Barbara Boxer on Sarah Palin: A harsh attack

As an unswerving member of the left wing of the Democratic Party, Sen. Barbara Boxer of California wasn't going to be much impressed with whomever John McCain selected as a running mate.

Still, her reaction to the pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is noteworthy for its sharpness, especially given Boxer's commitment to feminist causes. Here's Boxer statement:

The vice president is a heartbeat away from becoming president, so to choose someone with not one hour’s worth of experience on national issues is a dangerous choice.

If John McCain thought that choosing Sarah Palin would attract Hillary Clinton voters, he is badly mistaken.

The only similarity between her and Hillary Clinton is that they are both women.  On the issues, they could not be further apart.

Sen. McCain had so many other options if he wanted to put a woman on his ticket, such as Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison or Sen. Olympia Snowe -– they would have been an appropriate choice compared to this dangerous choice.

In addition, Sarah Palin is under investigation by the Alaska state legislature, which makes this more incomprehensible.

Snowe, considered by many in the GOP a RINO -- Republican in Name Only -- never was a vice presidential prospect. Hutchison's name surfaced over the last few days as a strong possibility, but her stance in favor of abortion rights likely made her a non-starter for the McCain camp.

-- Don Frederick

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., makes a point during her address at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. AP photo by Ron Edmonds

Comments

[Rich Johnson]

As far as Governor Palin's experience, even a year and a half administrative experience in the governor's office trumps any length of time in the senators office. Besides, Cheney had loads of experience, so if McCain picked someone with experience they would have been compared to Cheney.

Bravo to Senator McCain.

[Cliff W]

She is only picked as a toy for Repub's to get female votes. Hilary earned her votes, Sarah did not. We now have 60 days to get to know someone that could be the president of the US. This is a very Carl Rove type move and of course they are going to play the gender card. Let her have her day, Sarah will falter very quickly.

[Mark]

McCain made a mistake. The lack of experience argument against Obama was his best hope, and now it is undermined. One could argue that he must never have meant it to begin with. The fact is that even Obama's supporters realize that he is attempting a precocious leap from his current position to the White House. But they are willing to make the leap with him because they correctly see him as a once in a generation, exceptional politician with insight and skills beyond his years. That is why he is a plausible president. Palin may have good qualities, but I doubt she is Barack Obama. Unlike Obama, her resume is not arguably thin,it is astoundingly thin. It will be very hard for most Americans to imagine her as president.

[Chuck Cardiff]

At least Palin has executive experience, which is something that Obama and Biden completely lack. Criticizing the McCain-Palin ticket for lack of experience is laughable, given that Obama's experience consists of being a junior political hack, and Biden's of being a boring old windbag.

[O'YesWeWill]

Yes, let's go down the inexperince road.
McCain has made a dangerous choice Palin has never experience anything involving a national issue, security, economic or disaster 18 moths - that's what she's got and she's being investigated by her own state legislature already.

I expected McCain to make a mature choice,someone with a proven skillset , not a novelty choice - so much for judgment.

[Cindy S]

I am so tired of hearing that Obama has three years experience in the Senate - he has spent almost two of those years campaining for president! What accomplishment did he make during those "three" years? Palin accomplished more in her two years as governor than he has in all of his legislative experience.

[Robert]

This is the moment we've all been waiting for as a great nation. A hokey mom/runner-up beauty pageant contestant, local sports news reporter, with a journalism degree from idaho, that enjoys moose stew, shooting wolves from helicopters, and is under investigation for ethics. Perfect. Which moron could ever vote for her as the commander in chief of the United States of America. Not this moron.

[Cindy S]

I am so tired of hearing that Obama has three years experience in the Senate - he has spent almost two of those years campaining for president! What accomplishment did he make during those "three" years? Palin accomplished more in her two years as governor than he has in all of his legislative experience.

[Joseph T.]

Palin? Just goes to show the Republican Party [McPain] has run out of candidates!

[Lisa S]

Senator Boxer is right on the mark!!

[Lisa S]

Senator Boxer is right on the mark!!

[Muhammed Maharesh]

My friends at the mosque feel that Sarah Palin is more attractive than our fellow brethren's wife, Michele!
We will now vote for the infiidel, McCain.

[Namaste]

Am looking forward to hearing about the dustup which will inevitably occur when Palin infuriates McCain and he lights into her with one of his more expressive epiphets used toward women, You know the ones: trollop and c words which burst from his mouth as he publicly becomes enraged at his wife (his second wife) And then there is the charmer where he marches over and grabs one of his colleagues by the collar and shakes them. This last seems to be a favorite of his. Why are women called B's when they become aggressive and have anger issues and men can get away with it? Especially does this seem true of John McCain. He is a bully and does not deserve the White House.
Although maybe Palin will not mind. Afterall, she reinstated someone in their job after they had been convicted of sexual harassment.

[Raj]

Palin has at leas run something (a State for the last two years). Obama has no experience being chief executive of anything--not even a grocery store or a government agency.

[Joe]

Someone named Bill Clinton didn't have national experience either.

[Kaliahk]

The comment above that Alaska is not ethically disverse is a joke. There is not a majority of any ethnicity in Alaska. We are all in the minority here. Those of you Democrats that are assailing Palin on experience are just highlighting your own candiate's failings - this is not the loss of the argument of experience by McCain, it is enforcing it in the mnds of most Americans.

For those of you who do not know, Palin took on the Republican machine in Alaska and won. She is not an insider.

I have issues with some of her positions, but at least she is middle class and not a political hack.

[Golfaddict01]

WOW !!! A former MIss Alaska runner-up? Why didn't McCain just pick Paris Hilton and get it over with. This selection make Dan Quayle look like Winston Churchill. After Obama's speech last night and McCain's blunder this morning, the only thing McCain needs to worry about is which of the seven homes will be his primary residence after Nov 4.

[Mike]

As a long time Republican I am very unhappy with Palin. She is not ready to be commander-in-chief if something happens to McCain. Maybe I'll vote for Bob Barr.

[Carry]

I hope Palin knows that her new boss is not going to pay her the same amount as the previous VPs. After all, according to McCain, instead of equal pay for women, they should get more "education and training" instead. Oh, and for the person who said polls show people DO NOT want change, polls are polls, there's no guarantee. And also, McCain's adviser believes that "There are no uninsured Americans." I don't know what fantasy world McCain and co. live in.

[LakeTahoe50]

While I am reticent to agree with Boxer, the fact is alarmingly clear that McCain's choice is dangerous because Palin does not have the requisite education or experience to be a world leader. Let's compare: Obaba--top of his class at Columbia and also at Harvard Law school (where he was in charge of the law review--the most coveted achievement in any law school where the fights for the position are not only competitive-they are ruthless.) Palin--Average student at University of Idaho where she got a degree in communications. Obama--noted civil rights attorney and law school professor at one of the top 5 law schools in the nation. Palin--part-time television sportscaster and fishing boat worker. Starting to see the contrast? Palin pales in contrast. Palin is no Hillary. Palin is Dan Quayle in a skirt. McCain said he would pick a running mate who was ready to lead--instead we got a VP candidate who was the mayor of a small village (6500 people) 20 months ago. They were plenty of choices for McCain to make of competent women in the Republican party who have substantial qualifications and whom demonstrate that they are the brightest of the bright. I want our leaders to be the smartest, best educated and most capable people in the room when they meat with other world leaders. What's is McCain doing? Ronnie must be spinning in his grave.

[Dan O]

A great East Coast vs. West Coast match up.

Palin firms up the moderate and social conservatives in a way that I don't think another choice any other could have. I will motivate a GOP base that was prepared to set this one out. Brilliant.

Even Palin's ethics problem pits GOPers supporting the family and Dems supporting spousal, child and elderly abuse. Does anyone seriously want to argue he or she would not done the same in her position?

80 million gun owners sure as hell perked an ear.

[Tim]

I can't help but remember that Sandra Bullock movie Miss Congeniality. Except in the sequel she becomes Vice President. The whole world is laughing at this right now! Or at least where I'm from up here in Canada. This women is no Hillary Clinton!

[Raven33]

Is Sarah a perfect politician... no but show me that is. Did she fire Monegan because he wouldn't fire Wooten... Maybe but anyne that lets a bad egg stay in the basket needs to go. Wooten has a history of acts that his own people have said "might be criminal if committed by someone other than a State Trooper". Seems like maybe the Head of Public Safety needed to make it safe for the people not the troopers. She personally knew of a bad egg, told their boss about it, and the boss did nothing to correct the system that allowed the trooper to remain employeed. She did the right thing by firing him!

[Carry]

Cindy, you do know that BEFORE Obama became a U.S. Senate, he spent SEVEN years as state legislator. Surely, you did some research, right? Or wait...

[Kevin Styles]

Maggie,

Why don't you take your drivel and go back to redstate.com where you're holed up. Your insipid arguments about the qualifications of Palin won't hold up here in the West Coast.