I thought Sarah Palin was “gritty”; “played the body well”; “dug in the corners”; and was “good in the room.”
I, too, was Mayor of a small town in Florida and I have to admit I was pretty offended to hear media pundits that have never created a job; made a payroll; launched a product or business; had investors; had to read a balance sheet and income statement or make tough economic choices making fun of presiding over a municipality. But that is just me.
It is now “Game on!” This will be a great Presidential race.
Ted, while I can understand the offense taken for not taking running a town/city of any size seriously I think this one can be called a draw, because while Palin may have called game on, she called great offense to those of us who have chosen to spend our professional lives in the trenches – as community organizers, fundraisers and attempting to make our communities stronger from the ground up bringing resources like housing, education and healthcare to the disenfranchised. I realize in you I am preaching to choir, but Palin (by way of the McCain campaign speechwriters) disserviced her and those of us who have served our communities. The RNC can and should go after Obama’s experience, but belittling the work of community organizing is a 5 minute major in my book!
I agree, I think it is going to be very interesting to see what happens. I think it is gonna be real close.
@David
Running a hockey team as an EXECUTIVE would still give Ted more qualifications than the Democrat No. 1 on the ticket, Barack Hussein Obama.
@Ted
Probably the most honest comments we could expect from someone who will probably support the Democratic ticket and Barack Obama on November 4.
The deliberate smear of Palin by the larger mainstream media is a testimony that real journalism is dead in 2008. If you’re a conservative, there are no rules observed by the media. If you’re a liberal, you are protected. The media has made Obama and if they ever dislike him, he will pay severely for the pass he’s gotten thus far. I laughed when I read that Barack told Roger Ailes he didn’t think he would get a fair shake on the FoxNews network in the interview leading up to his interview by Bill O’Reilly. Obama owns the other networks? Roger’s response. Barack, we’re going to cover your campaign fairly, but we won’t be “in the tank” for you. Oprah won’t even entertain having Palin interviewed on her show. Wow, the outright bias – so does Oprah really want to promote women or just her own agenda?
Thanks for some intellectually honest commentary on her introduction and her experience. Sarah Palin won’t disappoint. God bless America.
I agree with David, you are the best owner in pro sports. That being said, I think that Sarah Palin doesn’t make John McCain a better candidate for president in any way whatsoever.
I should hope that Hillary supporters would be offended that Republicans think that ANY woman, with ANY political views can earn their votes. That is down right offensive. She is “pro life” (which is a term that only seems to mean “anti-abortion” these days), and she is willing to do whatever it takes, whether it be outside of her legal boundaries, to accomplish what she feels is right. Well, unfortunately for the rest of us, what she feels is right isn’t automatically so. Hillary supporters will not support a person like Palin, simply because she is a woman. And Palin is insanely conservative.
This has basically locked up the evangelical vote for the republicans, which is always a big deal. As much as I’d like to see the evangelicals secede from the USA and form their own backwards, over-governed, “values” based country, they certainly aren’t going anywhere. They have been, and always will be, a serious threat to our freedom.
They weren’t mocking her because she was a Mayor of a small town who is now nominated to be VP, they were mocking her because she is a well spoken and very much accomplished female who does not share their views.
They cannot allow that therefore nothing is out of bounds in an attempt to tear her down. Mocking her experience or lack thereof is one thing and quite frankly, should be expected. But dragging her children through the mud is beyond the pale.
Especially since the *real* question is, whom will they choose to do the real jobs (i.e., the Cabinet secretaries and their immediate underlings)?
Obama’s people, or McCain’s people — like the candidates themselves — could be wizards or bums. Unfortunately, that’s the kind of thing we can rarely gauge until after the election is over.
Who cares about Sarah Palin? Your vote is for Obama or McCain, and who they choose is a reflection on them.
It’s not like Palin jumped out of nowhere and is running for president. You can kill Obama’s experience all day, but he has been elected to where he is at. Palin hasnt been elected to be in this position, so there is no comparison.
Hey Ted,
That makes two of us — being pretty offended. I was geared up to hear Palin make her case for why she was ready to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency and while I am with you on performance and handling that moment magnificently.
I am offended by her (and the campaign, because they had a heavy hand in the speech) belittling the work of community organizers all over this country. I have worked my entire adult life in communities big and small on issues like housing, education and healthcare working side by side with a group of people who for the most part are underpaid and overworked and many of whom continue to do the work out of love and belief in their community.
I’m just saying, it cuts both ways.
Of course, John McCain has no more executive experience than Obama. So, should the Republicans flip-flop the order of their ticket to put the person with the most executive experience at the top? Jimmy Carter had plenty of executive experience in business and as a Governor, and where did that lead? Jack Kennedy had no executive experience. Bottom line is that executive experience is hardly an indicator of success as President. Let’s stop confusing executive experience with having leadership experience — they are not the same!
Well said Ted. Well said. She has impressed me so far.
to finish david’s comment- – –But if you were named a Vice-Presidential candidate based on your ability to run a hockey team…….that might in fact be great based on the turnaround you effectuated with the caps (and just think about ted’s platform no more wars just a quick fight on the ice and then some time in the box,a hockey stick in every home, reasonably priced ice time, etc.)
i kinda like the idea….ted maybe you should add that to your list of things to do—–ted for vp
@David: you’re nuts. We need more capable and entreprenurial folks like Ted Leonsis in government. Why wouldn’t you want Ted to be Veep or even Prez for that matter? I’d honestly take Ted or a similarly successful business person over both of the current candidates. They’ve got the leadership, skills and experience that America really needs. The situation for the US has changed. It’s a competitive world, and in competition I want a proven CEO leading the charge.
…and thats why Ted is a Mensh
David, there were many in the media personally attacking Sarah Palin not over her qualifications, as being a bad mom, and over her daughter’s pregnancy. CNN, Washington Post, NY Times, and many others. One CNN commentator (Carville) made fun of the Alaska capital building, like that has anything to do with her duties as governor
They also went with a website’s rumors about her youngest son instead of doing their own fact checking.
But instead of crying to the refs, Palin dropped the gloves.
I agree. I comment on Palin in my blog.
http://sapper.blogtownhall.com/2008/09/04/palin_every-man.thtml
Sapper
Especially when it comes from people who support someone whose executive experience consists of running a tiny Senate office for a year before he decided to run for president.
Nobody in the media said running a small town was easy. They just said that person shouldn’t be a 73 year old man’s heart beat away from the Presidency.
You are the greatest owner in professional sports. I wouldn’t want anyone else to own my Caps. But if you were named a Vice-Presidential candidate based on your ability to run a hockey team…