My take on Palin: At this time, she is wholly unqualified to be president of the United States. Could she learn on the job?  Yes, I believe she probably could*

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She can learn how to fly a 747 too, anyone can, but, would you want to be in the plane while she practise landing? I wouldn't!

Neither Clinton nor Dubya can be president again.

Correct.  They've both served 2 full terms so couldn't be President again, well, short of changing the law.

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Well, neither of them can be elected President again anyway.  As we discussed way earlier in this thread, it's arguable that the Constitution doesn't preclude a two-term ex-President from becoming Vice President or Speaker of the House, which could then turn into a Presidency under the right circumstances.

Twist and turn. 

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OK, whatever. Your argument get's old. Especially when you still haven't provided any proof of my ducking, twisting and avoiding.

You twist things all the time.  You'll pull one little thing out of context in an entire post and then go off on some tangent about it as if that were what the entire post was about.

Your tactic gets old.

My take on Palin: At this time, she is wholly unqualified to be president of the United States. Could she learn on the job?  Yes, I believe she probably could*

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She can learn how to fly a 747 too, anyone can, but, would you want to be in the plane while she practise landing? I wouldn't!

Then why are people willing to let Obama learn on the job?  Some people are of the opinion that Palin isn't ready on day one.  Some (myself included) are of the opinion that Obama isn't ready on day one.  Neither opinion is more valid than the next.  Obama could learn to fly a 747 too.

Well, neither of them can be elected President again anyway.  As we discussed way earlier in this thread, it's arguable that the Constitution doesn't preclude a two-term ex-President from becoming Vice President or Speaker of the House, which could then turn into a Presidency under the right circumstances.

Sort of.  Neither of them is eligible to be VP either since they could end up being President if something were to happen.  I was watching a program on it (and can't remember what it was) that said the longest anyone could be President would be 1 day less than 10 years.  If a VP takes over as President, if it happens in the first 2 years of the term, they are only eligible to run for 1 more term.  If it's one day after the end of the second year, they can run for 2 more terms.

Edited to include a link documenting it.

http://www.infoplease.com/askeds/presidential-term-limits.ht ml

QUOTE: As we discussed way earlier in this thread, it's arguable that the Constitution doesn't preclude a two-term ex-President from becoming Vice President or Speaker of the House, which could then turn into a Presidency under the right circumstances.

But doesn't the VP candidate have to meet the same qualifications as the Presidential candidate?  If so, wouldn't being disqualified to be President due to term limits also disqualify one as a VP candidate?

(Briefly had this conversation with my dad a few years ago, as - of all things - West Wing entered its post-Bartlet election storyline, wondering aloud if John Goodman's Walken's week or so as President would count as a "term," and if so, could he run for election against Santos, and if elected, could he seek another term after that?)

Geoff loved the Brooks piece, how true.

I think the "whole guilt by association thing/ swift boat campaigning" is going to blow up in their faces, if we were enjoying a great economic time like when Bush ran , it would work. But people are killing themselves out of panic because the economy looks so bad they would rather die than face the future. My hope is the American people will show how stupid this type of campaigning is , reject those that use it and hand McCain such a defeat that the next time someone runs and one of their handlers thinks of swift boating, the candidate will say to the person suggesting it "shut the fuck up look what happened to McCain".

Then why are people willing to let Obama learn on the job?  Some people are of the opinion that Palin isn't ready on day one.  Some (myself included) are of the opinion that Obama isn't ready on day one.  Neither opinion is more valid than the next.  Obama could learn to fly a 747 too.

Well, to clarify Scott everyone learns the presidency on the job.  No one walks in knowing what its like.  I don't happen to think either candidate will be ready on day one.  I happen to think, based on the limited amount of exposure we've had to Governor Palin she not qualified for the job.*  I think Obama is qualified.  There is a difference between being qualified and being ready.

*My opinion is based on what I have seen of her -- which thus far is a lot of rhetoric and little substance.  Her political experience is not significant compared to any of the other candidates (including Obama's).  A legislator at the state level has more impact than a mayor of a town like Wasilla.  And a United States senator has as much impact on as many people as the Governor of Alaska.  Moreover a US Senator also is provided a more varied issue base from which to cull experience.  Palin does have executive experience but I am not convinced that can offset her actual world and policy inexperience. 

Scott - there's a flaw in that arguement - NO one is ready, in terms of experience to be President.  No one goes into office with Presidential experience.  Except Grover Cleveland, who served twice, but not consecutively.

No president (other than Cleveland) has ever entered office with Presidential experience.

So that's a moot point.  Having said that, we base our judgements on the people.  Obama is wise and intellegent and open-minded.  Palin thinks Jesus rode dinosaurs, is afraid of witchcraft and is mad about the skeeters in Alaska. 

On day one do we want a wise man who has traveled the world, is a constitutional law scholar, or do we want a buffoonish clown like Palin?

It's as simple as that.  Call it elitist, but the bottom line is that some Americans WANT an intellegent person at the helm.