Sarah Palin

Mossa'ei Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Re'eh 5768

I almost never comment on U. S. politics unless it is to call the participants evil, like Gog Bush and CON-deleezza Rice, or to denigrate those involved in other ways.

But as I pass the time watching news video clips on FoxNews.com, I cannot help but see certain things which just,...well,...stick out.

One is that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) still isn't really saying anything. I saw most all of his acceptance speech. He has yet to say anything specific about what he intends to do to "change" anything, except for applying the trial and error approach.

Tell me, Sen. Obama, is Iran a "tiny country that doesn't pose a serious threat," or is it a "serious threat" which needs to be "eliminated?"

The other is regarding Sen. McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) as his running mate.

Well, I saw all of her speech, and I believe I can answer that question everyone's asking, "Why Sarah Palin?"

Remember Sen. Obama's "clinging to guns and religion" crack?

“And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

Well, John McCain just picked one of Sen. Obama's targets to be his running mate. Experience or not, Gov. Palin brings something to the campaign which has the potential to rally the disenfranchised to his side. I believe people will be able to relate to her, and that her limited experience in government may be an advantage. She has executive experience, yet appears to be unscathed by the corruption she has been fighting against.

Also, I'd take Palin's foreign policy experience, or lack thereof, over Obama's, any day (See above).

In a nutshell, she seems real, and will certainly give Sen. Biden's (D-DE) attempt at a "regular guy" image a run for its money.

Whether her being a woman, a strong pro-lifer, an evangelical christian, or one of those "regular folk" from Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania,...and Alaska, was first on McCain's list of reasons for choosing her is irrelevant.

He has definitely killed four birds with one stone.

Whether or not this strategy survives the test of time, that remains to be seen. Perhaps only as early as November 5, the day after the election, will this question be answered.

One of the reasons I don't write about U. S. politics is because I really don't care, albeit I am somewhat entertained by it.

No human power will be the source of salvation nor destruction of Israel or the Jewish People. It is incumbent upon us not to waste any of our time putting our faith in any of these people or external forces.

On the other hand, if my absentee ballot arrives on time, I'll be willing to spend the NIS 4.60 on a stamp to send it in. We'll call it my hishtadluth (personal effort).