Jay Stewart ([info]bbwoof) wrote,
@ 2008-09-23 20:56:00
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Current mood: cynical

Transparency
So, Sarah Palin is meeting with foreign heads of state now. You know what I find interesting?

They let photographers in to take pictures of the event, so that we can all see The Palin actually seeing the faces of these leaders in carefully posed photo ops.

They do NOT allow reporters to attend, or even to know the substance of her discussions with these leaders. That is, assuming that there IS any substance to her discussions...

Now, I understand that much of diplomacy must happen in private. But if the meeting is to be private, why invite photographers in? What purpose is served by this?

HR specialists will all tell you: The Best Predictor of Future Performance is Past Performance. So... the McCain campaign is all about selling the electorate a load of ... nothing of substance ... while keeping the press at arm's length. What would a McCain presidency be like?


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[info]reannon
2008-09-24 03:02 am UTC (link)
Probably just like all the others. It is quite common for the photographers to be allowed in for photo ops of the leaders talking, but the actual talks take place elsewhere. It's the D.C. version of the photo ops we do, the men with the golden shovel who will never actually dig in the ground to build something. Annoying, but not exactly unusual.

That said, I doubt they would let reporters watch Palin talk to world leaders for fear she would try to teach them to field-dress a moose or something.

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[info]ithildae
2008-09-24 03:06 am UTC (link)
I am largely amused by the constant harping on Sarah Palin. I am assuming that having her as part of the campaign is a true thorn in the Obama election committee. The race has gone from a forgone formality that we need to go through to swear in Obama, to an even race, where either side could win, and it is a complete tossup in electoral votes.

I really have not seen anyone address Palin's real accomplishments. She took on the Alaska Republican machine, and won. She went over the Alaska budget with a red marker in detail. She is playing to win. Everyone that has ever underestimated her has regretted it. That may not be the experience that everyone is looking for in a candidate, but those are not bad traits in an executive.

For some perspective on your point. I have seen many presidents with photos of meeting heads of states and countries. Most of those meeting were private also. I am not sure that I recall a high level meeting between secretary and above US government officials and other ranking officials that has been open to the press. Why should this be different?

The real amusement comes in because VP is a sideshow to the election. Sarah Palin in irrelevant to who will be president. My dismay is that I do not think either candidate of the major parties should be in the White House.

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[info]reannon
2008-09-24 03:15 am UTC (link)
No, but the multiple corruption charges in her brief stint as governor and her refusal to cooperate with them, her husband's refusal to testify according to his role in the hiring and firing of governmental employees, financial mismanagement of the town in which she was mayor and social issues like charging women for the cost of their rape kits and attempting to ban books from the town library... These are valid criticisms, and should be addressed, setting aside nonsense like her asinine lipstick comment and confusing whether Freddie Mac was a governmental entity. She shouldn't be underestimated, but neither should she be lauded as a reformer. She appears to be exactly the opposite.

As to whether she's important, she's far more important than Biden. Biden would be veep to a remarkably healthy fortysomething man in excellent physical condition. Palin would be veep to a seventysomething with multiple physical problems and stands a one-in-three chance of becoming president by McCain's death. By all rights, the spotlight should be on her as hard as on the presidential candidates.

Edited at 2008-09-24 03:17 am UTC

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[info]ithildae
2008-09-24 03:39 am UTC (link)
True, McCain has a one in seven chance of dying in office, assuming eight years. McCain also has a six times greater chance of dying in office than Obama. (It should be ten times greater, but Obama is a smoker.) Bear in mind that actuarial tables are weighted toward death so that insurers do not lose money. The actual chances of death in office are statistically less, and are totally irrelevant to specific individuals. Sadistics are just kind of like that, totally useless when applied.

I still maintain that Palin is a sideshow. She is a distraction. But this is the stupid season. I am still more amused than annoyed.

{Afterthought}
The thing about Sarah Palin is that she appeals directly to the things that republicans care about. The carping about her is about stuff that democrats care about. I know, everyone should care about this stuff, but they don't. If we were all the same, with the same priorities, we would not have as strong a nation. It is still just singing to the choir.

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[info]ithildae
2008-09-24 03:42 am UTC (link)
I just scanned that again. Where is she not cooperating with the investigations? Everything I have read said that she is. And that she came forward with stuff before it was asked for. (Various articles attribute different motives to the facts.)

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[info]radarrider
2008-09-24 06:41 am UTC (link)
Just to address the two social issues you mention:

Banning library books: No books were ever banned in Wasilla. Ever. Only one request to remove a book even came during her term as mayor. Furthermore, the PDF that the data came from specifically states that these requests came from "library patrons," not government officials.

Charging for rape kits: False.

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