I listened to Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech last night and was quite impressed by her oratorical skills. Not only that, but, as she reminded us, she had actually come through when elected governor and had truly taken on some vested interests even in her own party. She does still appear to have several shortcomings, but she most effectively dealt with many of the scurrilous attacks against her of the last three days. Among the worst of the sharks, sad to say, was the news media who gleefully jumped from rumor to rumor, all the while reporting that they were just rumors, but that they were duty bound to pass them on. I think I call that gossip, something which Holy Tradition ardently forbids. Nevertheless, it is going to be a very close race and I am betting that it will take a day or two after the vote to know who won.
Having said that, my mind boggled at the repeated statements by her, and the speakers prior to her, that claim that neither Sen. Obama nor Sen. Biden have as much executive experience as does Gov. Palin. The charge is, at best, a charge that seems bound to be believed only if you suspend any and all definition of “executive experience” other than one so narrow that most of the country would never qualify. Listening to the speakers, it became obvious that “executive experience” means solely experience at the formal top post of an organization. That is, the head of a company, a military commander, a governor, etc., has executive experience. But, a Senator who has served his country for nearly 30 years (Biden) has no executive experience since he was merely in a legislative post. Sen. Obama is also said to have none. Thus a young two year governor of a low-population state has more executive experience than a Sen. Biden.
That type of definition, of course, completely ignores the fact that any political candidate has executed a successful campaign (and is not an executive one who executes plans?), or that organizing a community requires a certain type of executive leadership skill, etc. But, Republicans have chosen to re-define “executive experience” this year to one who has formally held a title as a chief executive officer of some type. This narrow re-defining is their only, but their best, hope for hiding the fact that Gov. Palin has less experience in a large political setting than Sen. Obama. Mind you, I call the argument about even between the two, in terms of experience.
What does boggle me was that the words managed to roll out of their mouth that Sen. Biden has none as well. And, yet, they just might make that lie believable. I wonder what words I can redefine in order to win the arguments I have with others?
Leave a Reply