hte last couple of decades, it would seem to be important for the would be vice president to know that
Funny conversation with my elderly Republican Dad today.
Me: "Do you know what 'Bush Doctrine' means?"
Him: "Well, yes, I guess, but not really as a thing with a name."
Me: "I would have been nervous but I think I could have rendered a lumpy sort of paraphrase of what it meant."
Him: "But this is all inside baseball..."
Me: "Sure, yeah, and SHE'S INSIDE BASEBALL NOW!!!
Yes, she should know the name "Bush Doctrine" and what it means. That she doesn't indicates that she hasn't been paying attention to important foreign policy debates and developments, and that's bad. But still, it's _more_ important whether she now supports the ideas behind the Bush Doctrine or not.
(By the way, I accidentally switched the words "preventive" and "preemptive" in my previous comment. So I shouldn't be Vice President either, I guess.)
She just is not ready. The optimism overides judgement in this case. She is optimistic that she can do the job well. But she needs a little seasoning. Her compromises show poor judgement. Anytime you have to be less than candid and you stand on a Christian platform it does more damage than good. Exuberance is replaced by hubrous and the end result is only self deception.
Many people do not want to admit they are racist or sexist (TO THEMSELVES). Palin allows those who did not want to vote for a black man for their own good to vote their Palin-soothed-conscious to their own detriment. CHANGE? looks like the same.
If you are not making "5 million dolars a year" you need to get over your prejudice and vote democratic. Why is abortion an issue? If we the church would do a better job there would be less unwanted pregnancies. Deceive yourself into believing that the REPUBLICAN party is the party that good Christians vote for. Someone needs to check and let me know what rank our heavenly father has in the Republican Party.
For the love of money is the root of ALL evil. Look at the Bush doctrine that has brought us thousands of dead soldiers, sky high fuel prices, maimed citizens of USA an Iraq by the thousands. We aren't better off and if you think Iraq is better off take.... take your family there on your next vacation.
Look at the people who suffer because of these policies the republicans have usurped on us conservatives. Minimum wage earners who now can't afford to feed their families...now turn to crime and ways of the streets to keep their families fed. Marital pressures because these policies have likely contributed divorces and murders and suicides.
May God have mercy on us all. I would that we were a holy nation, bible thumpin' where Ol' Glory would be more appropriately name bearing one cross instead of fifty stars.
By the way the Bush doctrine does sound like it could be the very definition that terrorists use to rationalize abominable behavior.
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