Prez and VP candiates and their education

[education details originally from a comment at huffpo]

Let's take a look at the education that the candidates for presdient and vice president have had:

Obama: Occidental College - Two years.
Columbia University - B.A. political science, specialization in international relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude, presdient of Harvard Law Review

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism


Now, education of course does not equal intelligence. There are many keenly intelligent people who do not have the opportunity for a prestigious education, or who simply do not feel as drawn to pursue a rigorous, standardized education as others do.

There are also many notoriously incurious people who, due to the circumstances of their existence (for instance, being the son of an oil millionaire congressman and later U.S. President), do pursue and achieve prestigious education. So, yeah. One's education does not equal their suitability for any profession, including the presidency of the United States.

But education is an indication not just of one's intelligence, but also of one's tenacity. Education does help prepare people for the challenges that will face them in life.

McCain, formal education aside, does indeed have a significant amount of political experience. (I totally disagree with his politics of course, particularly lately. Maverick my ass.) But for Christ's sake, the man chose SARA PALIN as his ideal choice for vice president. I am aghast -- AGHAST -- that the ghost of the "he's a president you can have a beer with" meme has raised its ugly head again, this time in the form of "She's a regular hockey mom!" Do we not learn out lessons?

Is Sara Palin a reasonable choice to stand for the "average citizen?" I would argue that her political stances aer a tad more extreme than the true average, but sure. She's more or less a regular person. Which is all fine and good... Except if you're on track to become the President of the United States.

I DO NOT WANT A REGULAR PERSON AS PRESIDENT. We went through this with Al "smug" Gore, John "Latte" Kerry and now with Barrack "Elite" Obama. Is Obama "Elite?" In some ways yes. Just look at the education record I posted above. He surely strove hard to attain what he became at Harvard, to become an "elite" student... But the whole "elite" epithet the GOP is trying to pin on him falls apart when Guiliani, for instance, makes fun of him for being a "community organizer." I guarantee you that Obama is far more in touch hwo to make thie country a promising place again fro the "average" American than John "elite" McCain.

So, this post has been a little meandering and directionless. Primarily because I started it over a week ago and am just now finishing it... So, I'm just going to declare it done. Right here: [end]

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(Note: Post edited at 3:45 pm because of an unacceptable number of typos.)