Palin's no forign policy experience.

[Jarod]

So Palin has never met a forign head of state.

She has never been to Europe. (Just like GWB had never been to Europe when elected president)

She has no forign policy experience, unless you count that she could see Russia from her back yard.

Hell I have more forign policy experience than her, I met Gorbachev once, Ive been to Russia. I met Ronald Regan once. Ive been to England and sat in on a session of Parlament. Ive been to France and Sweeden and Denmark and Finland. I spent a week in Spain. Ive been to Mexico, Belize, COsta Rica, Honduras.

I even spent an entire semester studying the Constitution.

I would be a better VP than Palin, and that aint saying much.

 

[Onceler]

Clinton & Bush didn't exactly have a ton of it, and neither does Obama.

It's not the lack of experience that bothers me. It's the seeming lack of interest, as well as a quality that she has that seems to mirror Bush, where she thinks it's important to just 'be decisive,' regardless of how stupid a decision might be.

 

[Jarod]

Bill Clinton had lived in England as a Rhodes Scholar. President Clinton had met forign leaders and while an outsider, had lived in and worked in Washington so he knew at least somewhat how it worked.

 

[Damocles]

Bill Clinton had lived in England as a Rhodes Scholar. President Clinton had met forign leaders and while an outsider, had lived in and worked in Washington so he knew at least somewhat how it worked.

Going to school in Ohio wouldn't mean somebody from England had "foreign policy experience" nor does going to school in Britain give one "foreign policy experience". It is silly to suggest it does.

 

[Onceler]

Bill Clinton had lived in England as a Rhodes Scholar. President Clinton had met forign leaders and while an outsider, had lived in and worked in Washington so he knew at least somewhat how it worked.

That's a stretch; I wouldn't exactly call that "foreign policy experience," though I like that he seemed a little more worldly than Bush.

Like I said, I don't think the experience matters so much as the judgment, intelligence & temprement...

 

[Jarod]

Going to school in Ohio wouldn't mean somebody from England had "foreign policy experience" nor does going to school in Britain give one "foreign policy experience". It is silly to suggest it does.

I am not saying its much, but at least he has been out of the country and seen how things are different. I belive travel is one of the best educators. I guess you would not call it "forign policy experience" but if I had a choice between someone who has never been to Europe v. someone who has... Id choose the one who has been.

Being able to see Russia from your back yard does not mean you have foign policy experience yet Palin claims that,

 

[Jarod]

Okay I agree its not "Forign Policy Experience". But it is valuable experience, one our president and Vice President should have prior to being considered.

 

[Damocles]

I am not saying its much, but at least he has been out of the country and seen how things are different. I belive travel is one of the best educators. I guess you would not call it "forign policy experience" but if I had a choice between someone who has never been to Europe v. someone who has... Id choose the one who has been.

Being able to see Russia from your back yard does not mean you have foign policy experience yet Palin claims that,

I wouldn't. That's just inane.

I'd prefer somebody who I believed showed good judgment. As it stands, taking vacations to Britain and hanging out at the coffee shop is definitely not "foreign policy experience". And saying, "Well, just because they smelled the city in France means they would be better at it." is preposterous.

 

[Onceler]

One of the things that always nagged me a little about Bush was the fact that he didn't travel abroad prior to being President. He had millions, yet never left the country.

This has nothing to do w/ foreign policy, but I always saw that as a larger reflection of what we know about the guy - that he has absolutely no intellectual curiosity whatsoever. He has even remarked on that. I think it's something his supporters might like about him (along the lines of "he's just like us!"), but it always bothered me.

 

[Damocles]

One of the things that always nagged me a little about Bush was the fact that he didn't travel abroad prior to being President. He had millions, yet never left the country.

This has nothing to do w/ foreign policy, but I always saw that as a larger reflection of what we know about the guy - that he has absolutely no intellectual curiosity whatsoever. He has even remarked on that. I think it's something his supporters might like about him (along the lines of "he's just like us!"), but it always bothered me.

The "I don't read newspapers" remark nearly made me choke on a pretzel.

 

[Jarod]

Well here is what I believe about this topic. Having been to England for example, knowing what London "smells like" gives one valuable information about where the majority of our culture came from, it gives one loads of information which can be used to evaluate almost any situation.

Knowing about where a forign leader you are dealing with comes from, knowing what he "smells" as he travels through his city, gives you an important understanding of that person and the people he represents. You gain an understanding of why they do what they do and maybe how they will react to any situation.

Having this information leads to better judgement. Sure you can have good judgement without this information, but I belive you will have better judgement with this information.

 

[Damocles]

Well here is what I believe about this topic. Having been to England for example, knowing what London "smells like" gives one valuable information about where the majority of our culture came from, it gives one loads of information which can be used to evaluate almost any situation.

Knowing about where a forign leader you are dealing with comes from, knowing what he "smells" as he travels through his city, gives you an important understanding of that person and the people he represents. You gain an understanding of why they do what they do and maybe how they will react to any situation.

Having this information leads to better judgement. Sure you can have good judgement without this information, but I belive you will have better judgement with this information.

No, simply having that information does not lead to better judgment.

Let me give you an example.

I'm standing with my newly minted wife at one of the world's oldest cathedrals, it is awesome and amazing by the standards of architecture of the 14 century when it was built. Some guy who shared the taxi with us telling us all about how many different trips he's taken to Europe all the way over is behind us talking loudly in a Texas accent he informs anybody within hearing distance, "That's nothing, we have bigger ones in Texas!" (This is a true story folks).

Seriously, it isn't the smell of the city that gives one good judgment, and simple travel is not policy experience. It is inane to equate the two.

The guy showed almost no judgment or intellectual curiosity. Just traveling doesn't change what the person is. It never will.

 

[Jarod]

No, simply having that information does not lead to better judgment.

Let me give you an example.

I'm standing with my newly minted wife at one of the world's oldest cathedrals, it is awesome and amazing by the standards of architecture of the 14 century when it was built. Some guy who shared the taxi with us telling us all about how many different trips he's taken to Europe all the way over is behind us talking loudly in a Texas accent he informs anybody within hearing distance, "That's nothing, we have bigger ones in Texas!" (This is a true story folks).

Seriously, it isn't the smell of the city that gives one good judgment, and simple travel is not policy experience. It is inane to equate the two.

The guy showed almost no judgment or intellectual curiosity. Just traveling doesn't change what the person is. It never will.

Sure you would have to learn somethign and or absorbe the information from the city you were visiting to obtain the information that would be helpfull for later using it in your judgements.

Some people travel differently than others. In your example, the Texan learned nuthign from his travel and gained no information to help with his judgement. Some people however do learn from travel and use that information in later judgements. It is like any experience, you can lear or not lear... but if you dont travel you dont have the same oppertunity to learn.

I agree had GWB traveled to Europe it likely would not have helped his judgement, its a cheractor flaw in my opinion. However if someone elese traveled to Europe it might vastly help there judgemetn.

 

[Damocles]

Sure you would have to learn somethign and or absorbe the information from the city you were visiting to obtain the information that would be helpfull for later using it in your judgements.

Some people travel differently than others. In your example, the Texan learned nuthign from his travel and gained no information to help with his judgement. Some people however do learn from travel and use that information in later judgements. It is like any experience, you can lear or not lear... but if you dont travel you dont have the same oppertunity to learn.

I agree had GWB traveled to Europe it likely would not have helped his judgement, its a cheractor flaw in my opinion. However if someone elese traveled to Europe it might vastly help there judgemetn.

One more time. You said that you would prefer the person who traveled in every case. That is the most inane selective process ever.

How many more trips has McCain made in his career? By your standards he is your guy as opposed to the one you are going to actually support.

It is an inane measure. Judge a candidate on their judgment, not how many trips they make to a London McDonald's. Somebody with good judgment will have it regardless of how many trips they have taken overseas. The same is true of somebody with poor judgment.

 

[Jarod]

One more time. You said that you would prefer the person who traveled in every case. That is the most inane selective process ever.

How many more trips has McCain made in his career? By your standards he is your guy as opposed to the one you are going to actually support.

It is an inane measure. Judge a candidate on their judgment, not how many trips they make to a London McDonald's. Somebody with good judgment will have it regardless of how many trips they have taken overseas. The same is true of somebody with poor judgment.

I said I would perfer the person who has traveled in every case?

 

[Damocles]

I said I would perfer the person who has traveled in every case?

You qualified it not one iota, therefore when you stated:

I guess you would not call it "forign policy experience" but if I had a choice between someone who has never been to Europe v. someone who has... Id choose the one who has been.

Yes, you stated exactly that.

It is the point I have been trying to get through your thick head today. This is the silliest and most inane measure of how to vote that I have ever heard. I have explained why.

 

[Jarod]

You qualified it not one iota, therefore when you stated:



Yes, you stated exactly that.

It is the point I have been trying to get through your thick head today. This is the silliest and most inane measure of how to vote that I have ever heard. I have explained why.

You are correct, I should have said, "all things being equal I perfer the one who traveled."

 

[uscitizen]

Palin has the foieign policy experience that she got from God. Remember she says that Iraq is a holy crusade kind of thing.

 

[leaningright]

Palin has the foieign policy experience that she got from God. Remember she says that Iraq is a holy crusade kind of thing.

Sounds like a an AOG prayer request to me. "Pray that our leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God..." Not something that I would agree with. I mean I pray every day for our troops safety and safe return, I pray for our leaders and the decisions they have facing them..that they would somehow make the right ones.

I see what I pray for as different than what she is saying here. Does she mean, "According to God's will"? I don't get it. I couldn't find all of that speech she was giving so I don't know the context but it is a troubling statement.

 

[Damocles]

Sounds like a an AOG prayer request to me. "Pray that our leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God..." Not something that I would agree with. I mean I pray every day for our troops safety and safe return, I pray for our leaders and the decisions they have facing them..that they would somehow make the right ones.

I see what I pray for as different than what she is saying here. Does she mean, "According to God's will"? I don't get it. I couldn't find all of that speech she was giving so I don't know the context but it is a troubling statement.

It was a paraphrase of Lincoln when he said (I'm also paraphrasing), "Let's not pray that God is with us, let us pray that we are with God..."