An Open Letter to the Future President

Yep...couldn't help myself. The whole Sarah Palin thing just sets my neck hairs on edge, and I've been trying to form a coherent argument to why this woman gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies. The McCain/Palin tour bus was just here in Minnesota last week and spoke to a crowd of 10,000 cheering fans up in a northern suburb.

I sat on my sofa watching this on the news and tried not to vomit into my Cheerios.

From what I gathered from hearing people talk and asking other people questions about why they like this woman, the only thing they could say was that "she's just like us!"

Really? Just like us? What does that mean, exactly? Does that mean she's an average American? Did you know that the average American has a six-grade reading comprehension level? Do you think this is something to aspire to? Do you think an average American should be running the most powerful country in the world?

Or does that mean she likes to drink beer while watching hockey/football/baseball/other sport?

Because yes, then I would say most people enjoy those things, myself included.

One woman said, "She's a mom. I'm a mom. She understands moms."
I do not doubt that she understands being a mother, but does that mean she is just like you? And really, when it comes down to it, does that mean you think YOU could do a good job as President?

This is a woman who does not believe in the theory of evolution. Or science.

Sure, she can deliver a canned speech and look competent, but will she swing from the trapeze without a net? Can she?

As for me, I would hope the President/Vice President of the United States is SMARTER than me, more knowledgeable about the world we inhabit and hugely affect with every move our country makes.

I would hope the President would use ration and logic and not only be able to think on his feet, but verbally coherent in his statements and directives. I would want my President to be open to expert opinion and advice and understand the nuances, complexities, and connections that bind us all together.

I would like the next President to understand that correlation does not equal causation.

I would like the next President to understand that religiosity is not morality.

I would like the next President to understand that, "No man is an island".

I would like the next President to not be "just like us". I want him to be the best of us. The very, very best. Isn't that what made our country great?

Because he is already us. He's an American.

Go Obama/Biden!