Obama refused to be photographed with F-22

Speaking of the Arctic Fox:

gary4205 on December 3, 2009 at 9:04 PM

You had me until the Sarah part. She has no more experience than Obama… really smart to replace a novice with a novice.

scotash on December 3, 2009 at 10:32 PM

Are you kidding me?

Sarah has damned near TWO DECADES OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE.

You think running a city, any size is easy?

Yeah, Wasilla is small, but unlike many cities, the mayor is also the city manager, or CEO. EVERYTHING lands on your desk. Tough job. AND, every SOB in town has your home phone number, and knows where you live. (and has has no problem calling or dropping by at all hours, night/day…24/7)

Sarah was also the president of the Alaska Council of Mayors

Then she was the Chief oil and gas regulator in the state, a very powerful job in Alaska.

Of course, she was Governor, CEO of our largest state.

In fact, when you look at sizes of the budgets managed, number of state employees, and the fact that Alaska does BILLIONS in trade with dozens of nations, (and Sarah has had contact and relationships with representatives of all of them), plus her experience as IOGCC Chair and extensive environmental experience, you realize something else:

Sarah Palin has a lot more experience than Bill Clinton did when he became President.

Her budget was about 4 times that of Arkansas, she had 3 times the employees. Clinton had zero foreign policy experience. Dick Morris had to set up school for him on it all.

PLUS, Sarah Palin was Commander-In-Chief of a standing force that not only mans our missile defenses, but routinely shows wayward Russian aircraft back into Russian airspace!

The Alaska Air Guard was decorated for escorting a number of Russian Bear bombers out of Alaskan air space on Sarah’s watch.

Sarah had a national security clearance level much higher than Bill Clinton had as Governor of Arkansas.

And remember, with all of the slugs Obama hangs with, he would have never had ANY clearances, as a Senator, EVER.

Of course, don’t just take my word for it. Her National Guard commander called her the finest C-I-C he ever served under.

Even better, here’s what Brigadier General (R) Anthony J. Tata, has to say about her:

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/ajtata/2009/12/03/review-going-rogue-reveals-palins-ready-to-lead/

Mark Twain’s famous quote, “Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel,” resonates loudly in my mind as I finish Sarah Palin’s captivating story, Going Rogue.

But Palin ain’t buying it by the barrel, she’s got a whole pipeline of pure grade indigo flowing from the North Slope as she pumps up the volume on her NY Times #1 bestselling memoir.

When I got about halfway through the book I set it down, stepped outside of my Washington, DC townhouse and went for a run around the U.S. Capitol. Listening to the Outlaws, Marshall Tucker Band, and Lil Bow Wow (my daughter slipped that one in there) on my iPod, the recurrent thought in my mind was that this woman is far more qualified to be president of the United States than the current occupant of the White House.

When I completed the journey that is Going Rogue, I wrote down five things:

–She is a positive role model for all Americans
–She is an executive, takes on hard problems and makes tough decisions
–She has tremendous energy, balance and intellect
–America shafted itself in this last election
–Alaska is lucky to have her

Oh, and a sixth, Sarah Palin could be the next president of the United States.

Her book washes away all doubts that any reader might have had about her readiness to be president. She comes across as exceptionally bright, dedicated, and passionate about public service. Her moral compass is strong, pointing true North in this case. And she has a wicked sense of humor.

The most salient take-away from Going Rogue for me was what I admired most in her campaign, which was that she had been in charge as either a mayor or a governor whereas none of the other candidates on either ticket had. Having been a commander several times in the military I know that there is a huge difference between being a hardworking and important staff officer and an ‘alone at the top’ commander. No matter how fancy the title, executive officer or Senator, at the end of the day, you are recommending to someone who actually makes the decision.

As a Governor, mayor or commander, you have the unparalleled responsibility to actually make decisions that have ramifications. There is little training that can prepare you for all those heads turning in your direction when it is decision time. You can’t blithely abstain on a vote or hide behind the guy in front of you, because you own the decision. Case in point is Obama’s inexcusable delay in making a decision on Afghanistan. His indecision, cloaked as ‘sleeves-rolled-up-pensiveness’, is an indicator that he was, at a minimum, unprepared to be commander in chief. What we see in his speech at West Point is a minimally slimmed down version of what General Stan McChrystal submitted to the president on August 30th. So now big Stan has nine months to do what he said it takes 12 months to accomplish.

Palin, on the other hand, demonstrates decisiveness and vulnerability. Is she prepared for the enormous breadth of responsibility of president? I think she’s ready for the hard part, which is making tough decisions. She’s no “Ruminator-in Chief”, that’s for sure, and if the American people think a second year back bench senator was ready to be president, I’m not sure we’ve got the right rubric out there.

Palin is real. She takes counsel of her fears and continuously comes back to her foundation of family, God, state and nation for reassurance and guidance. She has strong moral guideposts that she uses to navigate the shark infested political waters. Reading about the decisions Sarah Palin faced at multiple levels of government reminded me of something my command sergeant major in the 82nd Airborne Division used to say when we faced a tough decision together: “Sir, when you’re right, don’t worry about it.”

Palin is right on many issues such as energy policy, defense, business, and size of government. She gets it and my hope is that she firms up her base and then reaches out to moderates across this country. She has a gritty determination borne in the salmon hauls and caribou hunts that make her pioneer tough.

I am left wondering why the McCain campaign bottled her up and didn’t let the maverick, well, be a maverick. McCain made an unconventional pick and instead of hiring a Wall Street stockbroker to manage her I’m perplexed, and disappointed, that he didn’t let this one-woman campaign juggernaut do her thing. If she was accustomed to traveling all over Alaska campaigning essentially by herself or with her family by her side, surely she could have done without all of the layers of control. I believe that Sarah Palin is precisely what the American people are seeking: an honest, intelligent, passionate, practical conservative who is nonpartisan and a tough decision maker.

Oddly, as I read Going Rogue and learned the real story behind the mainstream media assault upon this patriot, I was briefly reminded of the first time I met Hillary Clinton. She was in her first year as New York’s junior senator and my impression of her was largely shaped by what I read in the newspapers or saw on television, meaning mostly negative. When she came into the Pentagon for a 45 minute briefing from my boss, I was one of four people in the room: the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Senator Clinton, her assistant Uma Abedin, and me.

Over the next 90 minutes, she not only ignored her schedule, but she demonstrated a keen intellect, undeniable sincerity, and genuine interest in the many complex topics discussed. I came away from that meeting with an entirely different viewpoint on Senator Clinton than had been painted for me in the media. I tucked away the lesson to always remember that there is a phalanx of reporters, journalists and hate mongers who are trying to tell us all what to think.

And so it was with Sarah Palin, someone I actually supported. I think Palin recognizes that the extreme members of both parties and media put each of them through the Mixmaster, in some part because they are women, and she extends an olive branch to Clinton for a chat over a cup of coffee.

No matter what your political leanings, you better believe that Sarah Palin will step forward when the time is right. She has spine and she is called to public service. She’s been bloodied in the faux battles of presidential politics and yet she’s still standing, making tough decisions. She seems to have an iron core spirit and a will to make our country better.

And like that pipeline of ink, she seems to have an indomitable will that when attacked, unfortunately for her opponents, she doesn’t break. Her resolve seems to strengthen.

As her father said, “Sarah’s not retreating; she’s reloading.”

We should hope so, because she’s precisely the kind of leader America needs.

Look, I already know she’s the most qualified person to come along in quite some time to be POTUS. But don’t take my word for it. Take the General’s!

gary4205 on December 4, 2009 at 12:37 AM