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| |  |  | VOA Online Discussion: The 2008 Republican Convention
| Guest: Allan Lichtman, Presidential Historian & Jon Barela, Delegate from New Mexico
Date: 04 Sept 08
Moderator: Erin Brummett |
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| | Erin: Welcome to a special edition Webchat from the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. We’re getting a final look at the event and its implications for the intense campaign before the November election with Allan Lichtman. He’s a Presidential historian at American University in Washington. And we’ll have a final Convention conversation with New Mexico Delegate Jon Barela as he shares his experiences. First, let’s talk with Allan.
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Erin: Allan, one observer told me Governor Palin did exactly what the Republican Party asked of her and that she gave a good speech, which appeared to try to strengthen the Party's base...Sen. Biden and the Democratic Party in Denver last week appeared to try to appeal to moderates...give us your impressions and tell us what Senator McCain has to accomplish in his speech.
Allan: I thought that Palin gave a terrific speech for the Republican base and for the vast majority of Republicans in the Convention Hall that evening. She showed that she was tough, charismatic, and that she could attack Barack Obama with the best of them. Whether or not the speech will appeal to moderates is questionable, however. The potential flaw in the speech for moderates is that she promised something brand new but delivered a Bush style speech very thin on substance and very heavy on attack politics. That kind of speech excites the base. Whether it will move Independents or potential cross-over Democrats we won't know for some time. She also in the speech clearly did not address any of the allegations raised about her including whether in fact she really supported the bridge to nowhere, her hiring a lobbyist as mayor of Wasilla, her role in the firng of the commissioner of public safety in Alaska -- and her views on issuea like global warming and drilling in Anwar that may fundamentally differ from those of John McCain. The big question now is will Palin make herself available to open-ended interviews by members of the press where such questions will be posed.
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| Erin: What do you think of the criticism John McCain's veep choice has been getting--is it fair or is it sexist?
Allan: I think there has been some tinge of sexism in the criticism I don't believe if she had been a male candidate there would have been quite the focus on her family responsibilities. However overwhelmingly the criticism has not been sexist but focused on her record and her policies and any male candidate who is that little known to the American people would have recieved the same scrutiny. David Broder, the respected veteran Washington Post columnist noted that in 1988, the little known Dan Quayle, Senator form Indiana, who was George H. W. Bush's running mate, actually ran into a greater storm of criticism that Sarah Palin. It is absolutely fair for the media to probe into her views on issues such as abortion rights, global warming and sex education. And it is absolutely fair for the media to probe into her record on matters such as pork barrel spending and allegations she used the power of her office to settle a personal score. So far she has not answered any of these questions but it's still early. I also find it odd to hear charges of sexism coming from leaders of the Religious Right who would prohibit a woman from entering the ministry and who believe that a woman should submit to the leadership of her husband at home.
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| Erin: Your book White Protestant Nation talks about the rise of the conservative movement in the United States. Could you talk a little about the factors you think contributed to that?
Allan: The Conservative movement had two moments of great power; in the 1920's and in the late 20th century. In the late 20th century, it gained power because it built a very strong infrastructure of organizations like the Heritage Foundation and the Christian Coalition. It also gained power because its arguments about moral values appealed to many Americans. It had a charismatic leader in Ronald Reagan and it exploited the failings of Democrats under President Jimmy Carter. In the early 21st century however, Conservatism is falling victim to its own internal contradictions and I believe we're at the end of the Conservative era that began in 1980. For example, Conservatives have stood for balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility, limited spending, small government and states' rights -- yet George W. Bush has built the largest, most expensive, most intrusive federal government in the history of the country. Conservatives have also stood against social engineering, the use of government to solve problems -- and yet in the rebuilding and reconstruction of Iraq, Conservatives have taken on the most daunting social engineering project in U.S. history, one that has already cost the nation many hundreds of billions of dollars. Conservatives have also talked a great deal under Pres. Bush about advancing moral values but have delivered almost nothing in this regard and have often governed in violation of basic moral standards such as telling the truth and respecting peoples' rights.
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| Erin: Since you've written extensively about the American presidency, could you tell us what, according to you, defines a 'good' president? Especially in light of the way our perceptions of presidents change after they leave office--is what we view as good now good for the future?
Allan: There has been a major debate in this campaign about whether Barack Obama has enough experience to be elected President. In fact, this debate is based on an historical myth that experience promotes success in the Presidential office. In fact there is not a shred of historical evidence for that proposition. A comparison of years of prior experience with Presidential rankings The Wall Street Journal to balance liberals and conservatives,produces a negative correlation between experience and Presidential success. The highest ranked president Abraham Lincoln was also the least experienced with just 2 years in Congress. Several of the lowest ranked Presidents such as Andrew Johnson and Herbet Hoover had extensive experience in national or state government. What really matters for the success of a President is their values and beliefs and their ability to implement their programs. Franklin Roosevelt succeeded where Herbert Hoover failed -- not because he was more experienced, but because he had different beliefs than Herbert Hoover and much greater ability to get things done as President. The same analysis would apply to the debate about Sarah Palin as well.
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| Erin: Thanks Allan. Now let's talk with New Mexico Delegate Jon Barela...Jon, the Palin camp says she is being held to a higher standard because she's a (quote)Washington outsider. (unquote) At the same time, a candidate like Hillary Clinton is considered overly political, and faces attacks from the media for it. Do you agree that Sarah Palin is getting more grief than the average VP candidate would?
Jon: The attacks on Gov. Palin have been particularly offensive and overly personal. However, Wednesday night Governor Palin demonstrated that she is a very strong woman with an iron will and somebody who is prepared to lead. The American people were able to see Governor Palin in action for the first time and I believe that the more they see of her the more they will like and people will begin judging her on her merits rather than preconceived notions or rumors of who she is. (Erin asks about comments by observers who say Palin's remarks seemed sarcastic and that newly-introduced national political figures such as Ronald Reagan would not have delivered similar remarks) Jon: Her comments were not sarcastic, they were a response to the comments that were raised in the Democratic National Convention in Denver a week earlier. Furthermore,when I hear nasty and personal attacks that have been levelled by Democratic leaders such as former President Carter and retired General Wesley Clark about Senator McCain -- Governor Palin's comments are downright nice.
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| Erin: McCain did not vote any of the eight times that bills to expand alternative energy sources--by raising taxes--were proposed. Now he has chosen a running mate that supports drilling in the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge. At the same time, he wants to give Americans a gas tax holiday. How does that add up?
Jon: The McCain energy plan is one that focuses on drilling now and drilling offshore now. Drilling offers a bridge to the immediate energy needs of our country. Senator McCain is a strong advocate of accelerating alternative energy production in the short rather than in the long term. Gov. Palin knows energy issues very well. I asked Sen. McCain directly (in an small group breakfast meeting) when he visited Albuquerque (in mid-July) about why he supports offshore drilling but not drilling in Anwar -- Sen. McCain's response was that under current law, Anwar is a federally-designated refuge akin to a national park or a national wilderness area. Thus a change in law would be necessary to lift those restrictions and designation as a wildlife refuge. I understand that distinction. Personally, I am encouraged to see a focus on energy independence as a national priority. Sen. McCain, I think, is exploring other ideas such as the Pickett Plan, which emphasizes wind energy and natural gas as a bridge to solve our energy needs. All of these ideas need to be seriously considered by a McCain Administration and it is my firm belief that America's energy needs will be better suited under President McCain.
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| Erin: Give us your final thoughts as a delegate as the Convention comes to a close.
Jon: It has been an incredible honor for me to play a small part in America's democratic process. As a kid I used to watch national political conventions on television and hoped to be part of that process. I am thrilled to have made that wish a reality and it is my sincere hope that all people around the world and in our country can share my experience as a participant in the Democratic process. We in America take our freedoms for granted and I'm inspired by those like Senator McCain who have sacrificed so much for people like me and for others around the world to voice their political opinions free from threats, violence and depravation. I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life.
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Erin: Thank you very much Jon for spending time with T2A each day of the Republican Convention...And to Michael -- and to Ricardo in Brazil, we'll send your questions directly to Jon so he can answer them. That wraps T2A’s special edition webchat from the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our thanks to Allan Lichtman of American University, New Mexico Delegate Jon Barela – and to you for joining us. Remember you can get all the latest Convention and election news on www.usavotes2008.com We hope you can come back to T2A Wednesday, September 10th at our regular time, 1800 utc – on voanews.com See you then!
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