Really, let's compare Palin and Obama objectively, since the Republicans claim Palin is Obama's equal, or even that Palin is more qualified to possibly be President.
Undergraduate
Obama
-early undergrad at Occidental college, ranked 37th among liberal arts colleges by US News and World Report
-he did well enough to transfer to Columbia, the third most selective Ivy League college, Columbia being only slightly less selective than Harvard and Yale
Palin
-Went to the University of Idaho. While a decent school, it's considered a third tier school by the US News rankings.
Graduate
Obama
Harvard Law School.
-editor of law review in first year based on grades and writing ability. For those of you who are unaware, this essentially marks him as among the smartest and most able in a group full of very smart and able people.
-President of Law review in his second year. First black president of Harvard Law Review. Again, a very prestigious position, and marks him as both a leader, and as someone of exceptional ability.
-Graduated Magna Cum Laude (highest academic honors), again a significant achievement among a group of significant achievers.
Palin
N/A
Objectively then, Obama is either significantly smarter, harder working or both than Palin. His undergraduate education is objectively and provably better. His grad work proves that he was leaps and bounds beyond Palin in terms of intellectual and leadership ability. You don't get to be President of Harvard Law Review by being average, or a shrinking violet.
Advantage: Obama
Work, non governmental:
BIC-1983-1984
NY Public Interest Research Group-1984-85
Developing Communities Project, Director-85-88
University of Chicago School of Law-Constitutional law lecturer, 92-2004
(University of Chicago is ranked 7th among US Law schools. The fact that Obama got emplyment here, and then was able to continue, marks him as someone exptionally smart and able)
Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, 1993-2004, attorney
Palin
with husband in commercial fishing
and a brief stint as a TV reporter
Advantage: Obama His non-governmental work experience is more diverse, and objectively marks him as someone smarter and more able than Palin.
Governmental Experience
Obama
1997-2004 State senator of Illinois' 13th district. That district has nearly 800,000 people in it.
2005-present Illinois Senator
Palin
City councilwoman of Wasilla, a town of 6k, 1992-1996
Mayor of Wasilla, 1996-2004
governor of Alaska, 2006-present. Note that Alaska has 600k people in the whole state.
Advantage: Obama As both senator and state representative, Obama has experience representing more people, and larger districts with larger issues than does Palin.
Honestly, if you were on the search committee for, say, a board of director's position of a fortune 500 company, who would get the nod, Obama or Palin? It's Obama, if you have even a shred of honesty in your body. Given that, why is Palin even in the ballpark as number 2 in line for the Presidency? Don't get me wrong, Sarah Palin has some achievements, and she has a right to be proud of them. But realistically, in any category that matters Obama is better than Sarah Palin.
FOREIGN nations visited:
In August 2005, Obama traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan.The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction as a first defense against potential terrorist attacks Following meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq in January 2006, Obama visited Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. He left for his third official trip in August 2006, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. In a nationally televised speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries and corruption in Kenya]
So let's see - discounting his campaign trips and meeting with World leaders of UK, Germany, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan - he has been on official business talking war stuff with the Senate Foreign Relations committe to:
Israel
Kuwait
Iraq
Russia
Ukraine
South Africa
Kenya
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Chad
Jordan
Palestinian territories
Kuwait
Azerbaijan
And Palin once left the USA and visted 1 country.
