There is lots of science to show that average is beautiful. But I have never understood why averageness was a desirable trait in a political candidate. That Bush was "an average guy" was the political battle cry manufactured by Karl Rove. I didn't understand the desirability of that statement back in 2000 and I still don't understand it now. But at least it was manufactured. After all, how can you possibly be average if your father was President?
But in the case of Sarah Palin, though, I do believe she is truly average. The average person, for instance, would not necessarily know what the Bush Doctrine was. After her interview with Charles Gibson, it's clear Palin doesn't know what it is either:
One might hypothesize, however, that someone suited for the political world would be familiar with the Bush Doctrine. This might make this person above average, not to mention a better candidate. Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com wrote a great column today asking Where is the debate over the Bush Doctrine? He shows that Ron Paul, John McCain, and Barack Obama are all familiar with the Bush Doctrine and its meaning. Average simply isn't good enough to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency...
Politics
Comments
I beg to differ with you in your appraisal of Ms. Palin. She is far BELOW average when it comes to things that directly affect her. Her son is going to Iraq. She claims not to think about it. She does not know that the Bush doctrine is going to be making a big difference in her son's life. All those things point to someone who is uncaring, unthinking, and not curious about something that is going to have a major impact on her immediate family. As a mother of an army aged son, I know damned well what the Bush doctrine is, I know how it could affect my child, and I know how it has messed up my country. I am not a governor of a state that sends its sons to Iraq, I am not running for vice president, and I am not on national TV. I am an average, 50 year old mother who knows more than Palin does about very important doctrines that now run our country. Maybe I should be running for VP...
Posted by: G in INdiana | September 16, 2008 11:10 AM