O'Reilly ignores conservatives' digs to blame "the left" for perception that Palin "is dumb"
Bill O'Reilly claimed, "The perception that [Sarah Palin] is dumb comes almost exclusively from the left"; however, members of the McCain campaign, numerous conservative commentators, and a Republican senator criticized Palin's intellect and ability to assume the presidency. Indeed, Fox News itself reported: "There was great concern in the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lacked a degree of knowledgeability necessary to be a running mate."
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O'Reilly: "[P]erception" that Palin "is dumb comes almost exclusively from the left, does it not?"
From the August 5 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
JANE SKINNER: And also Sarah Palin, she doesn't want Whoopi Goldberg endorsing her, because this plays right into her story line --
O'REILLY: OK, but --
SKINNER: -- the media elite, the Hollywood types are out to get her.
O'REILLY: The perception that the governor is dumb comes almost exclusively from the left, does it not?
SKINNER: Yeah.
Fox reported "great concern" in McCain camp that Palin lacked necessary "knowledgeability"
Fox News: "There was great concern in the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lacked a degree of knowledgeability necessary to be a running mate." On November 5, Fox News' Carl Cameron reported, "There was great concern in the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lacked a degree of knowledgeability necessary to be a running mate, a vice president, and a heartbeat away from the presidency." Cameron further reported, "We're told that she didn't understand that Africa was a continent, rather than a series -- a country just in itself. A whole host of questions that caused serious problems about her knowledgeability." [Think Progress; 11/5/08]
Conservatives: Palin "obviously not qualified," "doesn't know enough," "not up to the job"
George Will: Palin is "obviously not qualified to be President," "a person of negligible experience." The Huffington Post reported: "Appearing at a Senate Press Secretaries Association reception at the Cornerstone Government Affairs office, Will offered a harsh assessment of John McCain's running mate. Palin is 'obviously not qualified to be President,' he remarked, describing her interview on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric as a 'disaster.' ... Will, who could not be reached for comment, had also been previously critical of McCain's choice of Palin, writing a week after it was announced: 'The man who would be the oldest to embark on a first presidential term has chosen as his possible successor a person of negligible experience.' " [Huffington Post; 9/30/08]
Kathleen Parker: "She's out of her league," "doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin." In a column titled: "Palin Problem: She's out of her league," Kathleen Parker wrote: "As we've seen and heard more from John McCain's running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion." Parker later added, "Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League. ... Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there's not much content there." [National Review Online; 9/26/08]
David Frum: "I think she has pretty thoroughly -- and probably irretrievably -- proven that she is not up to the job of being president of the United States." The New York Times reported: " 'I think she has pretty thoroughly -- and probably irretrievably -- proven that she is not up to the job of being president of the United States,' David Frum, a former speechwriter for President Bush who is now a conservative columnist, said in an interview. 'If she doesn't perform well, then people see it. And this is a moment of real high anxiety, a little bit like 9/11, when people look to Washington for comfort and leadership and want to know that people in charge know what they are doing.' " The article also reported: "A month after Gov. Sarah Palin joined Senator John McCain's ticket to a burst of excitement and anticipation among Republicans, she heads into a critical debate facing challenges from conservatives about her credentials, signs that her popularity is slipping and evidence that Republicans are worried about how much help she will be for Mr. McCain in November." [The New York Times; 9/30/08]
GOP senator: "[I]t's a stretch" "to say that she's got the experience to be president"
Sen. Hagel: "I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States." In an interview, then-Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said: "I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States." Hagel also said: "I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia.' ... That kind of thing is insulting to the American people." [MSNBC First Read; 9/18/2008]
LMS
Is that even a real word?
Rephrase the question:
Is Sarah Palin a "rocket scientist". Uh, NO that is extremely doubtful.
Is she "crazy smart"? Maybe, since no one really has any idea what she is up to, doing the unexpected sometimes works out for you.
Is it just the Dems/Liberals that are questioning her "intellectual" credentials?
That would be one of those questions where the answer crosses all party lines.
And let us not forget, this is a [vile evil hack of a] woman that couldn't even explain the role of the VP to grade school children.
The way I look at it, she got on the crazy train, back in Wasilla, and was just carried along. (I don't think she expected any of this, thus the deer in the headlights look) Anyone with any kind of common sense would say that she would never be elected mayor, much less governor. I guess it just goes to show just how screwed up our system/way of thinking is.
Remember when Bush was elected, a lot of people voted for him because "he was the kind of guy they could drink a beer with".
With Obama, people are giving him a hard time for being "too intellectual".
Go figure, wouldn't you want the "smartest guy" running the show?
What "grief"? It's a fact she couldn't explain the job of VP to children. It's a fact that she is an evil hack of woman who went out of her way, and continues, to stir up hate and anger against our President and the Left and then screams foul when someone dares respond in kind. She's not a good woman. She's a dumber and more partisan version of herr dubyah.
Besides, that is my point. I think she climbed on the crazy train, and now look where she is. Does she have the intellect necessary to be V.P. or POTUS? Well, we did elect Bush.
Mostly, my point is that by sinking to the same level of certain people, who will remain nameless, we just drag ourselves down to their level and allow them to say "but; you do it to". When discussing where the country should go or who should lead it, we need to stay focused on the issues and stay away from name calling.
"In television interviews she was out of her depth in a shallow pool."
"She was limited in her ability to explain and defend her positions, and sometimes in knowing them. She couldn't say what she read because she didn't read anything."
"She wasn't thoughtful enough to know she wasn't thoughtful enough."
Yep, I'd say Peggy Noonan, the conservative's conservative, thinks Sarah Palin is pretty darned dumb . . . or in her words, "horrifying."
Noonan has openly mentioned that she didn't vote for Obama on Morning Joe.
As I said, Noonan is the "conservative's conservative." She wouldn't have voted for Obama if Mickey Mouse had been on the Republican ticket; however, she still thinks Palin is dumb.
I was just adding to your evidence that she's not a leftist....not even close.
Only when compared to O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, etc.
Amazing how it's "not a left or right notion" when it comes to the incompetence and failures of a reich-winger.
Palin's said enough stupid things to prove the point without attributing a comic's words to her.
I'm just sayin...
Correct. But she did say you can see Russia "from land here in Alaska". That "land" is a tiny remote Island in the Bering Strait where about 100 people live. Again, a stupid statement.
Feel better now.
Or
"I think on a national level your Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out." --
Does Eric Holder's brother run the Dept of Law there in the White House.
With large portions of the media making excuses for her and deflecting evidence of ignorance and incompetence, I think she could really be a future threat.
And yet, many thought it was clever, or at least no big deal. I continually overestimate some members of the general public.
The perception comes from her own behavior and her own words. Sarah Palin, with her incoherent grasp of economics (among other things) and her frequent (and often illogical) use of the word "also" has done quite enough herself to cause anyone to question her intelligence. Does anyone besides Sarah Palin use the word 'progress' as a transitive verb? She sounds like a beauty pageant contestant, and she and her supporters seem to want us to judge her by beauty pageant standards.