Conservatism was once a frankly elitist movement. Conservatives stood against radical egalitarianism and the destruction of rigorous standards. They stood up for classical education, hard-earned knowledge, experience and prudence. Wisdom was acquired through immersion in the best that has been thought and said.

Sarah Palin has many virtues. If you wanted someone to destroy a corrupt establishment, she’d be your woman. But the constructive act of governance is another matter. She has not been engaged in national issues, does not have a repertoire of historic patterns and, like President Bush, she seems to compensate for her lack of experience with brashness and excessive decisiveness.

Of course, Brooks is preaching to the choir in the New York Times, but it is precisely this sort of uninformed brashness that leads a leader to violate ancient principals - its a lack of knowledge about history. If you don't know why a principal exists and its preventing you from fighting terrorism, well, you are going to embrace the council of people who are telling you that you can ignore it.

Op-Ed Columnist - Why Experience Matters - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com