McCain: PTA Membership Qualifies Palin for VP
I know it’s possible, but it would be hard for John McCain to have a worse interview, response-wise that is, than the one he had tonight with Brian Williams on NBC’s Nightly News. Of all the incredibly lame things McCain said — and there were many — his most incredible claim was that Sarah Palin’s PTA membership qualified her to be Vice President (begins at 3:35 in the video).
I honestly did not think McCain could be that stupid, but I was, indeed, quite mistaken. Palin’s experience had nothing do with her selection as McCain’s running mate. Instead, her reputation and record on social issues (abortion, gay rights, etc.) had everything to do with her nomination (presumed). McCain is making it very clear he intends to focus the rest of his campaign primarily on extreme right-wing ideology and not issues. The GOP will make “values” the issues.
There’s so much more that could be discussed about McCain’s interview, such as how being mayor of a town with less than 8,000 residents qualifies one to be Vice President of the United States, but citing PTA membership suffices for today.
Partial transcript :
WILLIAMS: You’ve heard the commentators, I know, and by repeating it I mean no disrespect. A 72-year-old cancer survivor picks a not yet one full-term governor of Alaska — is she the best person to be, literally, a heartbeat away from the presidency, Senator?
MCCAIN: Well, let me just point out facts are funny things. She’s been in elected office longer than Senator Obama. She’s been the chief executive of the state that supplies 20 percent of America’s energy. She has balanced budgets. She’s had executive experience as governor, as mayor, as city council member, and PTA. So, she was in elected office when Senator Obama was still a “community organizer.” He’s never had one day of executive experience. I think it’s almost ludicrous to compare her experience in elected office and as a leader of one of the most important states in America — certainly the largest — and compare her experience with his. It’s no contest.
WILLIAMS: But you know the question Senator, given the field, given all that we know, is she the best person to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?
MCCAIN: Oh sure! In every way! In every way that I know of. She has experience. She’s been an executive. She knows how to balance budgets. She knows how towns and cities work. And in all due respect to every American, I think the example that she has set of home and family and service and putting her country first — I think is, frankly, it inspires me.
Yeah, she’s a shining example of home and family; brought her daughter up right, obviously, to be 17, unmarried, and pregnant. THERE’S family values for you.
Never have so many prayed for the continued good health of the very Senior Senator from Arizona.
I’m moving to another country if they get elected. The american public is so short sighted, I can’t believe that they are being hypnotized by these extreme right war mongers.
According to the National PTA, Ms Palin held no position as an officer with PTA and was a member of a PTA in Alaska for just 2 years. Did she not even bother to join for the other 12 or so years her kids have been in school? By McCain’s definition of her PTA membership as qualification to become VP of the United States, there are nearly one million of us PTA members in California this year alone who must be similarly qualified!
@ whicks
I knew she wasn’t an officer of the PTA, or at least I had not read anything that suggested she was anything other than a member of the local PTA. However, I did not know her tenure was limited to two years. The McSame campaign portrays the story as if she’s been an active member of the PTA forever and was it’s national president.
I think there are many people that are buying into the meme of executive office in the national PTA organization.
- - David Pleasant