Thursday, October 02, 2008

High School Essay Tests

Listening to Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric last week was painful. It was painful largely because of how grossly unprepared Palin is to hold national office. But it was also painful for me because of the memories it evoked.

The way Sarah Palin answered Katie's questions by throwing every buzzword on her cue cards into the answer . . .

Q: How, specifically, will you try to spread democracy throughout the world?
A: Specifically, we will make every effort possible to help spread democracy for those who desire freedom, independence, tolerance, respect for equality.

. . . is exactly how I answered essay questions in high school. I was a horrible student. I don't even know how I graduated, much less graduated early with good grades. I think the teachers were probably just glad to get rid of me because they didn't know what to do with me, how to help me.

Someone needs to help Sarah Palin. Some trusted advisor needs to counsel her to tell John McCain and the American public that her family needs her more than the American people need her. She needs to point her stilettos back towards the Alaska governor's mansion and tend to those children. Oh, and keep her eye on Russia.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Check out next week's New Yorker cover........

Lucy said...

You know, I think you've pinpointed what bothers me about Palin's interview style. It reminds me of the English Placement essays that I score here at YSU...all glittering generalities with no substance and certainly no specifics.

BTW: I advise watching the debate while tracking the live comments on gawker.com. It's a hoot, but sometimes the comments are a little crass (the folks at gawker are pretty snarky).

Jill said...

You couldn't have summed her up better. Her choice is a slap in the face to women - no man with the same lack of credentials would ever have been chosen.

xoxojill