I'm more annoyed than you, Gov. Palin

At a campaign rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Saturday, Sarah Palin told a crowd of supporters that she was "annoyed" with the questions she was asked by Katie Couric in her widely criticized interview on CBS.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a dark comedy.  I say dark comedy because it's funny at first, but then you realize that this is actually a real interview with an actual candidate for the vice presidency of the United States - and then you just get scared.

In the voice that Tina Fey has mastered, Palin said, "Last time I was here I got to tell a crowd that I had to give a national interview that didn't go so well."  I would have to agree with Palin's assessment.  Perhaps one of the few times we'll agree.

She continued, "And it was because I was kind of annoyed with the questions that I was being asked because I thought they were kind of irrelevant to, you know, national security issues and getting our economy back on track, so I kind of showed some of the annoyance."

You go girl!  Wait, what?!  What is she talking about?  Is she trying to spin the constant look of confusion and "oh crap" that she wore in that interview into just being "annoyed?"  But the more confusing part of her statement is that she suggests the questions she was being asked were "irrelevant" to national security and the economy.  Well, let's take a look at some of the questions, in no particular order, that Couric asked.

-  "You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience, what did you mean by that...explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials."

-  "What do you see as the role of the United States in the world?"

-  "Governor Palin, you've had a very busy week and you're meeting with many world leaders.  You met with President Karzai of Afghanistan, I know the McCain campaign has called for a surge in Afghanistan, but that country is, as you know, dramatically different than Iraq.  Why do you believe additional troops will solve the problem there?"

-"The United States is deeply unpopular within Pakistan.  Do you think the Pakistani government is protecting al qaeda within its borders?"

-  "What specifically, in your view, could be done to convince the new government in Pakistan to take a harder, tougher line against terrorists in that country?"

-  "...if the bailout doesn't pass, what's the alternative?"

-  "You're talking about greater oversight, not necessarily giving Treasury Secretary Paulson the keys to the castle.  What will that oversight look like in your view?"

-  "Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend 700 billion dollars helping middle class families that are struggling with healthcare, housing, gas, and groceries,  allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?"

-  "If this doesn't pass, do you think there's a risk of another great depression?"

-  "Would you support a moratorium on foreclosures to help average Americans keep their homes?"

So, if these questions aren't relevant to national security or the economy, what might relevant questions look like?

It remains completely incomprehensible to me how anyone in this country could think that this person is prepared to be in the executive branch of our nation's government.  Yes, she may be a "regular" person, like so many of us.  But do all of you "regular" people think that YOU are prepared to the president or vice president of the United States?  I don't want my president or vice president, or senator for that matter, to be a "regular" person.  I want him or her to be extremely well-informed and thoughtful.  To have a depth of knowledge about the world.  But also an understanding that he or she does not have every answer and thus has a willingness to seek the best advice from the best advisers available. 

So, yes, Gov. Palin is annoyed with Katie Couric.  That's fine, she has that right to be annoyed.

But guess what, Gov. Palin.  I'm annoyed as well.  I'm annoyed that you think you have the depth of understanding of national and world issues to be the vice president of the United States.  I'm not saying you are not intelligent, I'm not saying that with more years of experience, with struggling through the issues and coming to a point of forming your own views, you could never be prepared.  That's not it - I am saying that you are not ready today.  If you and and you're running mate put your "country first," as you always say, then why would you put your country in such a position as possibly having you in one of the most powerful offices in the world?

It's truly frightening, and yes...annoying.

Photo from cnn.com