What did Sarah Palin really say about dinosaurs?

[MMock]

Yesterday my boss told me that Sarah Palin doesn't believe in dinosaurs because it doesn't jive with the bible.

I don't know why I believed him.

The first thing I said to my husband when I walked through the door last night was "She doesn't believe in dinosaurs?!"

He replied it was a skit on Saturday Night Live. So either my boss is an idiot, or thinks I am. The scary thing is, if someone as intelligent as my boss is believing this stuff, then how easily less educated and informed people are being brainwashed about the Republican VP candidate.

So, can anyone cite me a credible source quoting Palin as saying any such thing? Or is it all just this?

[mendhak]

There's two sides to this.

There are people who will believe things they hear about her.
There are people who will believe things they hear from her.

One side can easily call the other brainwashed.

[szlamany]

You already found the SNOPES link that debunked all those quotes as being not said by Palin.

We are looking to elect someone who can do a job in Washington - so what they believe personally on issues like this have nothing to do with it anyway...

Just media fodder...

Although I really like Mendhak's two points

[MMock]

Well the SNOPES link had her saying she believed in dinosaurs...as being the work of the devil.

Yes mendhak's quotes are right on, but believing what someone says is different than believing what someone says that someone said!

[szlamany]

I don't see that in the SNOPES link - that box with the "QUOTES" up top is clearly debunked in the paragraph below...

None of these quotes came from any real news interview with Governor Palin...

[MMock]

You're right - I should be careful of what I say when I am complaining about people being wrongfully misquoted!

What I meant was the SNOPES link addressed the claim that she said dinosaurs lived but were the work of the devil. My boss told me she said she didn't believe in dinosaurs, meaning they never even lived - I was wondering where the heck that came from!

Whoever is elected is a person, not just a political machine that will govern and legislate, and it's nice to know what makes that person tick, where they come from (I don't mean Juno but the background that has made them who they are), what their principles are, etc. I overheard the people in the office adjacent to mine call Palin stupid. No one wants someone "stupid" to be our vice-president. Saying dinosaurs never lived is pretty stupid. But she didn't say that. Call her what you'd like but I hardly think anyone can call her stupid.

[szlamany]

I can both agree and disagree on whether the "personal tickings" of a candidate really matter.

The whole right-to-choose vs right-to-life. You might have personal convictions - they might even be based on your religious upbringing - but that doesn't mean the candidate is going to push that view forward into the public realm.

And this creationism issue - it's real for many people. They have a religious upbringing that tells them that the world is only 5000 years old. That people in the times of Moses lived for 1000 years each. That dinosaurs could not have existed 65 million years ago because God created the world just yesterday. How they resolve this thinking with what some people consider obvious modern science is in their heads - I could care less. Even if Palin said she wanted schools to teach creationism in Alaska that would not bother me (I'm guessing that's an internet lie as well - but I could care less). Having a curriculum that brings more discussion into the classroom is a good thing - especially when there are real people believing these things are real.

I would like to have the press really tell me more about how Palin changed Alaska government since she arrived on the scene. And compare that to what Biden has done as well. And Biden is being judged as a single now - not as part of what he's done sitting on committees. I would really love to see the public compare the administrative strengths of these two people - because they are going to be the head of a team of hundreds in the White House.

[MMock]

I would like to have the press really tell me more about how Palin changed Alaska government since she arrived on the scene. And compare that to what Biden has done as well. And Biden is being judged as a single now - not as part of what he's done sitting on committees. I would really love to see the public compare the administrative strengths of these two people - because they are going to be the head of a team of hundreds in the White House.

Yes, absolutely. Especially since McCain is going to die before his term's up so if he does win Palin would be our president. Kidding...but that's what my boss asked me yesterday, am I ready to have Palin as my president. I don't know. I'd need to know what you said you'd like to know!

[szlamany]

...but that's what my boss asked me yesterday, am I ready to have Palin as my president.

That's what I like the most about McCain's choice of Palin.

The agrument about whether she is ready to be President...

Compares perfectly to whether Obama has any more experience then her to be President!

(he's only been active in his senate office for like 120 days since he was elected - busy on the campaign trail)

Which makes Obama's choice of Biden a real problem for the Democrats. At first - when he was just selected - the press had a field day about how this VP choice would bring foreign affairs experience to the ticket.

Which now kind of says that Obama needed that experience - that's a bad thing for Obama.

McCain really knocked this whole experience+gender+race+age+religion thing right on it's backside - the perfect political chess move.

[mendhak]

A serious discussion about politics! I'm moving this to World Events.

[MMock]

A serious discussion about politics! I'm moving this to World Events.

Wow - I've never been in World Events before! I feel as if I've been promoted!!!

[crptcblade]

I feel as if I've been promoted!!!

You'll feel differently once you start reading through some of the threads.

[FunkyDexter]

what someone says is different than believing what someone says that someone said!

You say that... but I don't believe you.

[Shaggy Hiker]

No one wants someone "stupid" to be our vice-president.

Why not? We managed to elect such a one to the top job in the last two presidential elections, so why should it matter for the number two spot?


Frankly, the knowledge of the individuals hardly matters in either of the top two spots. Bush Sr. was really smart and in touch...and he lost FAR more elections than he won. Clinton was brilliant in many ways, but had no national experience. W and Reagan were intellectual lightweights with little or no national experience. What mattered in all cases except possibly Bush Sr., was the team that came in with the president. Nobody has enough knowledge and experience to have the answer to all problems these days. What matters is who they will listen to (and whether they listen at all) when they get into office. Having good advisors and knowing how to ask the right questions at the right time is FAR more important than "experience" when we are talking about experience that can't have any real relevance to the job in question.

On that point, Obama looks better. Both McCain and Palin are described as being hotheaded and/or brittle. Does that matter? Not in all cases, but people who tend to take umbrage easily are less likely to listen to contrary positions. In the case of McCain, he appears to understand the groups involved in the Iran/Iraq/Saudi Arabia area less than I do, which is pretty shocking considering he has ostensibly been paying attention to that situation for a decade or so by now.

[szlamany]

...I would really love to see the public compare the administrative strengths of these two people - because they are going to be the head of a team of hundreds in the White House.

I said this about Palin and Biden but it goes to McCain and Obama as well.

[capsulecorpjx]

That's what I like the most about McCain's choice of Palin.

The agrument about whether she is ready to be President...

Compares perfectly to whether Obama has any more experience then her to be President!

(he's only been active in his senate office for like 120 days since he was elected - busy on the campaign trail)

Which makes Obama's choice of Biden a real problem for the Democrats. At first - when he was just selected - the press had a field day about how this VP choice would bring foreign affairs experience to the ticket.

Which now kind of says that Obama needed that experience - that's a bad thing for Obama.

McCain really knocked this whole experience+gender+race+age+religion thing right on it's backside - the perfect political chess move.

You're giving Mccain too much credit. Your reasoning doesn't work because Mccain is so damn old. He has a higher than average chance to die of natural causes in office, which would put his "chess move", political inexperience into Presidential office.

The real reason Mccain chose Palin is because she's:
1) A young woman (Get more female voters)
2) Religious Conservative (shore up his own base)
3) Hot (get apatheic men who wouldn't vote otherwise)
4) Looks like change and fresh blood.
5) Take away Obama's historic first card.

[nemaroller]

For an introduction to Politicians and media - this is a good interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ-JI9XDw9k

[szlamany]

The real reason Mccain chose Palin is because she's:
1) A young woman (Get more female voters)
2) Religious Conservative (shore up his own base)
3) Hot (get apatheic men who wouldn't vote otherwise)
4) Looks like change and fresh blood.
5) Take away Obama's historic first card.

I never said I was pegging reasons for why McCain did it - I was just pointing out what "I liked the most about the choice! I was appreciating the irony it brought out...

I don't know how many people will get below the "varnish" - the "veneer" - of your 5 points anyway - so it doesn't really matter. Can't wait to see the exit polls on the "apathetic men who wouldn't vote otherwise"

[Shaggy Hiker]

Yeah, if that brings out the young male vote, there could be some very interesting VP picks in the next few elections:

And now for the VP debates....followed by the swimsuit competition.

[Arrow_Raider]

Palin is not hot. She is just simply not disfigured like most politicians.

[Shaggy Hiker]

I'd have to say that I am a bit disappointed in her appearance. While I would certainly say she looks better than her running mate, from the initial reports I had heard (without a TV, I always hear the news before I see pictures), I was a bit let down by her actual apearance. I realize it has nothing to do with political fitness, but I have never been opposed to looking at attractive women. Unfortunately, for me, she would have to run on substance, and she lacks that to an even greater degree.

[szlamany]

This is a really interesting graphic...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/...ons/index.html

Maybe the non-US members here will understand a bit about how each "state" picks a winner (based on "size') - and how the popular vote (overall country-wide count) means nothing.

See how "red" the states have become the majority?

The "blues" are still the big "states" electorate wise - and those that are in the "middle" (like PA) become the only place the candidates even try to make a stand.

It's almost sickening that the "big"