On Sarah Palin

Weirdly, I like her spunk; I admire her tenacity. If only the stuff that came out of her mouth showed intelligence, historical accuracy, a mind at work, a mind that has studied history, and one that didn't get manipulated by the Bush Propaganda Team on Iraq and other lies to use our soldiers' lives for profit. But, she'd make an interesting aunt or high school principal or a soccer mom, as long as she was someone else's mom. I imagine living under her roof would be HELL if one didn't follow her rules. She might also be a good friend to her girlfriends--that person who would tell you the truth (yes, your butt looks too big in that dress) or make light of some situation you were in. She was probably cruel and relentless to those she didn't like. And yet, she has a nice smile.

But as president? Even vice president? Are you kidding? To me Palin is another one of those women who love their men and their fathers no matter how wrong they are. These women are loyal. They don't question Papa.

A New York Times editorial quoted her saying in the recent Charlie Gibson interview (on ABC News) in regards to fighting terrorism: “We must do whatever it takes, and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.”

I'm at a loss for when "not blinking" is a good thing. Who doesn't blink? Automatons? Hit men? I know: a soldier on a field who must kill an enemy or risk his/her unit's lives. This reminds me of a conversation I once had with a fellow graduate student and military officer who said, "In the classroom, I teach my soldiers to think and to question, but in the field, if they question me, it could be fatal. It's necessary that they don't blink."

I really like what the The Times editor said in response because it's just such a belief in non-reflection, non-thinking that made the Bush years disastrous: "This nation has suffered through eight years of an ill-prepared and unblinkingly obstinate president. One who didn’t pause to think before he started a disastrous war of choice in Iraq. One who blithely looked the other way as the Taliban and Al Qaeda regrouped in Afghanistan. One who obstinately cut taxes and undercut all efforts at regulation, unleashing today’s profound economic crisis."

The Times ended it best with:

"In a dangerous world, Americans need a president who knows that real strength requires serious thought and preparation."