Decius wrote:
I've repeatedly argued on this blog that Palin is not qualified to be Vice President. I have not, however, mocked her accomplishments. In fact I've complemented her career several times. I can admire your achievements without thinking you prepared for the highest office in the land.

The Republican party, apparently, does not get this. Last night speakers repeatedly mocked "community organizers." Not Obama. Not his experience. They actually directly mocked "community organizers." I, personally, have nothing but respect for smart people who are willing to forgo a good salary in order to roll up their sleeves and help the poor.

You guys look like assholes.

All other things being equal between two hypothetical candidates, with the only differences being: candidate A was a mayor and governor, but never a community organizer; and candidate B was a community organizer, but never a mayor and governor; I'll vote for candidate A. Palin did not belittle community organizers. She went after those who've belittled her experience, while incorrectly claiming that Obama is more experienced. As expected, Palin was very effective in doing so.

All things aren't equal, though. Palin is a conservative and a capitalist, while Obama is a liberal and a socialist, and those factors overshadow the experience issue (on which we can't avoid disagreeing). Even if I thought Palin were less experienced than Obama, Obama is certainly less experienced than McCain, and that's the more valid comparison for anyone who's focused on experience.

Obama might be a nice guy (I've never met the man), but his political views are about as far from mine as one's can get. There's nothing Obama could have on his resume that would convince me to ignore that. I can't imagine swinging all the way from the right to the left (or vice versa) in a given election based on which candidates have slight edges in their job histories... especially when they aren't even running for the same offices. Nor can I conclude that Democrats generally disrespect mayors and governors because of their criticism of Palin, or that Republicans generally disrespect community organizers because of their criticism of Obama. That's just spin.

RE: Community Organizers