Hi everyone,

"I've seen this so many times I've lost count: TV Person #1 raises the
valid question that by all measure, Sarah Palin is not perceived seriously
to be ready to lead, to which TV Person #2 responds obediently, however
unconvincingly, towing the Party line: "She has more (executive)
experience than Barack Obama," not answering the question at all,
instead just dodging it by projection & eating up as much air-time as
possible, extolling the superiority of Sarah Palin over Barack Obama while
noticeably straining to smile through it all.

I've had enough. Going by that same logic, Sarah Palin has more
experience than anyone on the ticket... Do you believe it? For those who
insist on insisting, here's a side-by-side comparison, which I hope you'll
find useful. Everything here is objective & easily verifiable somewhere
else online, although I gotta admit, most of it was lifted straight from
Wikipedia..." See also links and the bottom for bibliography (sources list).
Thank you, SantaFeMarie!!!

1980 - 1984
Obama: B.A. in political science with a specialization in international
relations from Columbia University.
Palin: Wasilla High School, captain of the state-champion basketball
team. Miss Wasilla, runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, also Miss
Congeniality, although that is now disputed.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/debpeterson/story
/23D7A0CF8A2E3A61862574B50011DB30?OpenDocument
Him: Ivy League degree in Political Science.
Her: tiara.

1985 - 1990
Obama: moved to Chicago; became a community organizer as Director
of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community
organization on Chicago's far South Side. During his three years as the
DCP's Director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew
from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set
up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a
tenants' rights organization. Moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law
School. Selected as an editor and then elected President of the Harvard
Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief
and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors.
Palin: Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, with a
(edits by a first-time-user account to Palin's Wikipedia page began 45
minutes before her candidacy was announced, totaling 5 hours, in clear
violation of Wikipedia's "Terms of Service" regarding conflict of interest)
minor in political science (this particular page edit was added to Wikipedia
not the same day her VP candidacy was announced, but one day AFTER)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94118849 from
the University of Idaho. Brief stint as a sports reporter for local Anchorage
television stations; left to join her husband in commercial fishing.
Him: Director of the Developing Communities Project, President of the
Harvard Law Review.
Her: part-time sportscaster. see video at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-from-tv-
sport_n_122676.html

1991 - 1995
Obama: graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; received
contract and advance to write a book ("Dreams from my Father") as well
as a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School. Directed the
Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive
with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers that achieved its goal of registering
150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading
Crain's Chicago Business to name Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under
Forty" powers to be. Appointed as a Lecturer in constitutional law at the
University of Chicago. Joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-
attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood
economic development. Active in several community organizations,
usually as a board member.
Palin: member of the Alasaka Independence Party (secessionist
organization) which advocates "Alaska First; Alaska Always". As a result,
in 1992 & 1996 elected to Wasilla city council.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94200853

Him: Critcally acclaimed author and businessman, eminent expert on our

nation's fundamental legal principles.
Her: Plotted to leave the Union; thinks Pledge of Allegiance was written
by our Founding Fathers (original link
http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/2006/07/2006-gubernatorial-
candidate.html was REMOVED yesterday; see
http://web.archive.org/web/20070501192322/http://eagleforumalaska.bl
ogspot.com/2006/07/2006-gubernatorial-candidate.html instead), doesn't
know what a Vice President does.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12969.html,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oro2Yh9HoEM,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/29/sarah-palin-what-
exactly_n_122514.html

Note to Palin: The Founding Fathers didn't recite the Pledge of

Allegiance. It was written in 1892, and didn't include the phrase
"Under God" until 1954.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_09/014510
.php

1996 - 2000
Obama: promoted to Senior Lecturer in constitutional law at the
University of Chicago Law School. Elected to the Illinois Senate.
Sponsored more than 800 bills.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_
OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html In 2000, lost a Democratic primary run for the
U.S. House of Representatives to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush by a
margin of two to one.
Palin: elected as mayor of Wasilla (population 5,470), defeating the
incumbent by a total of 616 votes to 413. Town budget, $8 million (3
millionths of the Federal budget), approximately 100 employees. Reduced
property taxes but increased sales taxes. Fired the Wasilla police chief,
citing a failure to support her administration. (He then sued Palin on the
grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's
opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had
the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political
reasons.) Hired a DC lobbyist to bring $27 million in earmarks
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090103148.html?hpid=topnews
to the city. Wasilla had zero debt when she entered office but she left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million, including $15 million-plus for
construction of a hockey center which was built on a piece of property
that the city didn't even have clear title to, a matter that is still in
litigation. Attempted to ban books from the city library.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1837918,00.html
Him: Sponsored 800 bills.
Her: Swayed 616 voters.
http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=136
2001 - 2004
Obama: Re-elected in 2002 and became Chairman of the Illinois Senate's
Health and Human Services Committee.
Publicly spoke out against the invasion of Iraq BEFORE the Congressional
authorization in 2002, and then again before the actual invasion in 2003.
Wrote and delivered the Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic
National Convention.
November 2004: elected to the US Senate, receiving over 3.5 million
votes, more than 70% of total.
Palin: elected President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. Unsuccessful
bid for lieutenant governor, coming in second in a five-way race in the
Republican primary, receiving 19,000 votes. Appointed to the Alaska Oil
and Gas Conservation Commission, served as chairman from 2003 to
2004 and also served as Ethics Supervisor. Resigned in protest over the
"lack of ethics" of fellow Republican members. Exposed the state
Republican Party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, for doing party work on
public time and working closely with a company he was supposed to be
regulating. Director of Ted Stevens' (recently indicted on corruption
charges) 527 (lobbyist) group. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-
trail/2008/09/01/palin_was_a_director_of_embatt.html
Him: Demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even
began.
Her: hasn't really thought much about Iraq
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/08/29/palin_iraq/index.ht
ml - despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/states/ak/

2005 to present
Obama: Worked with Republican Senator Lugar to author and implement
a program to locate and dismantle stray Russian WMD's. Designated by
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as the party's point man on ethics.
Worked with Russ Feingold to pass a major ethics/lobbying reform bill.
Cosponsored, with John McCain, the Secure America and Orderly
Immigration Act. Called for increased fuel efficiency standards (3 percent
every year for 15 years). Assignments on the Senate Committees for
Foreign Relations, Veterans' Affairs, and Homeland Security. Chairman of
the Senate's subcommittee on European Affairs. As a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made official trips to Eastern
Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Waged a tremendous
battle to become the Democratic presidential nominee. Currently
manages 2,500 campaign employees and a budget of $40-$50
million/month.
Palin: 2005: board member, Valley Hospital Association, which runs the
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Wasilla.
Became youngest and first female Governor of Alaska, taking office in
December, 2006. Received 114,600 votes. The population of Alaska is
683,478 and more than 50% of the state budget comes from oil
revenues, not taxes as in other states. Gross State Product: $44 billion
(including the oil revenue). Ranking 45 of 50. Auctioned off the
Governor's jet on eBay. Took on fellow-Republican Senator Ted Stevens to
come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings.
Promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska. Helped
pass a tax increase on oil companies' obscene profits. Formed a sub-
cabinet group of advisers to address climate change but does not accept
that it is man-made. Objected to listing polar bears as an endangered
species because it might hurt oil and gas development in the bears'
habitat. Was for the "Bridge to Nowhere" before she was against it.
http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html However, Alaska kept
the federal money. Denied her daughter, the recipient of "abstinence-
only" sex-education, was pregnant before she confirmed it.
http://community.adn.com/node/130178#comment-367717 Currently
under a bipartisan investigation for abuse of power for dismissing Alaska's
Public Safety Commissioner. Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National
Guard, but has played no role in national defense activities, even when
they involve the Alaska National Guard.(The entire operation is under
federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/31/alaska-national-guard-
gen_n_122860.html
Obtained her first passport in 2007
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/31/cindy-palin-russia/ to perform visits
to the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait and Germany. (Foreign experience
so limited that a stopover in Ireland listed on her resume.) Note: It is
worth observing that numerous Republican message hammers/talking-
heads have lied on national television by telling the country that Palin
visited the troops in Iraq.

Him: Impressive figure on the international stage, intimate

knowledge of how United States government works and is already
highly influential in foreign policy issues.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/opinion/27rich.html?_r=1&partner
=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
Her: Small state (total population less than Memphis, TN)
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02000.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0763098.html Governor for 21
months, currently battling three discrete scandals and under
investigation for abuse of the powers of her office.
Conclusion: the word "executive" is not some kind of magic multiplier
when placed in front of the word "experience".

BIBLIOGRAPHY: ROOT SOURCES (of course there are linked articles and
videos) INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Wikipedia, St. Louis Post-
Dispatch, Anchorage Daily News, ABC News, National Public Radio (NPR),
Huffington Post, New York Times, Washington Post, City of Wasilla official
site, Senate.gov, Salon.com, Washington Monthly, Fox News (for
inspiration!), etc.

In the interest of objectivity/credibility, I made a conscious effort to try

and stay away from blog pages. You'll see a few included, but all sources
are verifiable because of outside links to more info from more credible
sources.

Q: I don't believe you. You are biased. You are lying.

A: See for yourself (copy/paste, add your search terms separated by

the plus sign):
http://www.google.com/search?q=search+terms+like+so
Example:
http://www.google.com/search?q=McCain+cancels+CNN

Let me also say that to me, it matters that Obama is widely traveled, has
met and is liked by numerous world leaders (since when is it a minus for
other people to, you know, not HATE us???), and has lived and worked in
various regions of this great country (East-coast, West-coast, Midwest). It
seems to me suspicious that a person who has essentially lived all her life
in the area of her birth would suddenly think she can aspire to national
and even world politics.

I am a working class, white American straight male, and I

am voting for Barack Obama. I know plenty of his politics and plenty of
WHO he is. I am also aware there is plenty of pigment in his skin, but let
me be clear; that is not a factor in my decision. No slander attempts
against him have any real teeth. I have seen John McCain's campaign
resemble a vampire in so many ways just these past two months, since
the cheese-aisle incident, since he hired George Bush’s same campaign
team who dragged him through the mud in 2000 and Kerry in 2004.
Vampire because it's so obvious (McCain's been in the Senate for 22
years! Why is he gonna change it next year?)that they have NEVER been
agents of change in America, ONLY trying to brand himself as a change
agent recently because the People demanded it and he doesn't stand a
chance without also embracing it. They picked up on the message of
change ONLY after it was apparent that Obama was going to win on that
platform, and are now attempting to "out-market" Obama with gimmicks
of being the real agents of change... I say vampire (although I could as
easily have said "body snatcher") because it's only about victory with
McCain. It's ONLY about victory. McCain NEVER said anything about being
a change agent all the way through the primary season; only recently;
only well after the primaries were finished. McCain has been copy-catting
Obama's campaign every step of the way since BEFORE the cheese-aisle
incident, first notably with the "green-screen" speech in which he briefly
(for about three days) changed his logo green instead of blue and
changed his slogan to "A Leader We Can Believe In," ripping off BLIND
Obama's trademark "Change You Can Believe In." Vampire because
they've glommed onto everything about Obama's campaign that is
working. EVERYTHING... including picking a female VP running mate in
order to try to steal the female vote, a woman who is so obviously power
hungry and herself not above using a little palm-greasing and cronyism-
of-convenience (she never even would have made Mayor if she didn't
support a group that wants Alaska to be their own country - google
"Palin" "AIP") in order to "win." Vampire because, as with Bush, it's all
about "perception management." Vampire because at any moment, they
could be exposed to the light of day. They won't grant any interviews with
Palin because she's so unknowledgeable, it's of vital importance she
doesn't open her mouth away from the scripted podium. Vampire because
perception, improperly "managed" will lead to their sound defeat and they
know it. NOTHING is as it seems with Republicans in general and McCain's
campaign in particular. Vampire because a hallmark of the Republican
strategy is to "project" one's own shortcomings onto the other, as in
"Some politicians use change to advance their careers, and some
politicians use their careers to advance change!" No one with 30 minutes
of good solid research could believe that statement about McCain, but
another 30 minutes make a pretty good case in favor of Barack Obama. I
am voting for Barack Obama because he earned my vote. He earned my
vote by championing family values (one marriage, no baggage) instead of
just paying lip service to the concept. Barack has earned my vote with
his voting record, available for anyone to see and contrast over at
senate.gov (http://obama.senate.gov/votes/,
http://ask.metafilter.com/99889/McCain-vs-Obama-website,
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=41175
0). By stark contrast, see McCain’s anti-troop, anti-child, anti-working-
class voting record at the same site, although you’d fair better with
google (see
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22McCain%22+voting+record+senat
e.gov%2F). Barack has earned my vote with his integrity, never
stooping to smear tactics as a viable first strategy. You see, Barack
Obama shouldn't need to do that. Obama doesn't need to try to trick you
into voting for him. He earned my vote with his PROVEN record as an
agent of reform and change. Obama has earned my vote. It's like
McCain has taken everything good about Obama, all of his great
strengths, and (1) ignored them early on with smears (because those
kind of "first impressions" are the kind of stuff that lasts & gives water
cooler "talking points," see "perception management" above), then (2)
mocked them jealously, and finally (3) looked for ways to try to
market himself as being that way "too." Here is a guy (Barack) who has
dedicated his entire life to serving others. See McCain's acceptance
speech last night? McCain is again, like a vampire, trying to paint himself
as someone who has done the same, and just like everything else they
have glommed onto, it is for MARKETING PURPOSES. I am voting for
Barack Obama, but it is not on the color of his skin; it is on the content of
his character. Keep it real, huh guy? For those in doubt as to Obama's
"experience" and "readiness," it's important to note that when John
McCain began his campaign, Sarah Palin was not yet a Governor. It's
important to note that Barack Obama has been running for President
roughly as long as Palin has been a Governor with "responsibilities." It's
important to note that Barack Obama has executive control over
his own campaign, with some 2500 employees and a MONTHLY
budget at least three times (on average) as large as Palin's entire
YEARLY budget as Governor. (Yeah, maybe you could put some
perspective on that by doing a google on these here inter-tubes for Palin's
budget before/after while mayor of a town of only 7025, see
http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=49 for proof of how tiny it
is.) And for anyone who insists on insisting otherwise, check this out:

Senator Barack H. Obama, J.D.

--2 time Best Selling Author
--Constitutional Scholar, 12-year Professor of Constitutional Law
UNITED STATES SENATOR from Illinois
--Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
--Chairman, Subcommittee on European Affairs
--Member, Subcommittee on African Affairs
--Member, Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
--Member, Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign
Assistance, --Economic Affairs and International Environmental Protection
--Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
--Member, Subcommittee on Children and Families
--Member, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
--Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs
--Member, Subcommittee on Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and
Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
--Member, Subcommittee on Investigations
--Member, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government
Information, Federal Services, and International Security
--Member, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Elected in 2004, Barack Obama has sponsored 136 bills since Jan 4,
2005. Obama has co-sponsored 653 bills during the same time period.

Selected recent Obama sponsored bills:

Passed Senate
Jun 26, 2007 S.Con.Res. 25: A concurrent resolution condemning the
recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against peaceful
opposition party activists and members of civil society.

Scheduled for Debate

Apr 24, 2008 S. 2433: Global Poverty Act of 2007

Introduced
Jun 3, 2008 S. 3077: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in
Federal Spending Act of 2008

Introduced
Oct 4, 2007 S. 2147: Security Contractor Accountability Act of 2007

Introduced
Jul 26, 2007 S. 1885: Military Family Job Protection Act

Obama's eight years representing 650,000 people of District 13

Highlights of ILLINOIS STATE LEGISLATURE 1997-2004

SHORT SELECTION OF THE Bills Obama Successfully Sponsored:

2004. Health Care Justice Act, a study of ways to implement a universal

health care system statewide.

2003. Requirement that law enforcement videotape interrogations of

suspects for serious crimes.

2003. Successfully sponsored law enforcement study of the race of people

pulled over for traffic tickets.

2003. Co-sponsored a prescription drug discount buying club program for

seniors and the disabled.
1998. Successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform called the Gift Ban
Act.

Selected (based on contrast to McCain and/or distortions of voting record)

excerpts of State Senate:
Voting record:
--Voted to raise the minimum wage in Illinois.
--Helped pass a 5 percent earned-income tax credit for low-income
working families in 2000;
--Voted for having Illinois endorse embryonic stem cell research. (2004)
--Voted to let retired police and military police carry concealed
weapons. (2004)

I am pro-gun, pro-home-schooling, anti-big-gov't. Barack

Obama will not raise our taxes, and he will not try to take our
guns away. That is laughable... We are Americans, dammit! Like
we could EVER be disarmed!

One more thing: I want a president who is WAAAAAYYY smarter

than I am. In Barack Obama, we have one. John McCain..? Not so much.

B-b-b-but, but he's a Muslim! It's not true, and you know it. But
don't let it end there. Let it end here: So what if he were? I am an
American, and I AM NOT AFRAID! Don't get tricked into voting
against your own interest! You vote Republican because of the
undercurrent of racism so prevalent in the Party, and because you want to
identify with money... Who doesn't??? But they are chumping you. You
stand to actually gain under Barack Obama! Don't take the bait (again!)!
McCain? I like him. I respect him. But he hasn't earned my vote. Palin?
Come on..! Ladies, look here:
http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/the-mirrored-
ceiling/index.html