The Economist on Sarah Palin

The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs magazine based in London. Though it often takes editorial liberties, I find its content to be witty and informative while retaining the objective quality of a trusted publication. According to its editors, it aims "to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress." At issue is McCain’s VP pick; I’m still trying to wrap my head around it—what was he thinking? The following is excerpted from an online piece that someone showed me.

Mrs. Palin, who has been the governor of a state with a population of 670,000 for less than two years, is the most inexperienced candidate for a mainstream party in modern history. Inexperienced and Bush-level incurious. She has no record of interest in foreign policy, let alone expertise… This not only blunts Mr. McCain’s most powerful criticism of Mr. Obama. It also raises serious questions about the way he makes decisions.

Mr. McCain had met Mrs. Palin only once, for a 15-minute chat at the National Governors’ Association meeting, before summoning her to his ranch for her final interview. The New York Times claims that his team arrived in Alaska only on August 28th, a day before the announcement… The contrast with Mr. Obama’s choice of the highly experienced and much-vetted Joe Biden is striking.

The article takes a particularly interesting turn when it states and explains that “the Palin appointment is yet more proof of the way that abortion still distorts American politics.” Check out the full text at http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?source=hptextfeature&story_id=12066224.