The airwaves are full of talk about experience, who has it, who needs it, who brings what experience to what ticket. "Foreign affairs experience" is spoken of with bated breath, as if it were the unified field theory revealed but to a few. Actually, foreign affairs are about the same as domestic affairs, only the foreigners can't vote against you. So you can push them a little harder than domestic opponents and still get reelected.
A president comes into office and is immediately overwhelmed by a zillion professional advisers from the bureaucracy, the military, the intelligence services, the lobbyists, the congress, the press, academia, the party, and every joe citizen with access to email. There is no lack of experts on any question under the sun. The trick for the office holder, is to find the few truly knowledgeable advisers and filter out the zillions of loudmouths with mere opinions. Everyone has an opinion, only a few truly know what they are doing.
In this respect, Sarah Palin is well experienced. Taming the Alaska political machine, winning the governorship, acheiving an 80% approval rate, raising five children, dealing with a husband who races snowmobiles, and cutting a tough deal with big oil, shows a rare understanding of people and negociation therewith.
If God forbid, something should happen to McCain, Palin looks tough enough to carry on. And, she shares McCain's views, so a succeeding Palin Administration would not negate everything a McCain administration managed to accomplish. Her practical experience exceeds that of Obama.
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