evilOpinion: What Are Our Electability Standards? Does Sarah Palin Meet Them?

Most people would agree that, to use a common metaphor, George W. BushGeorge W. Bush is "not the sharpest knife in the drawer". Most people found this a boon to him, he came across as "one of us" or "a common guy". After the last eight years of leadership, the country has to ask itself, is this still the standard we're going to use when electing people to office?

Let's face it, Sarah PalinSarah Palin is ignorant. That's not an insult, it's a fact, just check the definition:

ig-no-rant:

1. lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned

2. lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact

3. uninformed; unaware

4. due to or showing lack of knowledge or training

Being ignorant is not always a bad thing, there are plenty of things that we're all ignorant of, depending on your upbringing and level of education. I'm particularly ignorant of how most of my car works, which is always a pleasure to those who fix it. Then again I'm not trying to be elected Second in Command at an engine factory either.

Over the course of time since her nomination, Governor Palin has shown a great deal of ignorance when it comes to a whole host of "presidential" issues.

First she was unsure "what the Vice President even does day to day", which most people probably thought was endearing, since most of us don't really know that either. Frankly most of us don't want to know what Dick CheneyDick Cheney does everyday...because he's a scary, scary man.

With Governor Palin we just chalked it up to being a novice, after all she is "the most inexperienced person on a major-party ticket in modern history,”according to presidential historian Matthew Dallek. Yes, even Geraldine FerraroGeraldine Ferraro and Dan QuayleDan Quayle, two of the most ineffective VP candidates in recent history, had more experience then Sarah Palin.

Then there was the Bush Doctrine, and her not knowing what it was. This one wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't a)a very recent phrase used well after she was inside the 'political world', and b)about the leader of her own political party.

But even gaffs like that can be overcome, if you can show yourself as a quick-thinking intelligent politician who can talk your way out of a jam.

"Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there. Here’s but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: “Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we’re talking about today. And that’s something that John McCainJohn McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this.”

When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama’s numbers, Palin blustered wordily: “I’m not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who’s more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who’s actually done it?'"

So says conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, and she's right. No not just on the right, which she is, I mean she's correct about Palin. As Parker also states so succinctly "Palin’s recent interviews with Charles GibsonCharles Gibson, Sean HannitySean Hannity, and now Katie CouricKatie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.".

Okay, well maybe she's just not good at interviews...or answering questions. Surely she has a good solid college education, and they don't just hand those out. I mean Obama graduated from Harvard, and McCain from the U.S. Naval Academy.

She graduated from the University of Idaho, which is ranked 53 places lower on the "Best Schools" list by Forbes then Joe BidenJoe Biden's alma mater The University of Delaware. And to his credit Biden's degree is history and political sciende. Palin's? Journalism.

So where do we draw the line? When do we say, like the Human Resources manager interiewing someone clearly unqualified, "Sorry, you're just not what we're looking for right now."

I for one hope we say it in polls from now until November, and then shout it loud and clear on election day. It is time we as a people declare that yes, "anyone can be president", but you better work for it and earn it, not just be randomly picked as a political stunt when you have no experience and have proven yourself ignorant on the topics that matter.