Are you experienced?

. Last night things were important and exciting at the Republican National Convention: they had a series of key speakers and the “first” speech and acceptance of the nomination of Sarah Palin as the Vice-President candidate in the 2008 Republican Presidential ticket. The audience was thrilled and excited and it was really a great moment. The press and media make assessments of abilities and make those now cliche’ questions: “but you think that she has experience enough to be vice-president?” to which they always get the now  cliche answer “does Obama has experience to be president?” Both sides have a point, and that makes everything even more fascinating in the course of this election. 

. I know, amiga, we don’t know very well about these Conventions in Brazil. I used to watch them in old movies long ago but as much as I could see the action, I did not really understand because we don’t have the same system. Now I know that these Conventions are major items in all elections: they present the Parties main concerns, they get media attention, public involvement and build opinions and enthusiasm. It is always impressive to see how Americans can be so different and how by having such different views they balance the system.

. In a very brilliant move, the Republican Party got a real boost by nominating Sarah Palin for vice-president. Somehow they were able to bring the attention they needed to their Campaign. For “the independents” it was important, for the Democrats it was a real surprise and for Republicans it was just what they wanted.

. I wonder how the “experience” issue will move on now. Remember, we used to ask who has experience to be President of the United States? That seems almost impossible unless you are there. But the fact of the matter is that “experience” matters. Being a good person and having good intentions is fundamental, being determined and a fighter too. But experience is something more intense: it is built on having learned from trials and errors, it is built on being able to understand how things work and how far we can really go on each issue. It is based on knowing that there is a fine line between being right and wrong. These things. 

. I remember that in the Clinton years nobody really thought of Al Gore as an important part of the government. He was just there. In the Bush admnistration it seemed that Dick Cheney had lots of influence in all decisions. I wonder how this will work now: Would Obama/Biden run the country together with charisma and experience? Would McCain/Paley sit together and run the country using experience and determination?

. Another question we will only know later on. 

. And you Nara: are you experienced?

Marcia