Also, Ake, you say, "the most well educated can also be the dumbest and the most crooked."
I don't think you can be really well educated if you're really dumb (although book-learning and common sense are not the same thing), but you're right that being smart and educated doesn't make you honest. (It just makes you a better crook if that's what you were anyway.)

What I want in a President is someone who has (relevant) education, intelligence AND integrity.   I don't agree with all of Obama's stances, but I agree with him more than with anyone else who has a chance of being elected President this year.

I think Sarah Palin is probably a lot smarter than people give her credit for, but she just plan has not been dealing with national or international issues and concerns very much in the past, and until a couple years ago, her political concerns were pretty much limited to being a small town mayor.    I don't think you can make up for such a dearth of education/experience/knowledge of national and international issues in a matter of a couple months.   If she becomes VP, by the end of McCain's first term she well may be qualified to be President (although what I think her world view is scares me).   But I want the VP to be ready to step in as chief executive on day one, if need be.

I also don't think she's all that honest, from a number of reports I've heard and read from people who have dealt with her in Alaska. She may be a street fighter, but I'm not sure that's a great attribute for our VP or President.


BTW, both Kay Bailey Hutchison and Elizabeth Dole are former beauty queens. While I don't share their political views, I think either one would be qualified to be VP (and potentially President.