In a September 7 New York Times column about Gov. Sarah Palin, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol wrote: "[S]hould voters be alarmed by a relatively young or inexperienced vice-presidential candidate? No." As Media Matters for America noted, Kristol similarly downplayed the issue of the sufficiency of Palin's experience in his September 1 Times column, following Sen. John McCain's selection of Palin on August 29. But Kristol hasn't always treated the issue of experience as a qualification to run for vice president as insignificant. In his August 25 Times column, when he was making the case that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) could be McCain's best choice for running mate, Kristol cited the fact that “Palin has been governor for less than two years” as a possible reason for McCain not to pick her. Additionally, when discussing the possibility of McCain selecting Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as his running mate in his August 25 column, Kristol asserted: “But with [Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joe] Biden's foreign policy experience as a contrast, could McCain assure voters that the young Pawlenty is ready to take over, if need be, as commander in chief?”
In the September 7 column, Kristol also compared Palin to the “five vice presidents [who] have succeeded to the presidency during their term in office” since 1900. Of former President Harry Truman, Kristol wrote: “Truman was V.P. for less than three months and had been kept in the dark by Franklin Roosevelt about such matters as the atom bomb -- and he's generally thought to have risen to the occasion.” In fact, Truman served in the Senate for 10 years before becoming vice president, during which time he conceived of and chaired the Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, which became known as the Truman Committee. According to U.S. Senate website, the Truman Committee, which was created to investigate “waste and corruption” in the defense contracting industry, was “one of the most productive investigating committees” in Senate history. The Senate website further states:
During the three years of Truman's chairmanship, the committee held hundreds of hearings, traveled thousands of miles to conduct field inspections, and saved millions of dollars in cost overruns. Earning nearly universal respect for his thoroughness and determination, Truman erased his earlier public image as an errand-runner for Kansas City politicos. Along the way, he developed working experience with business, labor, agriculture, and executive branch agencies that would serve him well in later years.
From Kristol's September 7 New York Times column:
Should voters be alarmed by a relatively young or inexperienced vice-presidential candidate? No. Since 1900, five vice presidents have succeeded to the presidency during their term in office: Teddy Roosevelt in 1901, Calvin Coolidge in 1923, Harry Truman in 1945, Lyndon Johnson in 1963, and Gerald Ford in 1974. Teddy Roosevelt took over at age 42, becoming our youngest president, and he's generally thought to have proved up to the job. Truman was V.P. for less than three months and had been kept in the dark by Franklin Roosevelt about such matters as the atom bomb -- and he's generally thought to have risen to the occasion. Character, judgment and the ability to learn seem to matter more to success as president than the number of years one's been in Washington.
Did McCain think Palin his very best possible successor? Perhaps not. Did Barack Obama think Biden the absolute cream of the Democratic crop? Perhaps not. They undoubtedly thought highly enough of their running mates to have confidence in their ability to take over their administration in case of incapacity or death. I think most voters will accept that basic judgment.
