Sarah Palin is unfit to lead a country

By: Federico Pistono

4 Oct 2008

I think we've all seen the Tina Fey's Saturday night live hilarious interpretation of Palin when interviewed by the CBC.

CNN Laughs It Up Over Sarah Palin Interview

That interview may seem like an entertaining piece of tape, if she wasn't running for one of the highest seats in the USA. When you can't give an straight answer to a fair question about international affair, general politics, economics, geopolitics and you may be the new Vice President it becomes really scaring. This is were we cross the line between fair political and ideological differences and living a nightmare.

Regardless of what your political position is, you may be a democrat, republican, independent, anarchist, it doesn't matter. This isn't a question of politics, or even personal tastes. It's called decency.

Jack Cafferty Tells Us How He Really Feels About Sarah Palin

As Jack Cafferty puts it: "There's a reason the McCain campaign keeps Governor Palin away from the press. [...] If John McCain wins this woman will be one 72-year-old's heartbeat away from being President of the United States. And if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, it should. [...] That is one of the most pathetic pieces of tape I have ever seen from someone aspiring to one of the highest offices in this country".

When Blitzer tried to be diplomatic, Cafferty shot back: "Don't make excuses for her. That's pathetic."

There's more to it. Palin appeared to support Hamas.

Palin Appeared To Endorse Hamas In Couric Interview

Either that or she did not even understand the question. Or she has no idea what Hamas is. In any case it's clear she's not fit to be the major of a 4000 people city, let alone US Vice President.

If that doesn't scare the hell out of you, it really should. Here's what Matt Damon had to say.

Matt Damon Rips Sarah Palin

I think there's a really good chance that Sarah Palin could be president. I think that's the really scary thing," Damon said during the interview. "Because I don't know anything about her. I don't think in eight weeks I'm going to know anything about her. I know that she was mayor of a really, really small town. And she was governor of Alaska for less than two years. I just don't understand. I think the pick was made for political purposes. But in terms of governance, it's a disaster.

You do the actuary tables, there's a one out of three chance, if not more, that McCain doesn't survive his first term, and it'll be President Palin. I was talking about it earlier. It's like a really bad Disney movie. The hockey mom. Oh, I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska, and she's president. She's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink. It's absurd. It's totally absurd, and I don't understand why more people aren't talking about how absurd it is. It's a really terrifying possibility. The fact that we've got this far, and we're that close to this being a reality, is crazy. Crazy.

I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. That's an important -- I want to know that. I really do. Because she's going to have the nuclear codes. I want to know if she thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. Or if she banned books or tried to ban books. You know, we can't have that.

Just for the record, here's an incomplete list of Palin's positions on the issues:

Palin is opposed to abortion in almost all cases, including rape and incest
Palin is in favour of teacing creationism alongside evolution in schools
Palin is opposed to "explicit sex-ed programs", including "school-based clinics and the distribution of contraceptives in schools"
Palin opposed state covered health and retiree benefits to same-sex partners of state employees
Palin has declared herself in favor of capital punishment
Lifelong NRA member & champion of right to bear arms
Palin is opposed to efforts to decriminalize marijuana
She has come under fire for inquiring about censoring books from the library in Wasilla shortly after she was elected mayor
As Governor, Palin has strongly promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, and advocates exposing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling
After saying that global warming would affect Alaska more than any other state, Palin added: "I'm not one...who would attribute it to being man-made. (despite the evidence and overall scientific consensus)
While governor, Palin opposed The Alaska Clean Water Act
In 2007, Palin supported the Alaska Department of Fish and Game policy allowing Alaska the hunting of wolves from helicopters as part of a predator control program intended to increase moose and caribou populations, a practice which has been banned since 1972
In December 2007, Palin wrote an opinion column in which she described her opposition to the listing of polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act
Palin has opposed, on economic grounds, the designation of the Cook Inlet beluga whale as an endangered species
Palin supports the Bush Administration's policies in Iraq

I don't want you to misunderstand. I don't support Obama-Biden, and I am not taking anyone's position. I'm just very concerned that someone so utterly ignorant, misinformed and who has no understanding of basic science, politics and economics may become president. It's a disgrace that she even got this far, and in my humble opinion this is a clear sign of the decadence of the US system.

No place for reason, no place for intelligence, no place for integrity. If she managed to be a VP candidate it's clear that she gets in touch with a significant part of the electorate. This means that a lot of people identify with an ignorant, religious extremist, pro pre-emptive invasions and wars, antigay, pro arms and weapons, pro death-to-anyone-who-doesnt-think-like-her, who doesn't give a shit about the environment and who wants the benefit only the higher classes- cadidate. That's scary. And sad.