The "small town" argument against Palin (or "Caribou Barbie" as Jodi put it) strikes me as elitist and snobbish. It's as if some critics believe Palin is a rube because she hails from a small town in a rural state.The fact is that Palin is just one of 50 Governors in the U.S. -- there's only half as many of them as there are Senators like McCain or Obama.

Millions of Americans (of all political stripes) live in small communities. This argument that a person is unqualified for national office if they aren't an Ivy Leaguer from New York or D.C. is insulting to those of us who hail from small towns.

And it's not just Republicans who are from small towns. A couple of Democrats named Harry Truman and Bill Clinton also hailed from places that the Census Bureau might miss. They both did pretty well, I'd say. So did another country boy -- Abe Lincoln.

It's fine to knock Palin for her policies, her politics, her track record or even her relative lack of experience in elected office. That kind of stuff is all fair game. But don't assume intelligence, drive and savvy are limited by geographic boundaries.

Christopher, maybe he tried and Senator Byrd turned him down? ;)  If her "experience" cannot be questioned (yet Obama's can be) I think Jodi listed more then enough reasons why Governor Palin isn't someone I think should be VP.

Ah, Scott, you don't know my condition, or frankly, anything about me.

Don't hold back - let it fly - fling your poo.  It's all you got.

QUOTE: t's fine to knock Palin for her policies, her politics, her track record or even her relative lack of experience in elected office. That kind of stuff is all fair game. But don't assume intelligence, drive and savvy are limited by geographic boundaries.

I would never assume that, considering the area I live in.  I just think that it is unfair to give her a pass, while Obama's experience is used as a strike against him.  

Oh, and, I may be a jerk - in fact, I'm a full-on asshole, but, unlike you, I'm not feeble minded.

I've been sitting on the sidelines the last week or so, so I'm not directing this at anyone, its sort of general thought.  The experience argument, be it against Senator Obama or Governor Palin, is a weak talking point.  If experience were the barometer the election should be Jimmy Carter versus George H. W. Bush (Senators McCain and Biden could be the young turks again!).  I'm more interested in what positions the candidates will espouse.  I don't feel that Biden or Palin really articulated that, but in some ways that is not their job, that is for the guys who sit on top of the ticket.  Obama addressed, non-specifically, the issue I find most important for our economic future and our security going forward: Energy independence.  Governor Palin touched on it last night and I am interested to see how McCain handles it tonight, bearing in mind Tom Friedman's criticism about McCain's role as a "green" Republican. 

I don't like the way the media (not to my recollection or knowledge the Obama campaign) has made Palin's family an issue and I agree with Joe Biden that there is a sexist element to criticism of her.  But I expect nothing less from the sensationalist excess of the media (I so miss Tim Russert!).  Like the Clinton sex scandal (the issue wasn't infidelity it was perjury) the media is focused on the salacious gristle instead of the meat found in the issues.   What is heartening, and obviously not newsworthy to the media, is that there is a general agreement between the parties that we need to get energy independent.  We know we have a goal which is shared.  There is disagreement about how to reach that goal.  So the question we should be asking is how we get there, not whether Bristol is Trig's mom (she's not), or whether Michele Obama loves America (she does).  And thats what the election should be about. 

Just my two cents, though.