Over-thinking the Experience Factor for Sarah Palin

Not everyone is enthused about McCain's pick of Sarah Palin for vice president.  Charles Krauthammer says her pick is problematic due to her lack of experience, and that it negates the experience line of attack on Obama.  Krauthammer writes:

Palin fatally undermines this entire line of attack. This is through no fault of her own. It is simply a function of her rookie status. The vice president’s only constitutional duty of any significance is to become president at a moment’s notice. Palin is not ready. Nor is Obama. But with Palin, the case against Obama evaporates.

Horsefeathers.  Obama is running for President, Palin is running for Vice President.  The vice-presidency has limited responsibilities.  John Nance Garner, first Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt, said "the vice-presidency isn't worth a bucket of warm piss."  (The press, unable to quote him directly, changed the line to "not worth a pitcher of warm spit.")

Yes, the Vice President does succeed a President who dies, is removed or resigns from office.   So if McCain died his first week in office, Palin would have to scramble to learn the duties and responsibilities of the Presidency.  Just as any new President does.   No President acts alone -- they have their cabinet, congressional leaders, military commanders, and the CIA and FBI to advise them on a range of issues, both domestic and foreign.  

What Palin does have is executive experience and a track record of successful management, of a city as mayor, of a state as governor.  Neither Obama nor Biden have equivalent experience.  

Perhaps even more important than presidential experience is the philosophy, values and attitudes that a newly elected President or Vice President brings to the office.  Palin has the philosophy, values and attitudes that we as Republicans want.  She's for free markets and capitalism; limited government and low taxes; energy independence; a strong military and the willingness to stand up to international bullies like Islamic terrorists and Vladimir Putin. 

Contrast that with Obama's and Biden's philosopies:  nationalized health care; expansion of the federal government; higher taxes; opposition to domestic drilling; a down-sized military; and a reluctance and timidity to stand up to international bullies and tyrants.

Skeptics of Palin like Krauthammer argue that there were more experienced candidates to choose from, like Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts or Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota.   However, it is unlikely that either of these more experienced candidates would have fired up the base like Palin has.   

With Romney or Pawlenty, we could argue the experience angle and lose the election.  Then we'd get a new President who really is inexperienced, and a Vice President with 35 years of experience as a senatorial mediocrity, neither of whom has the philosophy, values or attitudes that we want in the White House.

Experience is important, but it's not everything.  Not by a long shot.