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An unanswered question – What did Obama have to learn, and Palin try to learn, to become a national candidate?
July 2, 2009
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Here is a new article about Sarah Palin that contains all the stuff that you would expect to find in an article about Sarah Palin:
But it contains this quote that, for me, opens an unanswered question. Here is the quote:
The consensus is that Palin’s rollout, and even her first television interview, with ABC’s Charles Gibson, conducted after an awkward two-week press blackout to allow for intensive cramming at her home in Wasilla, went more or less fine, though it had its embarrassing moments (“You can’t blink,” Palin said, when Gibson asked if she’d hesitated to accept McCain’s offer) and was much parodied. At least one savvy politician—Barack Obama—believed Palin would never have time to get up to speed. He told his aides that it had taken him four months to learn how to be a national candidate, and added, “I don’t care how talented she is, this is really a leap.”
“It had taken him four months to learn how to be a national candidate.” The unanswered question: What did he learn in that four months? For that matter, what did they unsuccessfully try to cram into Palin’s head in two weeks?
In other words, What do you need to know if you are going to transition from “normal person” to “world leader”? Apparently it is something that can be taught and learned in a finite amount of time. It might be fun to know what that body of knowledge is.
In searching for this body of knowledge, it is possible to imagine what you might need to know. For example:
- The name, background and key positions of the leaders of every country.
- The state of relations with all key allies and foes
- All treaties, agreements, etc. currently active
- Current monetary position and policies
- A clear definition and position on every major national issue (Jesse Ventura, for example, was extremely clear on every issue)
- Knowledge of every current and recent conflict
- Knowledge about key industries like energy, health care, etc.
- Etc.
But is that really what they tried to cram into Palin’s head, or am I completely off the mark?
In researching it, I’ve come across some interesting stuff:
- How Obama Did It
- How He Did It
- The Barack Obama Campaign
- The Amazing Money Machine
- Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
But none of this talks about Obama’s crucial four-month cram session.
I will keep investigating. If you have any ideas, I’d love the help.
Comments
6 Responses to “An unanswered question – What did Obama have to learn, and Palin try to learn, to become a national candidate?”
Jason M says: Here is how he did it. You have the media fall in line lock step behind you to where no matter what idiotically insane thing you say or do it is ignored or swept under he rug. Two, you have a group of “nutty” radicals help you cheat your way in. It has been obvious since Jan. 20th that no matter how much “cramming” he did, he still doesn’t have a clue! Can you say Nero?
Forget the “world leader” stuff. B.O. is still figuring out that now, on the taxpayer’s nickle.
Yeah, the four-month cram session was learning what he needed to get elected. How to spin the media, which Super Delegates to bully onto his ticket, how to squeeze more money out of donors, etc.
I do not think that learning all that stuff would be that usefull; these things change. I must be some protocol; media workng; speed reading; some leaders but mostly u learn this through the years of politics.
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[...] presidential election – How retouching works (media storm about the unretouched Newsweek cover) – An unanswered question – What did Obama have to learn, and Palin try to learn, to become a nationa… – Stuff that makes you go Hmmm #3 – Sarah Palin’s [...]
This is really intriguing to me. Is there a name for the four month program Obama went through? That would make the searching a lot easier if the training session was called something. This is very cool and I would thoroughly enjoy to see more on this topic. Thanks!