Posted on 09/03/2008 9:48:55 AM PDT by jazusamo
Now that the Democrats have recovered from the shock of Governor Sarah Palin's nomination as the Republican's candidate for vice president, they have suddenly discovered that her lack of experience in general— and foreign policy experience in particular— is a terrible danger in someone just a heartbeat away from being President of the United States.
For those who are satisfied with talking points, there is no need to go any further. But, for those who still consider substance relevant, this is an incredible argument coming from those whose presidential candidate has even less experience in public office than Sarah Palin, and none in foreign policy.
Moreover, if Senator Barack Obama is elected, he will not be a heartbeat away from the presidency, his would be the heartbeat of the president— and he would be the one making foreign policy.
But the big talking point is that the Democrats' vice-presidential nominee, Senator Joe Biden, has years of foreign policy experience as a member, and now chairman, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
That all depends on what the definition of "experience" is.
Before getting into that, however, a plain fact should be noted: No governor ever had foreign policy experience before becoming president— not Ronald Reagan, not Franklin D. Roosevelt, nor any other governor.
It is hard to know how many people could possibly have had foreign policy experience before reaching the White House.
Thomas Jefferson had been Secretary of State, but that was a while ago, and there has not been any other Secretary of State to become President of the United States.
Nor has any Secretary of Defense. The first President Bush had been head of the C.I.A., which certainly gave him a lot of knowledge of what was happening around the world, though still not experience in making the country's foreign policy.
Senator Joe Biden's years of service on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is even further removed from foreign policy experience. He has had a front-row seat as an observer of foreign policy. But Senator Biden has never had any real experience of making foreign policy and taking the consequences of the results.
The difference between being a spectator and being a participant, with responsibility for the consequences of what you say and do, is fundamental.
You can read books about crime or attend lectures by criminologists, but you have no real experience or expertise about crime unless you have been a criminal or a policeman.
Although I served in the Marine Corps, I have no military experience in any meaningful sense. The closest I ever came to combat was being assigned to photograph the maneuvers of the Second Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
That was photographic experience, not military experience. If someone gave me a policy-making job in the Pentagon, I wouldn't have a clue.
Senator Joe Biden has for years listened to all sorts of people testify on all sorts of foreign policy issues. But that tells us nothing about how well he understood the issues or how valid his conclusions were.
Whatever his conclusions were, they were not put to the test because he did not make any foreign policy.
Out of the four presidential and vice-presidential candidates this year, only Governor Palin has had to make executive decisions and live with the consequences.
As for Senator Obama, his various pronouncements on foreign policy have been as immature as they have been presumptuous.
He talked publicly about taking military action against Pakistan, one of our few Islamic allies and a nation with nuclear weapons.
Barack Obama's first response to the Russian invasion of Georgia was to urge "all sides" to negotiate a cease-fire and take their issues to the United Nations. That is standard liberal talk, which even Obama had second thoughts about, after Senator John McCain gave a more grown-up response.
We should all have second thoughts about what is, and is not, foreign policy "experience."
As usual wisdom flows from this wonderful man like honey...what a relief from the screeching sound from the fringe left lunatics!
The democrats have not recovered at all from Palin’s nomination... that’s why they’re still howling.
In WW2, General Eisenhower had to deal with Allied heads of state
Actually she does have foreign policy experience as the only governor of a state surrounded on all the land areas by a foreign country. On her state’s other borders are Russia and Korea.
As to the one heart beat thing, Dem’s worry about McCain keeling over, but if you look at risk factors, Obama is more likely to suffer health related problems. Both parents died at a young age and he only very recently (last year?) quit smoking.
Sowell is slipping a bit. During the first decades under the constitution, most presidents had been secretary of state. In fact, the office was considered the main stepping stone to the presidency. Monroe and JQ Adams come right to mind.
Yes, Sarah Palin has dealt with foreign policy dealing with Canada, Russia and Korea on some level.
Yes, he was a Marine and I believe a firearms instructor with the .45 government model.
Thank you Thomas Sowell for your insight.
Don’t forget Canada!
Sure did, but he was following orders, and I bet many of them he did not agree with. The giveaway of half of Europe maybe caused him some trouble, certainly did Patton.
I would bet money you’re right, I don’t believe he’s smart enough to come up with the questions he asks in confirmation hearings.
And Madison, Van Buren, and Buchanan.
Governor Welcomes Diplomatic Corps to Fairbanks
The Governor will greet the representatives from foreign governments and international businesses at a small reception on SaturdayThe international representatives include diplomats, business leaders, airline executives and others from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, The Seychelles, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
I have huge amounts of respect for Dr. Sowell but, on this point, I respectfully disagree.
While governor of Texas, George Bush had several meetings with Mexican president Vicente Fox. Given the nature of their relationship, we can argue the merits of those meetings but, I would still maintain that that constitutes "foreign policy" experience. Far more than Joe Biden, who is a foreign policy moron.
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