I’m going to have to agree with you MBB1984. Faucetman responded with comments that reflect my thoughts on the subject quite well. Thank you Faucetman.
After the 2008 election, when it became obvious folks where going to push Palin to be our nominee in 2012, I suggested she need to brush up on international dynamics. That’s basically what Krauthammer was suggesting, Palin hasn’t seemed to have done that. Your comments about Greta’s and her conversation from the other night ring true for me.
I’m not particularly pleased with the terms Krauthammer used here either. I share some of the Palinista objections to the word ‘policy’, because I have seen too much bad policy in the last 16 years.
That’s why I would rather reference international dynamics. Regional dynamics are very important, if we’re to avoid pitfalls. Even a well meaning person with great instincts can really screw things up, if they don’t understand regional dynamics.
For example (and this is not a reflection of Palin), it sounds nice to think of a Palestinian state living in peace with Israel. Treating this goal blindly as a lofty one with two sides pushing for the same thing, could be fatal for Israel. There were times under Bush, when I honestly didn’t think he understood clue one with regard to the dynamics of the region.
Israel would get attacked, and respond. The next thing you’d know, he would admonish Israel to keep the response to a minimum, or admonish it to hold off altogether as if a peace agreement were just around the corner and might be jeopardized. He was clueless. Rice and Powell seemed to be also, all too often.
Of course Clinton and his walks with Arafat revealed a cavern of ignorance that knew no bounds too.
What is important is the ability to make the best possible decision when presented with the available information. That comes from intelligence, wisdom, experience and base moral principle. The next thing that is hugely important is the ability to communicate those decisions and put them into action. Action after all is what it takes to make things actually happen.
A walking encyclopedia represents none of the above. Just because someone can recall endless details regarding endless policies in of itself does little towards actual problem solving. It certainly doesn’t hurt but it does not provide a useful measuring stick of problem solving ability.
The simple truth is there is far too much to “know” these days. We simply can’t know it all. That’s where trusted advisors and experts come in. And even then one must have good judgement on whether what your advisors are saying makes sense or not and whether or not to seek additional information.
So what is important to me at this point is what kind of team she puts together and then how she campaigns - if she does so.