by Pete Langenfeld

Created on: July 31, 2009   Last Updated: August 01, 2009

I have struggled for a long time to write this article; I have stopped and started a number of times, because I was having trouble putting my finger on why I have the reaction to Sarah Palin that I do. I just could not find the words to match my feelings. I think I can do it now.

I do not hate Sarah Palin. I don't know her. I don't believe that you can really hate someone you don't know personally. I do disagree with where she stands politically. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt. When I'm at work I assume that I'm working with adults and that they know what their jobs require. I don't have a need to micro-manage. I believe that they can do the job, until they show they they need some guidance.

I have the same belief in the American people. I believe that, in the end, people will make the right decisions. They will educate themselves, get the facts they need and do the right thing. I like to start from that assumption. I'm sometimes disappointed. And sometimes I'm disappointed beyond words.

Therein lies my issue with Palin. My problem is twofold.

When I listen to her, watch her or read what she has written, my impression of her is that she is an empty vessel that someone has filled with talking points and buzzwords. She can spout them at will. She will throw out phrases like; "our troops" and "freedom" and "lower taxes" and "unpatriotic" and "terrorist" with the best of them. But if asked to sit down and formulate ideas and policies to go with the buzzwords, she appears to be lost.

If asked to explain how high or low taxes affect the nation, I don't believe she could give an answer more profound than "high taxes are bad and low taxes are good."

I also have trouble with people who accept no responsibility for their shortcomings. I understand that mistakes happen, you learn and move on. And sometimes there are things that we should know, but we don't. It happens.

A prime example is the Palin interview with Charlie Gibson. He asked her about the Bush doctrine. You could tell from her answer that she didn't know about the doctrine. Gibson knew it, anyone watching knew it. And to me it didn't mean that much that she didn't know. It was not a do-or-die question.

Her answer and subsequent reaction to the question are more of a problem. She tried to bluff her way through the answer. Gibson knew better and kept pushing deeper. If you don't know the answer, be honest and move on. She later said that it wasn't fair and that it wasn't a big deal

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