Cutting through the Palin hysteria

Here are a few observations regarding Senator McCain's choice for Vice President, Sarah Palin:

--Politically, the choice of Palin for the ticket was brilliant in function. No one saw it coming, which only adds to the theater of it all.

--Does she have the requisite amount of experience to be second-in-command of the executive branch? Normally I would answer in the negative, but this year is different. The decision by Democratic voters put Barack Obama up as their choice for president is, to borrow a phrase from Obama, a "game changer." Experience, at least in the way we've understood it (in this context) for a couple hundred years, is secondary; Democrats made that much clear when they passed over more qualified candidates. And so, what's good for the goose is good for the gander--though probably not good for the United States.

--Palin's speech at the Republican Convention was tremendous, but Republicans have to be careful not to become their own parody. Palin, at least up to this point, is every bit as much a media creation as Obama.

--Speaking of the media, am I at all offended by the way Palin has been covered? In the strict sense, certainly not. That being said, I do not think it is fair in light of the kid-glove treatment Obama has received from the mainstream media. In other words, many journalists are only doing their job half of the time.

--Is Palin more qualified to be president than Obama? Perhaps, but this is a moot point as she is not running for president. And Palin and her meager experience are an election victory and a heartbeat away from the presidency; Obama and his equally meager experience are only an election day away. Which seems more imminent?

--Have media been sexist in their coverage of Palin? Of course. One has to consider, however, that we live in a country that struggles with sexism every bit as much as all the other noxious "'isms." I don't have to be a woman to recognize that.