I don't understand how so many can miss so much about Obama. How can one question the inexperience of Palin, who is running for VICE President, yet IGNORE the inexperience of Obama, who is running for PRESIDENT?? That's an easy one. The difference between Obama and Palin has to do with adaptivity and intellectual capacity, and not necessarily directly measurable experience. We need a president who is intelligent. The office is so unique in its rigors and demands as times change and events unfold that NOBODY really has "experience" that ultimately fits the position. It's more about talent and ability. There are qualities that tend to define someone as presidential material, and probably chief among them is this certain flexible and adaptable intelligence, which also includes the willingness to listen to others, think in non-partisan terms, seek the counsel of experts, and consider multiple points of view in making decisions. In contrast, Republicans have demonstrated a dangerous combination of stubbornness and inability at this. Republican foreign and domestic policy has adhered to the tired philosophy that what is good for corporate America is by default good for the rest of America. Sort of a cross between Reagan's trickle down myth wherein the "free market" always brings the greatest good, and early 20th century corporatism espoused by the likes of Calvin Coolidge. Yes, McCain is a war hero, and I suppose, a good legislator. But he is out of touch. He went on record not long ago admitting he knew next to nothing about economics, and admitted that he would need to pick a VP who was strong in that area. That person is now Palin (!!??). Moreover, his position on foreign policy is a relic of the Cold War. He still has it in his mind that "winning" is a simple matter of bringing sufficient might to bear. To put it bluntly, he's no TR, and this is not 1898. Meanwhile, Palin is the everyman (or woman) candidate, which is fine, but we don't need an everyman as vice president. We need exceptional people for this position, and soccer moms don't cut it. Some may find her likable as a person, but that's not really relevant. America has had a problem with this for some time now, this aversion when it comes to electing people smarter than themselves. It should be clear by now that when you elect a wastrel C student with strong corporate ties, it puts you where we are right now, which is not a good place. On that point, I think it's interesting how the word "elite" has been thrown around and contested in this campaign. The word has two primary connotations in our culture, describing in turn people who are smarter than average, and people who are wealthier than average. Strangely, many seem to prefer a candidate of the latter type over the former. We resent people who are smarter than we are, but admire and envy those who are materially successful.