A friend from Texas recently explained to me that the governorship of his state is largely a ceremonial position and quite ineffectual. The government's legislative agenda is run by the lieutenant governor and the state legislature meets for only one month every two years, so the governor really does little other than play golf and deny the occasional death row plea for clemency.
Eight years ago, the Republican party based the candidacy of George W. Bush for president exclusively on his experience as governor of Texas. He was an alcoholic, draft-dodging ne'er do well who had failed at every enterprise he had ever attempted and once admitted to having done nothing before the age of forty but party. The governorship of Texas was a sinecure bought for him by his undoubtedly disappointed father to keep the boy out of trouble and give him some stability.
To the surprise of all, George Jr. went on to become the most unaccomplished and under qualified candidate for president in US history. The results speak for themselves. The nomination of Sarah Palin for vice-president last week demonstrates that the Republicans see no need to raise the bar. The former major of a small town and governor of one of the least populous states in the union for less than two years, no one can credibly argue that she has the qualifications and experience to assume the presidency, should the need arise.
John McCain's campaign headquarters recently released his medical records covering the last eight years, a file running to some twelve-hundred pages. Combine this with McCain's advanced age and you face the disturbing probability that Sarah Palin would succeed him as president within his first term, should he be elected. That alone should be enough to put Barack Obama in office.
Observing American politics is like driving past the scene of a traffic accident; it's gut wrenching to look at, but you just can't turn away.
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