Will Democrats take the bait on Palin?

Ross Douthat is surely right that it does not benefit the Democrats to have "a debate (which the McCain campaign plainly wants to have) over the relative qualifications and accomplishments of Barack Obama and the Republican vice-presidential nominee." It's particularly problematic because Palin's critics are repeating many of the same charges that were directed at Obama (i.e. she's charismatic but light on substance). Reminding the public of those critiques in order to challenge a potential VP seems like a poor decision to me.

Comments

[Dave]

It's interesting that people keep saying this, as the Obama camp has clearly steered away (as best they can) from actually having this debate. Every note they've hit re. Palin boils down to McCain-Palin=Bush.

Liberal bloggers like Michael Crowley might be making these charges, but I'm not so sure how damning Michael Crowley's misguided commentary is going to be; we shouldn't confuse Dem/liberal commentators with the actual campaign.

[T_Porter]

I would add to Dave's comment that most of the criticism along these lines is that of McCain's hypocrisy on the CINC "Ready from Day One" issue, not that Palin's experience is, per se, a problem.

[Brendan Nyhan]

Per Dave's comment: I'm thinking of Democrats more broadly, not the Obama campaign itself, which has indeed avoided direct critiques of Palin.

[Neo]

No executive experience

Obama seems to have left out this job from his resume ..

"Recently [1995] he [Obama] was appointed president of the board of the Annenberg Challenge Grant, which will distribute some $50 million in grants to public-school reform efforts."

... this would be an excellent comeback for Obama to all those complaints that he never had executive experience or handled a payroll.

[Palin Sarah]

Palin lied about the "bridge to nowhere," she DID in fact support the bridge to

nowhere as well as seeking millions of earmarks as Mayor and nearly $200 million

in earmarks as governor just this year (2008).

Palin lied about being in government and supporting special needs children, she

slashed the budget of special needs children. Palin also cut funding to pregnant

teens, doesn't believe in sex education, and would force a raped child to bear the

rapists baby.

She certainly proved that she could be as vicious and divisive as any Republican

red meat male. And the Lord knows that the Republicans love vicious women (see:

Coulter, Ann).

After listening to Palin's speech, it's clear that divisive politics is something

she lives and breathes.

And the Republicans have certainly proved they're very adept at playing the gender

card and have done so with same absurdly low level of provocation with which

they've repeatedly played the POW card. Such as when McCain was questioned about

his abysmal health plan, forgetting how many houses he owns, even as an excuse to

why he likes Abba's "dancing queen" disco music. Any excuse is a good excuse to

play the POW card, especially if that excuse obscures bad judgment, bad policies,

or self-serving power seeking.

Ultimately, though, Palin is an example of McCain's impulse control problem. He

clearly chose her on a whim, having only met her twice (once?). Worse, it

indicates that he is a wholly owned creature of the "agents of intolerance" he

once rejected.

Definitely more of the McSame.

It's sad really, McCain had offered a lot of hope to independents even a few

months ago but he has systematically repudiated everything that he (apparently)

suckered the independents in with.

[Speener]

The way you handle Palin is on the issues - not her experience. As Brendan states - arguing she isn't experienced - raises the argument about Obama - it shouldn't be about the length of experience - it should be about the quality.

The focus needs to be policy, policy, and more policy. It has to be about what the McCain-Palin ticket believes in - what they support; who'd they put on the court; etc. Policy is not an argument the Republicans want to have - so all they've been doing over the past week hints at their strategy: misdirection. This means the Obama campaign needs to remain focused and disciplined and on message no matter the bait.

[Maestroh]

The anonymous coward who posted here as Sarah Palin and called her an extremist - I'll be she thinks Hillary is mainstream. LOL